Neuropathy is nerve damage or impairment and can affect many body functions, including movement and bowel control. It can alter nerve functioning temporarily or permanently. There are various types of neuropathy affecting different nerves and causing varying symptoms. Pain, unusual sensations, numbness, or weakness in the affected body parts are the common symptoms in most forms of neuropathy. Neuropathy can be caused by injuries or underlying conditions like diabetes. The treatment your specialist, Dr. Darryl Camp Houston, uses depends on your symptoms and the cause of your neuropathy. There are various types of neuropathy, including:
- Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is the most common type. It involves damage to the nerves in the extremities; the fingers, toes, hands, feet, arms, and legs. Diabetes is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy, but controlling your blood sugar levels can reduce or eliminate the nerve problem. If your peripheral neuropathy results from other causes, alternative and complementary therapies are quite effective.
- Autonomic neuropathy
Autonomic neuropathy affects your involuntary nervous system, which consists of nerves related to digestion, circulation, the heart, sweat glands, bowel, and sexual organs. It can be a side effect of certain medications. If autonomic neuropathy affects your sexual organs, you might have erectile dysfunction. You can have diarrhea if the nerves that control your small intestine are damaged. Bladder paralysis is a common symptom of autonomic neuropathy, where your bladder does not normally respond to pressure and fills with urine, leading to urinary tract infections.
- Cranial neuropathy
Cranial neuropathy harms one or more of the twelve nerves connected to your brain or brainstem. It often affects your eyes and face. Bell’s palsy, microvascular cranial nerve palsy, third, fourth, and sixth nerve palsy, and multiple cranial neuropathies are the medical conditions resulting from cranial neuropathy. Some of these problems, like microvascular cranial nerve palsy, are related to diabetes. Cranial neuropathy starts with pain on one side of your face near the affected eye, and later the eye muscle becomes paralyzed.
- Focal neuropathy
Focal neuropathy is not common as other forms of neuropathy. It involves damage of a single nerve, often found in your foot, wrist or thigh, but other nerves can be affected. Because only one nerve is damaged, that does not mean focal neuropathy is not severe. It is a serious condition, and its symptoms are as bad as other types of neuropathy. Carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment are the most common focal neuropathy conditions.
- Proximal neuropathy
Proximal neuropathy is fairly common. It damages the nerves in your thighs, gluteal areas, and hips. It occurs when high blood glucose and high levels of fats in your blood from diabetes damage your nerves. In most people, proximal neuropathy only affects one side of the body, but it can affect both if not treated. Proximal neuropathy is common in people with Type 2 diabetes. It mostly affects men and individuals over fifty years old.
Neuropathy is nerve damage or impairment that can affect many body functions, including movement and bowel control. There are many types of neuropathy, including peripheral, focal, autonomic, cranial, and proximal. Schedule an appointment at Texas Herbal Clinic for neuropathy treatment to restore your nerve functioning.
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