Confusing Neuropathy Symptoms Explained
It is difficult to know if your symptoms are due to nerve damage unless you have a neuropathy evaluation by a qualified doctor. Symptoms can be very different from one person to the next. Due to the danger of leaving neuropathy untreated, we highly encourage you to not self-diagnose or self-medicate with over-the-counter pain relievers.
The following explanation of symptoms can help you determine if you are in need of a neuropathy evaluation and seek care that targets the cause of your condition.
There are three categories of nerve damage caused by neuropathy -- motor, sensory and autonomic. The severity of nerve damage will determine the severity and number of symptoms you experience.
Motor Nerve Damage
Motor nerves control voluntary movement -- movement you control by telling them what to do. Such as grabbing a pencil, talking, and walking.
Common symptoms of motor nerve damage include:
- muscle weakness
- twitching
- cramping
- muscle atrophy (significant shrinking of muscle size)
- decreased reflexes
Sensory Nerve Damage
Sensory nerves communicate information of feelings, like the pain of a cut or heat from the sun.
Common symptoms of sensory nerve damage include:
- loss of feeling on the skin, such as touch or heat
- the feeling of wearing gloves or socks, even when not
- loss of coordination, making it difficult to tie shoes or button a shirt
- loss of balance, making walking more difficult
- oversensitivity to pain
- oversensitivity to touch, causing people to lightly drape sheets over when sleeping
- loss of pain sensation, the most dangerous symptoms of them all and the leading cause of diabetic neuropathy patient amputation after not getting treatment because they could not feel their nerve damage so did not get treatment
- skin, hair, joints, and bone may also be damaged over years of sensory nerve damage
Autonomic Nerve Damage
Autonomic nerves control your automatic body functions, like breathing and digesting food.
Common symptoms of autonomic nerve damage include:
- inability to control blood pressure
- loss of bladder control
- inability to sweat, which affects tolerance for heat
- sexual dysfunction
- digestion issues
- dry eyes
- changes in sweating
- changes in nails and skin
- dry mouth
- cold feet and hands
Common Causes of Neuropathy
PHYSICAL TRAUMA
Injuries
Nerves that are pinched, crushed, or cut from trauma such as in sports injuries, auto accidents and falls can become damaged and develop neuropathy. Broken bones and dislocated bones can put pressure on and damage surrounding nerves.
Repetitive Stress
Repetitive motion, especially experienced in sports, typing, and some jobs, over a long period of time causes ligaments, tendons, and muscles to become inflamed and swollen. This then narrows the small tunnels where nerves pass, causing the nerves to be pinched and damaged. Ulnar neuropathy is an example of nerve damage trapped in the elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of nerves trapped or compressed in the wrist.
DISEASES AND DISORDERS
Diabetes
Diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy in the United States, with 60 to 70% of patients with diabetes having mild to severe neuropathy.
Cancer
Cancer can creep into nerves, causing damage. Surrounding cancerous tissue can grow and pinch compress nerves, causing damage. Toxicity of chemotherapy can cause neuropathy. As many as 30 to 40% of of people with cancer develop neuropathy symptoms and pain, and it is the main reason people electively stop chemotherapy.
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks itself, can lead to nerve damage. When tissues damaged by autoimmune diseases, such as joints, organs, and connective tissues, become inflamed, the nerves around these areas may become compressed or pinched.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease causes an excess of toxic substances in the blood that damages nerves.
Infections
Infections of virus and bacteria that can attack nerve tissue includes shingles, Epstein-Bar, West Nile (spread by mosquitoes), herpes, and cytomegalovirus. These can severally damage sensory nerves, causing sharp, electric pain. Lyme disease, the tick-borne infection, causes extensive nerve peripheral nerve damage.
TOXIN EXPOSURE
Medications
Medications for heart and blood pressure can commonly cause neuropathy, as well as medications for cancer and to fight infections.
Environmental toxins
Environmental toxins, such as mercury, lead, and arsenic can cause neuropathy. Insecticides and solvents are also known to cause nerve damage.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumed in heavy amounts is a common cause of neuropathy. Nutritional deficiencies that develop as a result of alcohol consumption also further contribute to neuropathy.
