Am I at Risk for Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that affects specific nerves explicitly located outside your brain or spinal cord. A wide range of conditions and injuries can cause damage to your peripheral nerves. 

One of the most definitive symptoms of this condition is significant pain. Sathya Bhandari, MD, who is a triple board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience in pain management, can help you with this. She and our team here at Liberty Pain Associates in Flower Mound, Alliance/Keller, and Fort Worth, Texas, have the expertise to treat and manage most kinds of pain. 

Here’s what our team would like you to know about peripheral neuropathy and what may put you at risk.

What causes peripheral neuropathy? 

Peripheral neuropathy can be brought on by one of many factors. Some of the most common include: 

• Alcohol abuse 
• Type 2 diabetes
• Vitamin deficiencies 
• Trauma and injury to the nerves directly 
• Infections
• Genetic conditions such as Fabry disease 

What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy? 

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy typically depend on which peripheral nerves were damaged. Where there is damage to your motor nerves, you are likely to experience symptoms such as cramps, twitching, and weakness in your muscles.

Damage to your sensory nerves results in pain, numbness, tingling, and clumsiness. Finally, damage to the autonomic nerves causes bowel and bladder difficulties, sexual problems, changes in your blood pressure, and sweating either too much or too little. 

Who’s most at risk of developing peripheral neuropathy? 

Peripheral neuropathy can occur in people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. However, certain risk factors can increase your susceptibility to developing the disease more than others. Some of these factors are: 

• Having a family history of peripheral neuropathy 
• Misusing alcohol 
• Being exposed to certain toxins
• Having an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to attack your body, such as lupus
• Having a disorder that affects your kidney, liver, or thyroid 
• Making repetitive motions that affect your peripheral nerves
• Having nutritional deficiencies, especially in vitamin B

Can I lower my risk?

Yes, it’s possible to lower your risk of developing this condition to some extent. For starters, eating a balanced and nutritious diet prevents you from developing nutritional deficiencies that can cause neuropathy. 

Managing your consumption of alcohol and limiting your exposure to toxins also helps lower your risk. If you have a condition or disorder linked to peripheral neuropathy, managing and treating the symptoms of the disease can help reduce your risk of developing neuropathy. 

How is peripheral neuropathy treated? 

Treatment for this condition typically depends on the range of symptoms you exhibit. Factors such as age, other medical conditions, and your medication will also be considered. 

In general, however, a combination of medication and physical therapy is used to treat this condition. Surgery to cut and reconnect damaged nerves may be recommended in severe cases. 

Now that you know the symptoms and causes of peripheral neuropathy, you can better recognize the signs of this condition and when to seek treatment. At Liberty Pain Associates, we offer effective and lasting treatment options for peripheral neuropathy. Let us take charge of your pain by booking an appointment online or calling 972-355-9038.