The nervous system consists of an extensive network of nerves that helps regulate your body functions and enables you to experience your surrounding environment. It controls movement, coordination, balance, sleep, breathing, body temperature, body response to stress, healing and recovery, memory, emotions, perceptions, and sensations. The numerous nerves send chemical messengers or signals to and from cells, glands, and muscles throughout your body. Sometimes, your nerves may be harmed and damaged, which causes a condition called neuropathy Brooklyn. Damage to your nerves may be due to an illness, an infection, injury, abuse of drugs, and intake of certain medications.
For example, clinical studies show that if you have a disease like diabetes, the high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood can damage nerves and thus make them unable to pass signals and help you feel and move.
Still, the destruction of your nerve or nerves may occur without clear reasons.
Subsequently, below are a few things you may need to know about neuropathy.
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Types of neuropathy
Although there are several types of neuropathy, they are mainly classified into four distinct groups.
Generally, the classification of types of nerve damage considers the number of affected nerves, the cause of the damaged nerve, and the part of the body with a destroyed nerve.
The main types of neuropathy are peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, focal neuropathy, and diabetic neuropathy.
For instance, when you have peripheral neuropathy, you have damage to nerves located far away from your spinal cord and brain. This particular nerve damage often affects the toes and feet.
On the other hand, autonomic neuropathy occurs when you have damage to nerves that control automatic functions of the body, including breathing, bowel movements, blood pressure, and digestion.
Neuropathy symptoms
Nerve damage usually makes you feel unusual sensations in the affected areas of your body, such as your feet. The location affected by nerve damage usually feels numb, is painful, and has a burning and tingling sensation.
The pain and discomfort may be more intense during the night and thus disrupt your sleep.
You may also feel like your muscles are weak and have problems with balance, function, and movement.
If nerve damage affects the automatic functions of your body, you may experience unusual sweating, lightheadedness, and sexual problems like difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection for a satisfactory experience.
Diagnosis of neuropathy
A specialist in neuropathy will ask you to provide more information about your symptoms, and things you notice may worsen or alleviate your issue.
Your health provider may also want to understand more about the duration of your symptoms, the medications you may be using, and your general health and well-being.
Your doctor can determine if you have a nerve problem by measuring the speed and strength of chemical signals passing through nerves. And a blood test may reveal the cause of your nerve problem.
Sometimes, you may be referred to a specialist to diagnose and treat the nerve problem affecting you.
Because it is often challenging to cure nerve pain, the focus may be on making the pain and discomfort bearable. That may involve taking prescribed medications and living a healthy lifestyle, including eating healthily and exercising regularly.
Contact Zephyr Medical today to schedule an appointment with a neuropathy specialist.
