Neuropathy: Find Specialists & Information

You’re probably familiar with that unpleasant tingling sensation in your arms, hands, legs, or feet. Most of the time, this tingling is caused by harmless factors, such as a foot that’s fallen asleep or physical strain.

However, if you experience this kind of tingling frequently, you may be suffering from neuropathy. This is a disorder of the peripheral nervous system, which includes all nerves that are not part of the spinal cord or the nerve cells in the brain. Damaged nerves can also cause tingling or burning sensations in areas far removed from the spinal cord.

The main symptoms of neuropathy are

• a burning sensation,
• tingling, and
• numbness.

Most often, the legs or feet are affected. However, the arms and hands can also experience these symptoms.

People with diabetes are at particularly high risk for neuropathy. For example, if the feet become numb due to this condition, patients may not even notice when they develop blisters from walking. This can lead to injuries that may progress to the dreaded diabetic foot syndrome. In the worst-case scenario, the foot may need to be amputated.

That is why maintaining optimal blood sugar control is of the utmost importance. Combined with sufficient exercise, amputation can be effectively prevented in many cases.

However, neuropathy can also lead to other symptoms and risks. This is the case, for example, when internal organs are affected. This is referred to as autonomic neuropathy. It also affects the autonomic nervous system and can lead to cardiac arrhythmias or erectile dysfunction.

Neuropathy can be caused by a variety of factors. These include, for example,

• certain past infectious diseases such as HIV or Lyme disease (following a tick bite),
• alcohol abuse, which can damage the nerves to the point of causing neuropathy,
• previous cancer treatment: Some chemotherapy drugs can cause numbness, but radiation therapy or the tumor itself can also be the cause.

A very common cause of neuropathy is diabetes mellitus. About one-third of all people with diabetes suffer from neuropathy. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but there is a theory. In diabetes, blood sugar levels are constantly elevated. This can lead to circulatory problems in the nerves. Neuropathy can develop as a result of this damage.

Before treatment can begin, a diagnosis must first be made. The doctor must use various tests to determine which condition is present and what is causing it.

For example, they may perform reflex tests or check skin sensitivity at specific sites. Testing nerve conduction velocities and blood tests are also part of the diagnostic process.

Once the cause is identified, it is treated on an individual basis. If, for example, alcohol abuse is the underlying cause of the condition, reducing alcohol consumption or stopping it entirely can help. In the case of infectious diseases, the infection itself is treated. If severe pain occurs as part of neuropathy, pain relievers can help.

People with diabetes are advised to monitor and manage their blood sugar levels particularly carefully. In addition, exercise and a healthy diet can be beneficial.

In cases of diabetes, neuropathy can usually only be managed, not completely cured.

For other causes, the nerves can at least partially regenerate with the help of appropriate therapy. This also includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In any case, further damage can be prevented with proper treatment.

The extent to which symptoms subside also depends on how far the disease has already progressed.