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Peripheral Neuropathy

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Medical Author:

Standiford Helm II, MD

Standiford Helm II, MD

Dr. Helm has been practicing interventional pain management since 1982. Dr. Helm is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology with subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine and of the American Board of Pain Medicine. Dr. Helm is a Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP), the only certifying agency which tests the ability to perform interventional pain procedures. Dr. Helm is also an examiner for FIPP.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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What is a peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is disorder of nerve(s) apart from the brain and spinal cord. Patients with peripheral neuropathy may have tingling, numbness, unusual sensations, weakness, or burning pain.

What causes a peripheral neuropathy?

There are many possible causes of peripheral neuropathy, including:

1. Diabetes Mellitus


2. Shingles (post herpetic neuralgia)


3. Vitamin deficiency, particularly B12 and folate


4. Alcohol


5. Autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Guillain-Barre syndrome


6. AIDS, whether from the disease or its treatment, syphilis, and kidney failure


7. Inherited disorders, such as amyloid polyneuropathy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease


8. Exposure to toxins, such as heavy metals, gold compounds, lead, arsenic, mercury, and organophosphate pesticides


9. Cancer therapy drugs such as vincristine (Oncovin, Vincasar), and other medications [for example antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl), and isoniazid (Nydrazid, Laniazid)]

While diabetes and post herpetic neuralgia are the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy, often times no cause is found. In these situations, it is referred to as idiopathic peripheral neuropathy.

Sometimes, peripheral nerve entrapments, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, are considered peripheral neuropathies. In these cases, pressure on the nerve rather than a disease state leads to nerve malfunction.