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What is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy is clinically defined as “disease of or damage to the peripheral nerves.”
The Nervous system is the complex wiring that goes throughout the entire body and communicates feelings and sensation to your brain. The Nerve itself is coated in what is called the “myelin sheath” which effectively acts as the insulator protecting the nerve. In a healthy nervous system, blood vessels supply the nerve and nerve coating with everything it needs to function properly, sending the correct signals to the brain.

Being diagnosed with Neuropathy can be confusing and overwhelming.
There are many different causes and types of neuropathy, and the symptoms may vary.
If there is inflammation in the body, or poor blood flow the vital circulation of blood to healthy blood vessels can slow which over time will deteriorate the “myelin sheath,” which is the insulator to the nerve.
This causes the nerve to send faulty signals to the brain.
Because there are different types of nerves and different types of causes,
Patients can experience a wide variety of symptoms such as numbness, tingling, burning or coldness, and hypersensitivity.
The most common symptom of neuropathy in early onset is hypersensitivity. Cold may feel really cold, or your bed sheets might bother you at night.
Because neuropathy is typically caused by poor blood flow, it often affects the extremities first. A patient’s fingertips typically experience symptoms before the entire hand, or their toes will experience symptoms before the entire foot does.
Patients who catch their neuropathy in the early stages and seek proper care have a much better chance of achieving full recovery than those who don’t. That’s because a nerve that has lost all blood supply will die off eventually, and then there is nothing that can be done.

As neuropathy progresses, the symptoms become more severe and more frequent.
This is typically when the numbness and tingling set in, cramping and shooting pains may also occur as the symptoms increase.
Many of the patients at our Tulsa Neuropathy clinic who have experienced these advanced symptoms report things like not being able to balance, not being able to feel cuts or bruises, or they’re unable to write, cook, or grip things properly.

Because Neuropathy is commonly associated with poor blood flow, even patients who have early symptoms often have a much slower healing time. Cuts may get infected, or sores appear without the patient noticing. As it progresses, it is common for neuropathy patients to see redness or swelling in their legs, and toenail or fingernail damage. We have seen many patients who developed a toenail or fingernail fungus.

Because of these often unmentioned side effects of the disease, our Tulsa Neuropathy clinic recommends anyone experiencing these symptoms to wear shoes, avoid driving at night, and seek professional care if they have a cut or wound that isn’t healing properly.

What Causes Neuropathy?

There are many types of neuropathy and equally as many causes.
The most common form of the disease is diabetic neuropathy. As the US sees an increase in diabetes, we are also seeing a sharp rise in neuropathy with the youngest case of diabetes being at just three years old!
Diabetic neuropathy can become severe, with some improperly managed cases even requiring diabetic amputations.

Chemotherapy and radiation is another common cause of neuropathy, many patients report feeling symptoms of neuropathy after the first few rounds of their chemotherapy treatment.

Infections like HIV, Lymes disease, and shingles can all cause neuropathy. Neuropathy caused by a disease can be hard to diagnose, one reason being that it is harder for the patient to recognize the symptoms of neuropathy with proper focus. Many patients suffering from these diseases do not treat neuropathy as an individual issue and instead treat it as a side effect of the disease. If you are experiencing symptoms of neuropathy, it is critical to be evaluated by a qualified professional to ensure the neuropathy does not progress beyond the point of recovery.
Over time, damaged nerves will begin to die. A damaged nerve can be repaired, but a dead nerve cannot.

Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are another common cause of neuropathy. Lupus increases inflammation throughout the body, and inflammation can reduce blood flow. Poor blood circulation in turn damages the blood vessels that a healthy peripheral nerve must have in order to send proper signals to the brain.

Smoking
Smoking can cause restricted blood vessels, and reduce the elasticity of blood vessels, making them stiffer and less adequate at providing blood flow to the limbs.

Several Medications
Statins and certain antibiotics can cause neuropathy.
Many people are not properly educated in the side effects of the drugs they are taking or were prescribed and sadly several medications on the market today have been linked to neuropathy. If you or someone you know is taking medication and experiencing the side effects of peripheral neuropathy, it is critical to speak with your healthcare professional. Ask them about the medications, and if you can get off of them. Don’t be afraid to find resources educating you on the side effects and show them to your Doctor. It is important to advocate for yourself if your medication doesn’t feel right for you.

Genetics and aging
Although less common than diabetes, neuropathy can be attributed to aging or genetics. At our Tulsa Neuropathy clinic, we’ve treated many patients who don’t have an underlying disease or infection but struggle with neuropathy.

Some of these cases may be attributed to their genetics, reporting some of their family members had also struggled with neuropathy.
Neuropathy can also develop as people age, Many aging adults experience restricted moving and limited mobility which can make them less active. Without doing the proper exercises to promote healthy blood flow to their extremities, neuropathy can develop.

It is important to remember that symptoms are a sign something isn’t quite right within the body. If you or someone you know are experiencing symptoms find a healthcare professional that will actually listen to you and take these symptoms seriously.

Sadly, we have encountered many patients who steadily decline as neuropathy progresses and accept that the condition is their “new normal.”
It is our mission not just to educate people on the dangers of peripheral neuropathy, but to give them hope.