What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that causes weakness, pain, and numbness in your extremities (typically the hands and feet).

Your peripheral nerves send messages from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body. When those nerves are damaged, these messages are interrupted and affect how your body responds to pain, temperature, and other reflexes.

It’s often a result of damage to the peripheral nerves. A few things can cause this damage:

• diabetes mellitus
• traumatic injury
• alcoholism
• infection

The effects of peripheral neuropathy can develop suddenly or can spread slowly over time.

Treatment methods vary depending on the cause of the condition. Many natural and traditional methods focus on alleviating pain symptoms.

Sensory nerves

Sensory nerves send messages from other body parts to the brain and trigger your senses. When you experience a cold sensation or touch something sharp, you are using your sensory nerves.

If your peripheral neuropathy affects your sensory nerves, you may experience:

• tingling or numbness
• sensitivity to touch
• decreased sensation
• inability to feel temperature changes or pain with hot and cold
• loss of reflexes and coordination

Autonomic nerves

These nerves control involuntary and semi-voluntary functions including blood pressure, heart rate, bladder functions, and sweating.

If your autonomic nerves are affected from peripheral neuropathy, you may experience symptoms including:

• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness while standing or changing position from sitting to standing
• excessive sweating
• inability to control bowel and bladder functions
• irregular heart rate
• difficulty swallowing