Peripheral Neuropathy

What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy?

The clinical presentation will depend on the type of nerve fibers affected.

Motor nerve damage causes:

• Weakness
• Painful cramps
• Muscle twitching
  

Sensory nerve damage causes:

• A decrease in the appreciation of pinprick
• Light touch or vibration sensations on the hands and feet
• It may also cause unsteadiness when walking.
• Pain receptors can become oversensitised resulting in spontaneous burning pain, discomfort to light touch (allodynia) and hypersensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia).
  

Involvement of autonomic nerves results in a variety of symptoms such as:

• Abnormal sweating
  
• Postural giddiness
• Irregular heart rate
  
• Urinary incontinence
  
• Erectile dysfunction in men