Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, caused by various factors. It can result in numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and pain. Some conditions cause temporary damage, while others can be permanent and incurable. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, and some people may have lifelong symptoms.
When a person has damage to the peripheral nervous system, it is referred to as peripheral neuropathy. The peripheral nervous system refers to all nerves that exist outside the brain and spinal cord. The nerves in the brain and spinal cord are referred to as the central nervous system.
Peripheral neuropathy is complex, and many diseases, injuries, body chemistry imbalances, cancers, repetitive movement disorders, exposure to toxins, or genetic inheritance can cause it. It can also vary in symptoms, severity, and cure rate, depending on the cause. This damage can have a variety of symptoms and can include numbness, tingling, weakness of the muscles that serve the damaged nerves, and, in some cases, severe pain.
If a nerve is permanently damaged, the muscles it serves can gradually die, resulting in impaired movement. In some cases, neuropathy can result in complete paralysis of the affected areas. On the other hand, some conditions cause nerve damage temporarily. While people with affected nerves may experience the above conditions on a temporary basis, the nerves are able to recover, so the condition isn’t permanent.
This is the case with diseases such as Guillain-Barre. The condition can cause sudden peripheral neuropathy and temporary paralysis. Many are able to recover from this disease, caused by a virus, and restore full movement after recovery.
Another disease associated with nerve damage is Lyme disease. Untreated Lyme disease, caused by bites from infected ticks, can cause progressive damage to the peripheral nervous system. Treatment with antibiotics will usually be able to prevent the nerves from being permanently damaged.
Autoimmune diseases can result in more permanent peripheral neuropathy and can be much more difficult to treat or cure. The chronic inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis can also cause some loss of nerve function. Those with lupus may also experience some degree of nerve damage as the course of their disease progresses.
In conditions like multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy, peripheral neuropathy can gradually reduce muscle function as nerves die. In severe cases, this damage can significantly impair walking and movement. These conditions are incurable. Congenital abnormalities during development that result in diseases such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth cause the muscles in the lower half of the body to die and also cannot be cured.
Other forms of this condition can be treated when their causes are treatable. Severe lead poisoning or exposure to too much mercury can cause treatable cases of peripheral neuropathy, if the cause is found. Correcting hormonal imbalances or vitamin or mineral deficiencies can also halt further nerve damage. Tumors that cut nerves can be surgically removed. Many injuries, given adequate rest, possible surgery, and physical therapy can help end this form of neuropathy, or at least minimize its effects.
Even when treatment is possible, some people may have lifelong symptoms such as numbness or a slight loss of function in an area where nerves have been damaged. In some cases, not all function can be restored, even when treatment of the underlying condition is successful. A greater understanding of how nerves might recover from paralysis or disease is needed to facilitate comprehensive cures in most cases.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
