Our bodies’ nervous system includes the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (nerves that lie outside of your central nervous system).
The two components together control many functions, such as –
- thoughts and movements
- automatic responses to your environment, such as temperature
- breathing, digestion, and urination
- sexual function
- immune system
Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to the peripheral nervous system. Diabetes is a leading cause of peripheral neuropathy.
Since peripheral system nerves run all over the body, a person’s symptoms may vary depending on the location and type of damage.
In peripheral neuropathy, the nerve problems may include –
- Loss of nerve signals
- Nerves signaling when they shouldn’t
- Distortion or errors in the messages sent by the nerves
To classify various types of peripheral neuropathy, the severity of nerve damage needs to be considered. Damage to a single nerve is known as mononeuropathy, while damage to several nerves at once is known as polyneuropathy.
Types of peripheral neuropathy
The nerves in the peripheral nervous can be –
- Motor nerves control conscious muscle movements, such as walking
- Sensorynerves transmit sensations, such as temperature or pain
- Autonomic nerves control unconscious actions, such as breathing
Depending on the type of peripheral nerves that have been damage, a person may be suffering from a –
- motor neuropathy
- sensory neuropathy
- autonomic nerve neuropathy
- a combination of two or more neuropathies
The resulting symptoms may range from mild to severe, such as pain, muscle weakness or loss of sensation and balance issues. Since many symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are similar to those of other conditions, peripheral neuropathy is not easy to accurately diagnose and manage.
For an accurate diagnosis, your doctor may order various neurological tests. This will help your pain management doctor determine the specific location and severity of the damage.
Millions of Americans live with peripheral neuropathy. While a cure is not available, your pain management doctor can help you manage your condition and reduce the likelihood of further worsening. This may involve managing the underlying condition, such as diabetes, as well as making lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking.
After an accurate diagnosis has been made, your restorative pain management doctor can design a personalized treatment plan to help you find pain relief and manage other symptoms. This can be achieved with a combination of therapies andmay include medications, injections, and nerve blocks. In some cases, spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulation can help. This involves implanting a small electrical device to send out mild electric currents to affected nerves to disrupt pain signals.
If you are looking for internal medicine and restorative pain management doctors in San Diego, call Pacific Medical Care at (619) 333-8114.Pacific Medical Care provides a wide range of healthcare services, and first-rate care to treat the whole patient.
