Peripheral neuropathy

I’m writing about peripheral neuropathy because several of my friends have this condition, one in which nerves outside the brain and spinal cord are damaged. It causes their feet and lower legs to be numb, and, as a result, has curtailed their ability to drive, among other things. (If you have no sensation in your feet, you can’t feel the brake and gas pedals.) The condition may also include weakness and lack of awareness of your body’s position in space (proprioception), which leads to an increased risk of falling.  

Typically, peripheral neuropathy starts in the toes and may slowly progress toward the knees. Sometimes it’s also in the hands. You’re most likely to develop peripheral neuropathy as you age. It’s most common in 70- and 80-year-olds.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, “more than 200 causes of peripheral neuropathy exist” [!]. Most common is diabetes. (My friends are not diabetic.)  Chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) damages peripheral nerves. About 50 percent of people who have diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy over time. With diabetics, the lack of sensation leads to unrecognized injuries such as cuts and burns which, because of insufficient wound healing, can ulcerate, become infected, and require amputation.

Other causes of peripheral neuropathy include chemotherapy (the cause for one of my friend’s neuropathy); nutritional imbalances, such as vitamin B12 and vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency; excessive alcohol use; heredity; and autoimmune conditions.

Damage to peripheral nerves cannot be completely reversed and symptoms almost always persist.

It occurs to me that I have peripheral neuropathy. Some of my fingertips are numb. In my case, the cause was compression of the medial nerves in my wrists (carpal tunnel syndrome). I’ve had the surgeries, but, so far, the numbness persists. Nevertheless, I can still type.

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