Some people may have trouble eating or swallowing because of muscle weakness. Some people have acute peripheral neuropathy, in which symptoms appear suddenly and progress rapidly. Others may have a chronic form, meaning that symptoms persist for long periods of time. For those in the Pennyhill DE area, finding reliable Diabetes Treatment near Pennyhill DE is crucial.
Symptoms vary depending on the type of peripheral neuropathy and may appear quickly or slowly. A combination of sensory and motor neuropathy (sensorimotor polyneuropathy) is particularly common. The symptoms of neuropathy may fluctuate over time, come and go, or become more or less intense over time. If the condition is allowed to progress, the most obvious motor and sensory symptoms of neuropathy begin to appear. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may appear quickly or grow slowly over time.
They may come and go, or get better or worse, at certain times. Depending on the cause of peripheral neuropathy, symptoms may improve over time or may last a lifetime. These symptoms are not life threatening. Symptoms may appear quickly (as in Guillain-Barré syndrome) or slowly over weeks or years.
Symptoms usually appear on both sides of the body. In most cases, they start first on the tips of the toes. Some motor neuropathies are acute, meaning that symptoms come on suddenly and can worsen quickly. This type is most commonly seen in people with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder that causes the immune system to attack the body's peripheral nervous system.
Approximately 95% of people recover completely or almost completely from Guillain-Barré syndrome. When it occurs outside the central nervous system (CNS), that is, the brain and spinal cord, it is called peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral nerves form a network that connects the brain and spinal cord to muscles, skin, and internal organs. However, there are some conditions that are classified as peripheral neuropathy that are serious and require immediate medical attention.
If peripheral neuropathy affects vital organs such as the heart, the symptoms can also be dangerous and even fatal. Peripheral neuropathy is more likely to be permanent in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and genetic conditions. Peripheral neuropathy is a general term for any condition, disease, or disorder affecting peripheral nerves, which are all the nerves found outside the spinal cord and brain. The effects of peripheral neuropathy depend on the cause, the nerves it affects, your medical history, the treatments you receive, among other factors.
Thanks to advances in medical science and technology, many symptoms or forms of peripheral neuropathy can now be treated. In some cases, you can fully recover from peripheral neuropathy if your healthcare provider can find the cause and treat it successfully, and if the damage doesn't affect the entire nerve cell. Managing the cause of neuropathy can help delay damage to peripheral nerves and possibly even reverse symptoms. Diabetes accounts for around half of all cases of peripheral neuropathy, making diabetic neuropathy the most common type.
In many cases, a person with peripheral neuropathy may have more than one of these types of peripheral neuropathy at the same time. Healthcare providers often use the terms “neuropathy” and “polyneuropathy” (meaning “disease of many nerves”) interchangeably with “peripheral neuropathy.” For example, if the cause is a deficiency of any medication or vitamin, peripheral nerve damage can be treated and even reversed by stopping taking the medication, receiving vitamin therapy and improving the diet. However, some people are at greater risk of having specific types of peripheral neuropathy (for more information, see the Causes and Symptoms section below). If the root cause is a chronic illness, such as diabetes, managing the underlying condition can help prevent peripheral neuropathy from worsening.
