Where Does Neuropathy Occur In The Body? Experts Explain Causes & Treatments

Posted by PRC Agency
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Jan 22, 2025
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Understanding Nerve Pain

If you are living with neuropathy, you are far from alone. A whopping 30 million Americans suffer from nerve pain, making it one of the most common nervous system disorders, even more common than carpal tunnel syndrome, and nearly as common as migraines. This fact, unfortunately, does not make living with the disease on a day-to-day basis any easier.

Want to learn all there is to know about neuropathy? Visit https://valleant.com/where-is-neuropathy-located-understanding-nerve-pain-and-its-common-areas/

While nationwide awareness of the condition is increasing thanks in large part to the efforts of the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy, funding for treatment research is still relatively low. Despite this, new treatments are being developed on a continuous basis.

Why Is Neuropathy So Difficult To Talk About?

Much of the confusion around neuropathy has to do with the widely varied causes and symptoms of the condition. It can occur almost anywhere in the peripheral nervous system, and comes with a range of symptoms that are rarely consistent between cases.

To help in understanding this complicated condition, the health education collective Valleant has published a comprehensive guide to the condition. Let's take a look at what they had to say.

The Basics

Valleant begins their breakdown by establishing an overview of the condition, including the different types of neuropathy that exist.

The two leading triggers of neuropathy, they explain, are diabetes and cancer, which combined make up well over half of all cases globally, while the other half can typically be attributed to traumatic injury or infection.

While there are four primary types of neuropathy, symptoms are consistent across all four, differing primarily in their localizations within the body. As Valleant describes, neuropathy typically takes hold in the extremities, such as the arms, legs, fingers, and toes, though may be concentrated elsewhere in cases of “proximal” or “focal” neuropathy.

Neuropathy symptoms

Symptoms include a “pins-and-needles” sensation, numbness, burning, and sensitivity to touch—all of which can significantly impact day-to-day quality of life. Patients may have difficulty walking or otherwise performing fine motor functions, and may also experience weakness and even skin inflammation in certain cases.

If these symptoms sound familiar to you, and you have not yet sought a professional diagnosis and treatment, you should do so promptly. Untreated neuropathy can lead to further complications down the line, including permanent nerve damage and loss of sensation.

Treatments

Valleant goes on to share some treatment options, primarily in the form of preventative care. The careful monitoring and treatment of diabetes can prevent or mitigate neuropathy in cases where the disease is a factor, and in cases of traumatic neuropathy, anticonvulsants have proven reasonably effective at managing symptoms in many patients.

More From Valleant

In the full guide, Valleant goes in-depth on how to live with neuropathy, how to pursue treatment, and how to raise awareness about the disease. To read this complete guide or any of the other health information available on the Valleant platform, visit https://valleant.com/where-is-neuropathy-located-understanding-nerve-pain-and-its-common-areas/

Valleant City: Austin Address: 11320 North FM 620 Website: https://valleant.com
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