Peripheral neuropathy
Overview
Peripheral neuropathy develops when nerves in the body's extremities, such as the hands, feet and arms, are damaged. The symptoms depend on which nerves are affected.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can include: numbness and tingling in the feet or handsburning, stabbing or shooting pain in affected areasloss of balance and co-ordinationmuscle weakness, especially in the feet These symptoms are usually constant, but may come and go.
Causes
In the UKdiabetes(both type 1 and type 2) is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Over time, the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage the nerves. This type of nerve damage is known as diabetic polyneuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy can also have a wide range of other causes. For example, it can be caused by: physical injury to the nervesa viral infection, such asshinglesa side effect of certain medicines or drinking too much alcohol People who are known to be at an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy may have regular check-ups so their nerve function can be assessed.
When to see a doctor
It's important to see a GP if you experience the early symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. These include: pain, tingling or loss of sensation in the feetloss of balance or weaknessa cut or ulcer on your foot that's not getting better It's also recommended that people at highest risk of peripheral neuropathy, such as people withdiabetes, have regular check-ups. A GP will ask about your symptoms and may arrange some tests to help identify the underlying cause. You may be referred to hospital to see a neurologist, a specialist in health problems affecting the nervous system. Generally, the sooner peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, the better the chance of limiting the damage and preventing further complications. Find out more about diagnosing peripheral neuropathy