Here’s How to Identify Neuropathy Symptoms
The shaking of hands, numbness, weakness of feet, a sudden change of heart rate, profuse sweating and increase in blood pressure are nothing but neuropathy symptoms. The term neuropathy has a broad range of definitions. All the cases of neuropathy are related to nerve disorders. The specific name of this disease depends on the area of the nerve that is affected. When a single nerve is affected, the disorder is known as mononeuropathy. Similarly, when several nerves are affected at the same time, it is known as polyneuropathy.
Causes of neuropathy
One might wonder why this nervous problem called neuropathy occurs at all. Too much of alcohol consumption, any chronic disease, be it kidney or lung disease or diabetes, excessive medication and drugs, infections, sudden injuries, use of toxic substances, and sometimes ever hereditary diseases can lead to neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is commonly found in almost all individuals and can happen at any age and to any person, sometimes without any valid reason that can be detected.
The early neuropathy symptoms are very difficult to detect. But one must remain cautious enough to understand them so that they can be diagnosed early and cured. The earliest form of detection of neuropathy can be identified as the lack of tickling sensation. One must keep in mind that tickling sensation in a human body is a natural phenomenon; the lack of this feeling can be a reason for the presence of a disorder. The nerves are the receptors of any sensation that occurs in the skin and takes the message to the brain. The lack of these sensations only means that there is a disorder around the corner.
Neuropathy symptoms that are to be noticed and taken care of
Many neuropathy symptoms are associated with the early and the later stage of neuropathy that you must be aware of. These are listed below so that you have a clearer idea of any signs that can later become severe symptoms. The indications include very common signs such as the following:
- A sudden and prolonged burning sensation or a jabbing pain. The pain might also have a throbbing freezing sensation.
- Extreme sensibility to touch. Any touch might trigger a feeling of pain or shock.
- Sudden and gradual numbness of hands and feet and inability to move for quite a long time.
- A misbalanced state of the body, which leads to tripping and falling over repeatedly by an individual.
- If neuropathy has affected the motor nerves, then the person might experience temporary paralysis as well.
- Irregular bowel movement, bladder problem or digestive problem.
- Sudden heat intolerance, i.e., a sudden feeling of hotness without a valid reason, followed by over-sweating, which might even lead to strokes or mild heart arrests.
- Some kinds of neuropathy might cause nausea, dizziness, and fainting, vomiting or bloating after meals and a sudden blurred vision.
- Problems of difficulty in urinating, sometimes unconscious urinating and even the feeling that the bladder is not empty.
- Hypoglycemia, which leads to trembling and unnecessary palpitation.
Diagnosis of neuropathy
A prompt diagnosis is required to curb and get rid of this problem. However, all types of neuropathy problems are not curable. While some problems are easily treatable, some problems can be reduced to a certain extent; there are others that take a lot of time to be cured. One should be aware that neuropathy is a complicated ailment with some medical conditions intertwined together.
A physician usually starts diagnosing a patient by taking into consideration their medical history, which includes the general health of the patient, existing medications, and family history. This is followed by a thorough check-up of the skin and the patient’s pulse rate. Nerve conduction studies are performed to detect the rate at which the nerves transmit messages. Another test known as electromyography is conducted. This test involves pricking an electrode-attached needle into the skin to test the response of the muscles to stimuli in the form of minuscule electric bursts.
Testing the neuropathy symptoms is a daily routine checkup for diabetic patients. For neuropathy that had occurred for toxic causes, exposure to toxic substances should be reduced by preventing the person from being exposed to such substances and stop further damage to the nerves. Though medications have advanced and people can be treated to a great extent, a natural way of curing neuropathy is a three-step process. This includes treatment of the above causes, controlling the symptoms and stopping it from getting any worse.
Being educated about the symptoms can help identify the disease in its early stages. On observing the signs, it is advisable to check with a physician to determine the presence of this disorder. If diagnosed with the condition, then a doctor would prescribe an appropriate treatment, which must be followed strictly to remedy the neuropathy symptoms.