Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment

Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

The human nervous system is of two kinds: the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The Central Nervous System relates to the brain and the spinal cord, and the rest is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The PNS nerves are the communication channels between the brain, spinal cord, and body parts

When the peripheral nerves get damaged, it leads to a condition called Peripheral Neuropathy.

What are the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy?

The condition can cause different symptoms, depending on how many nerves have been damaged and in which part of the body.

It is also essential to trace the symptoms to the nerve function they are related to. There are three types of nerve functions: motor, sensory, or autonomic. Sensory nerves help transmit sensations like pain, touch, cold, heat, etc. In contrast, motor nerves help control the movement of muscles to carry out various tasks such as lifting, bending, picking up things, and other activities. Autonomic nerves enable automatic functions of the body, such as blood pressure, sweating, etc.

The various symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

1. Numbness, particularly in the hands and feet.
2. Blurry vision
3. Tingling.
4. Muscle atrophy.
5. Numbness, particularly in the hands and feet.
6. Neuropathic pain. (Nerves begin to generate pain signals due to the damage.)
7. Uncontrolled muscle movements and cramps.
8. Imbalance and clumsiness.
9. Blood pressure changes.
10. Loss of balance and coordination.
11. Excessive or minimal sweating.
12. Constipation or diarrhea, or incontinence.
13. Sexual dysfunction.

What causes Peripheral Neuropathy?

Infections, metabolic disorders, severe injuries, exposure to toxins, diabetes, and inherited factors can cause peripheral neuropathy.

The following factors can trigger peripheral neuropathy:

1. Autoimmune diseases.
2. Uncontrolled diabetes.
3. Infections such as Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus, Hepatitis B and C.
4. Hereditary disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
5. Nerve tumors.
6. Bone marrow disorders.
7. Kidney, liver, and connective tissue diseases.
8. Hypothyroidism.
9. Severe nerve injuries.
10. Exposure to certain poisons or toxins.
11. Vitamin B deficiencies.

How is Peripheral Neuropathy diagnosed?

Diagnosing peripheral neuropathy requires a high degree of experience because of the variability of symptoms due to the nerve function classifications that may overlap with other conditions.

The following diagnostic methods may be used:

1. Medical history and family health history.
2. Blood tests.
3. Neurological examination to check reflexes, muscle strength and tone, response to sensations, and posture and coordination
4. CT or MRI scans to look for the condition of nerves.
5. Nerve function and nerve conduction tests check the health of nerves and detect impaired reflexes.
6. Nerve biopsy.
7. Skin biopsy to check for how healthy nerve endings are in your skin.
8. Electromyography (EMG): It is a procedure that inserts a fine needle into the muscle to measure its electrical activity

What are the treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy?

Treatment for peripheral neuropathy addresses the underlying cause. Some, such as diabetes or vitamin deficiency, are more easily corrected through diabetes management or vitamin therapy.

The treatment approaches aim to relieve the symptoms and bring the condition under control and include the following:

1. Medications such as pain relievers and prescription-only painkillers.
2. Anti-seizure medications to relieve nerve-caused pain.
3. Topical pain-relieving ointments.
4. A category of anti-depressant drugs that inhibit the brain’s ability to process nerve-caused pain.
5. Therapies include Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), Plasma exchange and intravenous immune globulin and Physical therapy.
6. Surgery.

Get the best Peripheral Neuropathy treatment at American Hospital Dubai

Our Neurology Department has the most advanced diagnostic methods and treatment programs for peripheral neuropathy. The field of neurology is ever-expanding, exploring the boundaries of diagnosis, prevention and treatment, and our neurologists keep abreast of the developments.

Our highly experienced neurologists provide a personalized treatment plan for the speedy management of symptoms with correct medication and lifestyle change recommendations based on symptoms and your medical and family health history.

Our multi-disciplinary and integrative treatment approach ensures you receive the most accurate and efficient treatment and care for peripheral neuropathy under one roof.