Question 1

What is neuropathy?

Accepted Answer

Neuropathy refers to nerve damage. Often caused by diabetes, the condition creates widespread pain, numbness, and disability.
 
The four types of neuropathy are:
 
 • Peripheral: creates pain and numbness in the feet, legs, arms, and hands
 • Proximal: causes muscle weakness in the upper legs, buttocks, and hips
 • Autonomic: attacks the autonomic nervous system
 • Focal: affects single nerves in the head, torso, or legs

Question 2

What causes neuropathy?

Accepted Answer

Although diabetes almost always causes proximal, autonomic, and focal neuropathies when they occur, peripheral neuropathy can be caused by alcohol abuse, exposure to some toxins, and many medical conditions, including:
 
 • Autoimmune diseases
 • Bone marrow disorders
 • Chronic kidney disease
 • Infections
 • Injury-related nerve trauma
 • Reduced blood flow to the legs
 • Tumors
 • Underactive thyroid
 • Vitamin deficiencies, especially B12

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of neuropathy?

Accepted Answer

Although all neuropathies arise from nerve damage, each has vastly different symptoms depending on the type of nerve damaged. 
 
Among the most common symptoms of neuropathy are:
 
 • Blurry vision
 • Muscle cramps
 • Muscle weakness
 • Irregular heartbeat
 • Frequent urination and incontinence
Numbness and tingling in hands and feet is also a common side effect of neuropathy. You might also feel a burning or throbbing pain in your extremities that interferes with your mobility.

Question 4

How is neuropathy treated?

Accepted Answer

After diagnosis, Dr. Upadhyay creates a personalized plan to relieve your pain, slow the progress of the disease, and restore lost function.
 
Treatments for neuropathy include:
 
Medications
 
To ease chronic nerve-related pain, you could benefit from prescription anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications. Dr. Upadhyay also offers medication management services to monitor your use of medications and reduce your risk of side effects and complications.
 
Nutraceuticals
 
Nutraceuticals are dietary supplements that come from food sources that provide health benefits beyond their nutritional value. These products contain antioxidants and other ingredients that relieve pain and inflammation.
 
Neuromodulation
 
Neuromodulation treatments, including spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation, use electrical impulses to interfere with pain signals traveling from your nerves to your brain. Using a remote, you control the electrical current that goes into the epidural space of your spinal cord as pain occurs.
 
Pain pumps
 
Pain pumps deliver a steady stream of pain-relieving medications directly into your spinal cord to relieve chronic pain and keep you physically active.
 
Dr. Upadhyay has an exceptional record of successfully treating even the most challenging cases of neuropathy. Call or schedule an appointment online with Aman Upadhyay, MD, to learn how their approach can alleviate your pain and help you heal.

Aman Upadhyay, MD

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