30/07/2025
๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐๐ช๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฎ
๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that involves damage to the peripheral nervesโthose located outside the brain and spinal cord. These nerves help transmit signals between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. Peripheral neuropathy can affect sensory, motor, or autonomic nerves and may involve one nerve (mononeuropathy), several nerves (multiple mononeuropathy), or many nerves (polyneuropathy).
---
๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐จ of Peripheral Nerves Affected:
1. Sensory nerves โ responsible for transmitting sensations such as pain, touch, and temperature.
2. Motor nerves โ involved in controlling voluntary muscle movements.
3. Autonomic nerves โ regulate involuntary body functions like heart rate, digestion, and sweating.
---
Common ๐พ๐๐ช๐จ๐๐จ of Peripheral Neuropathy:
1) Peripheral neuropathy can develop due to a wide range of conditions and factors:
2) Metabolic Causes: Diabetes mellitus is the most common cause, where high blood sugar levels damage nerves over time.
3) Infectious Causes: Infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, Lyme disease, and leprosy can lead to nerve damage.
4) Autoimmune Conditions: Disorders like Guillain-Barrรฉ syndrome, lupus, and Sjรถgrenโs syndrome can cause immune-mediated nerve injury.
5) Toxic Exposures: Alcohol abuse, exposure to heavy metals (like lead or arsenic), and certain chemotherapy drugs can result in neuropathy.
6) Nutritional Deficiencies: Lack of essential vitamins, especially B1, B6, B12, and vitamin E, can lead to nerve dysfunction.
6) Genetic Disorders: Inherited conditions like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease may present as progressive neuropathy.
7) Mechanical or Traumatic Injury: Repetitive stress or trauma (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disc) can compress or damage nerves.
8) Drug-Induced Neuropathy: Certain medications such as isoniazid, metronidazole, antiretrovirals, and statins may cause neuropathy as a side effect.
---
๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐จ๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐ฎ
-The damage in peripheral neuropathy can occur in various ways:
-Axonal degeneration, where the nerve fibers themselves are damaged.
-Demyelination, where the protective covering (myelin sheath) of the nerves is affected.
-Some conditions may show a combination of both axonal and demyelinating changes, which is common in diabetic neuropathy.
---
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ค๐ข๐จ
1) Sensory symptoms include numbness, tingling, burning or electric-shock-like pain, and hypersensitivity to touch or temperature changes.
2) Motor symptoms may manifest as muscle weakness, twitching, cramps, coordination issues, and eventually muscle wasting in severe or chronic cases.
3) Autonomic symptoms can include dizziness upon standing (due to low blood pressure), digestive disturbances (such as bloating or constipation), abnormal sweating, and sexual or urinary dysfunction.
---
๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐จ๐๐จ
Diagnosing peripheral neuropathy involves a combination of clinical evaluation and diagnostic testing:
-A detailed medical history and physical examination help identify patterns of sensory or motor deficits.
-Blood tests may be done to check blood sugar, vitamin levels, liver/kidney function, and markers of autoimmune or infectious diseases.
-Nerve conduction studies (NCS) measure how well electrical signals travel through your nerves.
-Electromyography (EMG) assesses the electrical activity of muscles and can help determine the extent of motor nerve damage.
-MRI might be indicated if spinal or nerve root compression is suspected.
In complex or rapidly progressing cases, a nerve biopsy may be considered to confirm the diagnosis.
---
๐๐ง๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ค๐จ๐๐จ
The outcome depends largely on the underlying cause. Neuropathy due to treatable causes like nutritional deficiency or infection may improve or resolve completely. Chronic conditions like diabetes or inherited neuropathies often require long-term management and symptom control.
---
๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ โ When to Refer:
-Rapid progression of weakness
-Asymmetric involvement
-Loss of bladder or bowel control
-Sudden onset of severe pain with muscle wasting
-Systemic symptoms like weight loss or fever
These may indicate serious or potentially reversible causes and warrant further specialist evaluation.
---
๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฉ
Physiotherapists play a crucial role in the management of peripheral neuropathy. They help patients by:
-Maintaining joint range and preventing stiffness.
-Enhancing muscle strength and functional independence.
-Reducing the risk of falls through balance training.
-Providing gait aids or braces when necessary.
-Offering TENS and other pain-relieving modalities.
ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A PHYSIOTHERAPIST FOR GETTING EXPERT ADVICE, EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION & PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT
Appointment Call: 9995959992
...
