The link posted at the end of this post is a reputable link that will explain just the basics of peripheral neuropathy to you.

To understand peripheral neuropathy, you must learn a bit about the anatomy of the nervous system.

Bascially there is the central nervous system, the brain and spine, and then the rest, the 'peripheral nervous system". There are many different types of peripheral neuropathies, from genetic, to metabolic, to autoimmune to 'idiopathic' which means they do not know why you have it yet...it means 'unexplained' There are hundreds of causes of PN.

You can have PN in your sensory, autonomic or motor neurons.

If and how is progresses depends, generally on the reason or etiology.

'Autonomic' causes dysfunction in the 'automatic' systems of your body, heart rate, blood pressure, gastrointestinal system, bladder, sexual function, temperature control, sleep. This can cause some serious problems in how your body functions. It is the more rare kind.

'Sensory' neuropathy causes all kind of parasthesias, or odd feelings including, 'no feeling', numbness, severe pain of all types, burning, stabbing, aching etc. No one person feels pain or parathesias the same way, but we often describe them with the same words for lack of the vocabulary to describe what we feel. This is more common in PNers. It can be very bothersome to very painful, to just plain 'weird, funky, and indescribable." It can cause problems when a PNer doesn't feel pain, let's say in their feet, and they don't feel bad sores that might develop. It can cause balance problems, so can automonic neuropathy.

'Motor' neuropathies affect movement. Sensory neuropathy affects this too, as sensory neuropathy affects proprioception, and that affects how our bodies sense position and movement.

Small fiber neuropathy is best diagnosed by having epidermal biopsies taken at 4 sites and analyzed for nerve fiber content. EMGs are often normal on people who have PN, even very severe PN. Small fibers are mostly unmyelinated nerves, that is they do not have a myelin sheath, or have minimal myelin sheaths. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the myelin sheath of the nerve, unlike small fiber neuropathy, which is a deterioration of the actual small fiber neuron. There are several ways the neurons degenerate, as well...you will see words like 'Wallerian' and 'dying back' of nerves. Biopsies help to determine what kind of phenomenon is going on with your nerves.

Peripheral Neuropathy is, in itself not really a disease but a condition usually the result of some other disease, such as diabetes, autoimmune disease such as Sjogren's, rheumatiod arthritic, systemic lupus erythematosis, amyloidosis, celiac disease, hereditary conditions such as hereditary sensory neuropathy I, II, III IV and others (probably dozens) yet to be discovered, but will probably be discovered soon due to the mapping of the human genome.

Peripheral Neuropathy can result from some medications used to treat diseases, such as cancer treatments, and can also be the result of radiation treatment, or acquired trauma of some type that just starts the process. "Idiopathic" a term you will see some us use, is a 'diagnosis', that means, so far, they have been unable to determine the cause of the neuropathy. It sometimes takes a while for the etiology to manifest enough to determine the cause. Some one with 'idiopathic' may get a different diagnosis later in time, perhaps they get diagnosed with amyloidosis or systemic lupus later.

There are few doctors that will give any patients with PN any real prognosis, unless they have a specific cause for the PN, and then the prognosis relates to the disease causing the PN. PN can stop completely. Some hereditary PN can only manifest at a certain age, some progress, some don't. Sometimes PN can be arrested with medications. In diabetes, good diabetic control can sometimes stop the spread or minimize it.

The doctors work to find a cause of the PN, and they work to treat the symptoms of PN.

Below is just one link. Other members will supply you with all kinds of links, most of them very useful. One member LizaJane has a list of test used to assist with finding a reason for your PN.

Finding medications to treat the symptoms of PN is usually trial and error, what works great for one person may be disasterous for others....we all have our own journey with finding meds to help symtoms. That can be frustrating. Hopefully you can find a medication that works to help you with your symptoms.

PN is a chronic condition, although it is shocking to get a diagnosis, once you get over the shock of the diagnosis, you get busy working with your docs to find a reason and a management plan. It takes a while to get answers. In the mean time, you can educate yourself with a lot of good online resources.

You will find lots of support here.


http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/p...neuropathy.htm