Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that results from damage to the peripheral nerves, which connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. Our peripheral nerves play a crucial role in sending sensory information to the brain, controlling voluntary muscle movements, and regulating involuntary functions like blood pressure and digestion. When these nerves are damaged, patients may experience a range of symptoms. It is important to understand these symptoms so you can optimize your lifestyle to prevent them from worsening.
BEST Health System partners with chronic pain clinics across the country to increase patient access to quality pain management care and treatment. If you suspect you have peripheral neuropathy or if you have recently been diagnosed, we encourage you to keep reading. Sufficient patient education can help you stay on top of your condition and increase your chances of achieving sufficient relief.
Common Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms
Patients with peripheral neuropathy often experience a range of symptoms that can prevent them from comfortably living their lives. Common symptoms include:
- Sensory Changes: Tingling, numbness, or a “pins-and-needles” sensation in the extremities, often starting in the feet and hands. This is sometimes described as feeling like wearing gloves or socks when none are present.
- Pain: Burning, sharp, or stabbing pain, which may be constant or episodic. Pain can worsen at night, disrupting sleep.
- Weakness: Muscle weakness or difficulty with coordination, often leading to problems with walking or gripping objects.
- Temperature Sensitivity: Increased sensitivity to touch or difficulty sensing temperature changes, leading to injuries or burns.
- Autonomic Symptoms: In some cases, neuropathy affects the autonomic nerves, causing dizziness, digestive issues, excessive sweating, or trouble regulating blood pressure.
- Loss of Reflexes: Decreased or absent reflexes, especially in the lower limbs.
Treatment Options
If you suffer from any of these peripheral neuropathy symptoms, you are likely looking to find solutions to help you live a more comfortable and fulfilling lifestyle. Initially, patients may opt for conservative methods such as pain relief medications, lifestyle adjustments, physical therapy, or minimally invasive surgical intervention.
Conservative methods are nonsurgical solutions that help patients achieve relief before the need for serious treatment. Pain relief medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes are often recommended early after diagnosis. Lifestyle changes may include diet adjustments, an increase in exercise, and limiting drinking and/or smoking.
If these conservative options do not provide meaningful relief, patients may consider surgical intervention. Neuromodulation is a popular treatment option commonly recommended to patients with peripheral neuropathy. Also referred to as spinal cord stimulation, this procedure involves the implantation of a small device in the lumbar spine and has lead wires that connect to the spinal cord to block pain signals from reaching the brain. This is a common procedure that helps many neuropathy patients achieve up to 80% or more pain relief.
Connect with our team at BEST Health System to learn more about our neuromodulation trials.
