Proximal Neuropathy

Proximal neuropathy is a rare form of neuropathy that occurs when the nerves in your hips, thighs, or buttocks are damaged. It usually only affects one side of your body. Although only seen in rare cases, it can spread to both sides.

Overview

Proximal neuropathy is a rare form of neuropathy that occurs when the nerves in your hips, thighs, or buttocks are damaged. It usually only affects one side of your body. Although only seen in rare cases, it can spread to both sides. BEST Health System offers minimally invasive treatment options for this condition. If you have proximal neuropathy, it is important as a patient to educate yourself on this condition. This way you’ll be better equipped to tackle this condition. If you’d like to learn more about this condition, this guide will provide you with information about proximal neuropathy as well as causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and surgical options.

Causes of Proximal Neuropathy

Diabetes is often the most likely cause of proximal neuropathy as it can damage your nerves and the small blood vessels that nourish your nerves over time by raising your blood glucose levels and raising your fat levels, such as triglycerides. Although this is the most likely cause other factors can also lead to neuropathy such as high levels of fat, genetic or inherited disorders, or trauma, or injury. Proximal neuropathy is different for everyone thus the causes of it differ depending on the patient.  

 

Treatment Options

There are a number of conservative treatments that can help relieve symptoms caused by proximal neuropathy. Managing your diabetes by keeping track of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol is one form of treating proximal neuropathy. If you are experiencing symptoms of pain, your doctor may prescribe pain relief medicine. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy which can help increase strength and occupational therapy which can help you get back to daily activities.

 

  • Diagnostic Imagery. Our doctors will administer an MRI, X-Ray, or EMG/NCV to determine the cause of the pain.
  • Conservative Treatment. The doctor will create a conservative treatment plan consisting of physical therapy, pain medications, and/or a TENs unit.
  • Injections. The doctor will administer steroid injections at the site of the neuropathic pain.
  • Ablation Therapy. Ablation therapy can help to block irregular pain signals from being sent to the brain.

Surgical Options

Occasionally, conservative treatments for neuropathy are ineffective or do not provide enough relief. If this is the case you may want to consider surgical intervention.

BEST is proud to offer a modern solution for patients struggling with proximal neuropathy. A spinal cord stimulator is a surgically implanted device that delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord. These pulses can then block pain signals from being sent to the brain. This allows neuropathy patients to manage neuropathy-related discomfort. 

Symptoms

Proximal neuropathy normally affects the hips, thighs, or buttocks but it can vary from patient to patient. If you have proximal neuropathy, symptoms you could experience include:

  • Experiencing sudden, intense hip, buttock, or thigh pain
  • The inability to stand up from a seated position is due to weak legs
  • An inability to control reflexes such as the knee-jerk reflex, which occurs when a doctor taps the bottom of your knee cap and your lower leg automatically moves
  • Loss of muscle tissue, or muscle wasting
  • Loss of weight

When symptoms appear they normally get worse and then gradually improve over time. Unfortunately, in most cases, symptoms never fully go away. However, BEST Health System can help develop a plan that’s right for you which will provide you the best quality of life possible. 

 

FAQs

Does proximal neuropathy go away?

Unfortunately, proximal neuropathy has no cure but there are a variety of treatment options you can consider to help manage symptoms and get back to the activities you love.

How do I know if I have proximal neuropathy?

Oftentimes you can tell based on symptoms you may be experiencing. However, the only way to know for certain is to be checked by a doctor and receive a proper diagnosis. With a proper diagnosis, you can look toward treatment options that fit your needs.

Will proximal neuropathy be covered by my insurance provider?

We accept most insurance plans at BEST Health System. We look forward to speaking with you if you would like to learn more about BEST and find out if you are covered with us.