What is Neuropathy: Nerve problems are very common in the present generation, and there is no doubt that most adults and elderly people are dealing with them. Problems linked with nerves can happen for various reasons, like some diseases or any other. This damage to the nerves is termed neuropathy. If you are someone who is not aware of neuropathy and wishes to know more about it, keep reading till the end.
In this article, we will go over what neuropathy is and all of the other parameters associated with it in detail so that there is no confusion later on and that getting a diagnosis is easier for you. Let’s have a look!
What is Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is basically nerve damage that happens due to various conditions, including diabetes and some treatments like chemotherapy. In most cases, it is termed peripheral neuropathy, and it describes the different health-related problems an individual is dealing with.
So many conditions of neuropathy are there that are easily treatable and curable, but sometimes controlling and managing these symptoms turns out to be problematic and preventing further nerve damage is difficult.
When the nerve damage is linked with the peripheral nervous system, it is “peripheral neuropathy”, and the overall activity of nerves outside the brain and the spinal cord experiences the impact. When these nerves are not working, the overall activity of the body experiences the impact.
As we all know, neurons are responsible for managing the entire activity of the body, and, due to nerve damage, the activity of these neurons or nerve cells experiences an impact. The impact can be on one nerve or on a combination of nerves. It entirely depends on the condition of the patient and the cause of which they suffer.
Types of Peripheral Nerves and Their Roles:
The majority of people suffer from peripheral neuropathy, and the nerves that comprise the peripheral nervous system are affected. The different types of peripheral nerves and their roles are as follows:
1. Sensory nerves:
Sensory nerves are among the most important nerves responsible for carrying messages from the five senses, including hearing, smell, taste, sight, and touch, through the spinal cord to the brain. In general, one can consider one’s senses enough to be the communicating nerves.
2. Motor nerves:
Motor nerves are those nerves that travel in the opposite direction of sensory nerves and are responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the muscles. These muscles are important for controlling and producing movement.
3. Autonomic nerves:
Autonomic nerves are responsible for bodily functions that occur outside of our direct control, including digestion, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, sweating, sexual arousal, and bladder control. These nerves are heavily monitored and respond to external stressors and body needs.
What Does Neuropathy Feel Like?
In general, a person dealing with neuropathy experiences a tingling sensation of numbness and weakness in particular areas of the body. Sometimes they experience other symptoms as well, including
- Temporary or permanent numbness
- Impairment of urination and sexual function
- Muscle wasting or weakness
- Increased sensitivity to touch
- Pain
- Paralysis
- Burning sensations throughout the body
The symptoms can be different, and it is important for people to reach out to the neurologist as soon as possible to get a diagnosis.
6 Causes of Neuropathy:
Not only is a single disease responsible for causing neuropathy, but there are some other causes as well, including:
1. Diabetes:
Diabetes is a leading cause of neuropathy, and more than 60% of people experiencing diabetes suffer from neuropathy as well. It is responsible for causing a painful burning sensation in the hands and feet.
2. Autoimmune disorders and infection:
Some autoimmune disorders and infections are also responsible for affecting the overall activity of the body, and these are responsible for causing neuropathy. In most cases, it happens that a person experiences different conditions due to which they are not in a state to manage their regular activities.
3. Trauma or injury:
Trauma or injury are also responsible for causing neuropathy, and, majorly, this includes car accidents, injuries from falls, sports activities, and fractures.
4. Medication and poison:
If a person is on medication for an extended period of time, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and others, the chances of developing this condition increase. These nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications are responsible for suppressing the body’s activity, due to which they may experience neuropathy. Along with that, if any person has consumed poison, they have a higher chance of experiencing it.
5. Vascular disorder:
A vascular disorder is a condition when blood flow to the arms and legs is decreased or slows down due to inflammation or any other blood vessel-related disorder. When a person has this condition, they will feel tingling sensations in their hands and legs because carrying objects and moving properly appears to be difficult for them.
6. Abnormal vitamin level:
It is important for people to be sure about their vitamin intake because it is responsible for managing their overall body activities. If there is an abnormal vitamin level, people will experience neuropathy.
Diagnosis of Neuropathy:
When exploring the diagnosis of neuropathy, doctors mostly do it with the help of a physical examination and some neurologic examinations.
1. Physical examination:
In the physical examination, they asked the patient about a lot of factors related to their activities. This helps them to understand what could be the cause behind it.
2. Neurologic examination:
Majorly doctors consider neurologic examinations. This helped them to check out the reflex action of the body and the way in which a patient is in the state of coordination and balancing. They consider some of the sensations to be tests to check out how a person is doing.
3. Imaging test:
In general, doctors suggest patients go for amazing tests, including MRI, CT scan, and some tests in connection with nerve compression. This helps them to know what the actual state of the nerve is and why they are dealing with such a condition.
4. Blood test:
If a person is experiencing neuropathy due to an abnormal vitamin level, there is a possibility that doctors suggest patients go for some vital blood tests to check out the vitamin level.
5. Tissue biopsy:
In some cases, doctors also considered tissue biopsy because this test also gave them an idea about the condition of the nerves.
The diagnosis technique depends on the doctor you are approaching for treatment. If you are searching for a doctor, then Jaipur is the best destination where you can go, and you can fix an appointment with Dr. Vikram Bohra. He is one of the best neurologists in Jaipur. You can go for the treatment and discuss the condition you are going through so that finalising things will be easier.
Treatment for Neuropathy:
The treatments for neuropathy are different, and some of them are:
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Mechanical aids
- Surgery
- Proper nutrition
- Adopting healthy living habits by making some changes in life
So here we have discussed neuropathy in detail, and we hope right now you are aware of it. Be sure to reach out to the best doctor only. Approaching someone who is new to this field can bring out more problems for you. Discuss all the possible complications and problems you might be facing. So that the doctor can easily analyze your condition and move ahead with the treatment.
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FAQ: What is Neuropathy
Q. 1 Does neuropathy go away?
Ans: If a person is taking enough precautions and managing their life as a doctor suggests, it can go away.
Q. 2 How do you stop neuropathy?
Ans: In order to stop neuropathy, a person needs to make some lifestyle changes that are important for preventing it. For example, they need to avoid alcohol and correct vitamin deficiencies in their bodies.
Q. 3 Can the tingling sensations every time be a warning sign of neuropathy?
Ans: Unfortunately, yes, the tingling sensations every time are a warning sign of neuropathy.
Q. 4 What should a person need to avoid with neuropathy?
Ans: Mostly, doctors suggest patients avoid trans and saturated fats. Along with it, they suggest to avoid refined grains and added sugars during the treatment for neuropathy.
Q. 5 Why does neuropathy hurt more at night?
Ans: Neuropathy hurts more at night because of fluctuation in temperature that goes down a bit.
