Treatments can include medication to prevent nerve damage, physical therapy, and pain medications.
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Polyneuropathy Types
Polyneuropathies are either acute or chronic.
Acute polyneuropathies develop over the course of days or weeks and can cause serious health risks.
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Sometimes, demyelination can be reversible because the body naturally regenerates myelin.
Nerve damage is not reversible because nerves do not heal.
Generally, peripheral nerve demyelination occurs before nerve damage, but this is not always the case.
Alcohol-induced neuropathy: Alcohol can cause significant damage throughout the body, including liver disease.
Metabolic changes and toxicity sparked by chronic alcohol overuse can harm the peripheral nerves.
Factors like nutritional deficiencies, chronic oxygen deprivation, and taking multiple medications can all contribute to this.
ICU neuropathy: Also called critical illness neuropathy, this condition can develop rapidly.
Medication: Some medications, especially chemotherapy, are associated with this side effect.
Cancer: Cancer may cause polyneuropathy in several different ways.
It can directly infiltrate the nerves and the surrounding areas.
Additionally,paraneoplastic syndromesare a rare throw in of nervous system disease that’s due to cancer.
Infections: Sometimes viral infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, can cause polyneuropathy.
The weakness of CIDP is not usually as severe as the weakness of GBS.
Treatment can involve immune suppression therapy.
Compressive: Sometimes physical pressure can cause damage to multiple nerves.
This may occur as a result of things like spine disease or inflammation.
Symptoms
The symptoms of polyneuropathy affect more than one limb (arm or leg).
The effects are usually almost symmetrical.
The symptoms also can involve nerves in the face.
Sometimes, physical functions, digesting food and breathing, can be affected as well.
Symptoms of polyneuropathy can include:
you could have one or more of these symptoms if you have polyneuropathy.
Rarely, heart function can also be affected by systemic polyneuropathy.
Complications
Sometimes complications of polyneuropathy can be serious.
This may include severe difficulty walking, wounds,sores, injuries, or infections of the extremities.
Risk Factors
Certain underlying conditions are known to cause polyneuropathy.
Uncontrolled diabetes and chronic alcohol overuse are the most common.
Sometimes people who have well-controlled diabetes are at increased risk as well.
Some chemotherapeutics and other medications are known to cause this side effect.
And living with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases can increase the risk as well.
Nutritional causes of polyneuropathy can be more likely in people who do not get enough nutrients in the diet.
Additionally,malabsorptionissues due to digestive diseases or intestinal or stomach surgery can interfere with proper nutrient absorption.
With polyneuropathy, one or more of these sensations is usually diminished in the fingers and toes.
It may improve as the testing moves up the arms or legs.
You may also be slightly weak and have trouble walking.
Additionally, medical interventions can sometimes help prevent the condition from progressing.
This is also important to avoid atrophy and to maximize strength as much as possible.
Outlook
Generally, the nerve damage of polyneuropathy does not heal.
Sometimes, demyelination can heal.
Managing complications can improve overall health and outcome.
Summary
Polyneuropathy is a medical condition that affects nerves throughout the body.
This typically occurs due to a systemic (whole-body) illness like diabetes or alcohol-related disease.
Polyneuropathy can cause pain, diminished sensation, and weakness.
Treatments can alleviate discomfort but cannot repair sensory loss of weakness.
Physical therapy and medical interventions can help maximize abilities and prevent complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some types of polyneuropathies are curable.
This includes Guillain-Barre syndrome or inflammatory polyneuropathy from immune-mediated diseases or infections.
Weakness and loss of sensation from nerve damage usually cannot be restored.
With anti-inflammatory treatment and respiratory support, most people can recover from this condition.
The nerve disease does not change during different times of the day.
