Neuropathy

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy is the name given to any condition affecting the normal activity of the nerves of your peripheral nervous system.

Your peripheral nervous system links your brain and your spinal cord to the rest of your body. Damage to these nerves interferes with communication between your body and brain.

Your peripheral nervous system is made of three important types of nerves:

• Sensory nerves: carry signals that help you recognize sensations, like cold and hot
• Motor nerves: transmit messages from your brain to your muscles to respond to stimuli
• Autonomic nerves: control vital body functions, such as your heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion

Although neuropathy occurs among people of all ages, older adults have a higher risk of getting the condition.

What causes neuropathy?

Neuropathy may be passed down in your genes or you can develop it later in life. Non-hereditary causes include:

• Trauma
• Infections or autoimmune disorders
• Diabetes and other systemic conditions
• Medications
• Exposure to toxic substances
• Vascular disorders
• Vitamin imbalances
• Alcoholism

Sometimes the cause of neuropathy isn’t known, which happens in as many as 30-40% of cases of neuropathy.

How is neuropathy diagnosed?

Your doctor at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine takes a complete medical history to determine whether an underlying disorder is causing your neuropathy. They often recommend nerve and muscle testing, which is performed in two parts. The first is a nerve conduction study, followed by a test called electromyography.

Nerve conduction study

A nerve conduction study tests your nerves. The test used electrical signals to stimulate your nerves and measure how well they’re functioning.

Electromyography

Electromyography is a muscle test. Your doctor uses a small wire to measure electrical activity in your muscles.

Both tests are available at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine. The results of these tests provide your doctor with important information about the location of your problem, its severity, and how long it has been going on.

What treatments are available for neuropathy?

Your doctor at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine creates a treatment plan based on the source of your condition, then tracks your progress.

He often recommends physical therapy to reduce pain and enhance your own body’s ability to heal itself. The goal is to eliminate your pain and relieve any other symptoms.

For accurate diagnosis and treatment of neuropathy, call the board-certified doctors at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine today or book an appointment online.