Peripheral nerve disorders

Posted by Doctor Pham Thi Son - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder that occurs when these nerves malfunction because they are damaged or destroyed. This disrupts peripheral nerve activity.

The human nervous system consists of two parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord). Peripheral nervous system consists of 12 pairs of cranial nerves that control craniofacial activities and 32 pairs of spinous nerves, which control activities of the trunk and autonomic nerves
The nerve cells are structured Made up of: cell body, dendrites, and axons. The axon is responsible for transmitting information from the cell body to other nerve cells or to the target organ, the muscle. The axon of the nerve is covered by a myelin sheath.
The peripheral nervous system connects the brain and spinal cord, or central nervous system, with the rest of the body.
There are three types of peripheral nerves:
Sensory nerves, connected to the skin Motor nerves, connected to muscles Autonomic nerves, connected to internal organs

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder that occurs when these nerves malfunction because they are damaged or destroyed. This disrupts peripheral nerve activity. When damaged peripheral nerves can send wrong signals: It may send pain signals when there is nothing to cause pain, or it may not send pain signals even when there is something. that causes pain to the patient.
Cause :
Trauma Systemic disease Infection Due to genetic disorder

Most neurological diseases have a combination of sensory and motor. However, some disorders have only motor or sensory abnormalities.
The most common motor symptom is weakness of the limbs. It can manifest as clumsiness, difficulty running or climbing stairs, or fine motor skills such as writing, lacing clothes, opening jars, or tying shoes. Muscle atrophy, limb deformity Sensory symptoms may include numbness, paresthesias, pain or burning sensation, tingling in the hands or feet, feeling like you are wearing gloves or tight socks, sharp pain, numbness in hands or feet Autonomic symptoms such as:
Low blood pressure, excessive sweating, constipation, indigestion, diarrhea Sexual dysfunction, especially in men.

Blood tests can measure vitamins and blood sugar levels and determine if the thyroid gland is working properly. Your doctor may also order a CT or MRI scan to see if anything is pressing on a nerve, such as a herniated disc or a tumor. Sometimes your doctor will order a nerve biopsy. This is a minor surgery that involves removing a small amount of nerve tissue, which they can then examine under a microscope. Electromyography can show nerve-to-muscle conduction. For this test, the doctor inserts a small needle into a patient's muscle. The doctor then asks the patient to move the muscles gently. The probe in the needle will measure the amount of electricity moving through your muscles. This technique can be a little painful for a few days afterward. Nerve conduction measurement: Your doctor places electrodes on your skin. A small electrical current is then passed through your nerve to see if the nerve is sending the correct signal. This technique is a bit uncomfortable to do, but it doesn't leave any damage afterward.

The treatment of peripheral neuropathy is based on treating the underlying cause. If diabetes is the cause, it's important to keep your blood sugar under control. If vitamin deficiency causes disease, vitamin supplementation is most necessary. Multiple treatments may be more effective at the same time, such as a combination of drugs and physical therapy.
Pain relievers Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can be very helpful in managing moderate pain. But the patient should not take it excessively. If you take them in excess, these drugs can affect your liver or stomach function. Especially in case the patient is allergic to that drug. It is important to avoid using them for a long time, especially if you drink alcohol regularly.
Other nerve pain relief groups : Like gabapentin, Pregabalin also has a good effect on nerve pain. However, the drug can cause dizziness when first used.
Intensive treatment regimens for peripheral neuropathy will depend on the cause of the disease and are prescribed by specialized doctors who directly examine the patient.
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