Neuropathy, also termed peripheral neuropathy, is not a single illness but rather an umbrella term for a set of disorders characterized by damage to the peripheral nerves outside the spinal cord and brain. The central nervous system interacts with the rest of your body through the PNS and sends back sensory information.
Symptoms vary depending on the kind of neuropathy. Pain, numbness, and weakness in the hands and feet are typical symptoms of peripheral neuropathy caused by nerve injury. The pain is often characterized as piercing, searing, or tingling. It can also affect biological systems in the body, such as digestion, circulation, and urination.
Pain in the feet and legs may make normal activities such as walking and sleeping difficult. As a result of nerve damage, the first three fingers on the thumb side of the hand may become numb, tingling, feel unusual sensations, or even pain. Hand numbness can exacerbate and also develop in the arm and shoulder.
In addition to toxic exposure and infections, peripheral neuropathy may be caused by genetic predisposition and metabolic problems, including diabetes prevalence. Furthermore, there is no cure for neuropathy, but lifestyle and diet modifications and continuous medication may lessen symptoms and slow their progression.
Muscle Weakness and Paralysis
Muscles respond to impulses sent from the brain by the motor neuron. Those nerve impulses cause the muscles to move in response to the signal. If these nerves are injured, it disrupts the flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body, which may lead to symptoms, including weakness, a loss of normal feeling in the limbs, and chronic pain. Signs of muscular weakness and atrophy result from damage to the motor fibers that go to the muscle.
On the other hand, paralysis is the inability to move the muscles voluntarily. If you have peripheral neuropathy, the motor neurons are deteriorating and weakening, which impairs the muscles connected to them. Paralysis may make it hard to move the toes, leading to steppage gait and hand weakness. This condition may affect all the muscles in the body.
Total paralysis is uncommon in patients with neuropathy, although it is possible if a nerve is fully lacerated. Furthermore, the condition triggers weakness that commonly ranges from mild to severe, depending on the kind and extent of the neuropathy. However, early detection, physiotherapy, and assistive walking devices may alleviate muscle weakness and help patients live normal lives.
