I think I have PN, but I was wondering does PN include carpal tunnel or is that a seperate problem? I'm not sure what PN covers.
I had a nerve conduction study done yesterday, (first time) and that was absolute torture! I didn't think it would hurt so much! lol
My Neurologist is saying it's just carpal tunnel I have in my hands, even though the pain is different in each hand. Right is definitely carpal tunnel, but left, the numbness and pain is on the back of the hand and not at the wrist.
I also mentioned to him yesterday, that I have pain and numbness in my left foot now too. But he only tested my hands/arms, and just said I have carpal tunnel, and didn't say anymore. I'm hoping he'll tell me more when I next see him at my normal appointment...

~Jaime~

--is the term given for any dysfunction of nervous tissue that lies outside the central nervous system--the brain and the spinal cord.

It can certainly include carpal tunnel, as well as spinal radiculopathy (compression of nerve roots next to the spine by disk or bone), and damage to any nerves in between.

There are over 200 known causes of neuropathy, ranging from the traumatic (compression), to the metabolic (diabetes, hypothyroid), to the nutritional (many), to the toxic (many) to the autoimmune, to the hereditary/genetic. Different types of nerve can be affected--motor, large myelinated sensory, small unmyelinated sensory, autonomic. As many people here will tell you, teasing out a cause is often a long, difficult process, and the state of the science is such that as many as a quarter of all cases currently remain stubbornly "idiopathic"--without obvious known origin. And to make things even more confusing, certain conditions of the brain and spinal cord (MS, B12 deficiency, others) can produce symptoms that exactly mimic those of peripheral nerve damage, and in the same apparent body parts.

Carpal tunnel, BTW, doesn't have to manifest just in the wrist--it can involve the back of the hand, or side. Often there is other damage going on further down the arm, in the elbow/ulnar, or even the shoulder (brachial plexus) areas.

If your foot is involved now as well, that implies a more systemic cause.

Have you seen our lovely diagnostic spreadsheets at www.lizajane.org? This is about as comprehensive a listing of tests for neural symptoms as you can find, and is a great way to track test results over time, as well as suggest tests to physicians--I suspect you haven't had even a fraction of the tests listed there.

25 % of PN is ideopathic, no known cause, 40% of those are probably hereditary and either not diagnosed because the proper testing isnt done or unable to be diagnosed at this time with the current technology. I wonder what percent of a diagnosed cause of PN are incorrect and should be ideopathic until the testing process is done. This group would/may include people who have diabetes, or have drank in the past who would have these causes diagnosed for their PN without any other testing or with no testing beyond an emg. We have met a number of people here where that is the case. With pre diabetes , which i believe is the cause for some or maybe many of those with unknown cause of their pn, how many doctors are just grabbing onto that cause without looking at the others or testing for anything beyond glucose tolerance or A1C or even fasting glucose. How many people like Jaime who because they have carpal tunnel in one hand or suspected carpal or tarsel tunnel have that cause attributed to them and are operated on and the rest the symptoms or areas of involvement ignored until they cant be any longer ?

My PN is carpal tunnel, inoperable. Mine is caused by vitamin/mineral deficiencies caused by undiagnosed celiac disease. This,

I find to be very true! My neurologist tells me my PN is centralized in my wrist and hands, but I think he is nuts. I have so much trouble with my right shoulder. The nerves bunch up and the pain gets so bad, it doesn't let up until the nerves relax. I do truly think it is all connected. It seems to travel from one area to the other, from my wrist to my shoulder, I always know when my shoulder will act up before it does.

Hi All.

What I find fascinating is that all the doctors that Alan went to (during the 15 years we tried to find out why this guy had PN). Every single doctor said "you can't inherit neuropathy". Every single one. Even the neurologists, and believe me he saw more than one neurologist. He saw this specialist and that specialist.

They all poo poohed the fact that his mom had Guillian Barre Syndrome.

But they ALL ABSOLUTELY SAID UNEQUIVICALLY "YOU CANNOT INHERIT NEUROPATHY".

So I read the posts here all the time, and I just read Glenn's post and he mentions heriditary/genetic.

Now if a neurologist (who is supposed to be a specialist), can look us in the eye and say: "You cannot inherit any form of neuropathy". then who am I to go "oh yes you can'.

I'd look like a complete idiot. Exactly like I looked when I tried to explain Methyl B-12 to several of my doctors. They just shook their heads like I was a stupid 60 year old.

Well, who is stupid now????

Thank you Glenn and everyone else for your advice, it's all quite interesting.
Yes, I'm new to this, and the NCS was the first test I've had done. What other tests are there?
I think my Neurologist sent me for the NCS, just so I would stop asking him so many questions! lol But I think it has raised a lot more questions that I will have to ask him at my next appointment! I'd like to know the full results, and what the options are next.
The pain is not just in my wrist, it's in the elbow area (he did test the nerves at the elbow too) and shoulders. I have osteo-arthritis in my shoulders and most other joints, so I guess that all adds to the problem...and confusion as to the cause of it all! Time and more tests will tell, I guess!

~Jaime~

Hi Jaime & welcome to this forum.... another Victorian amongst here
You may like to check this out mate, http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/p...neuropathy.htm

Brian

Hi and welcome,
I saw your post and to be honest I
wanted Glen to step in first. We all
need a Glen in our life,there are many
bright people on this forum,many who
go though those painful tests.Glen explains
or puts it together,well let's say in a way
to make one understand..

Then we all move in for the attack. lol
I am a Diabetic have been for a long time.
Is that why I have PN well yes and no.
A lot of Neuro's get fixed on one issue
and say ah ha there you go,that's your
problem..Get a second opinion,after
many tests I have ployneuropathy's.
Spine,from feet to knees, hands tp elbows,
shoulder ,around to neck across back. And
in the tummy.

J. is going to come on and tell you to read
the stickes,please do she has told me at least
300 hundred times,but she doesn't get angry.Ha

Do I believe right here and now there's a cure,NO
do I think for my Children and any of there friend 's who may or
get PN in the future yes I do..But there is help and this
group can help,they know Drs.,they can tell you about tests.
and they can make you laugh,well I will stop befor I scare you off.
Many Blessings and Good luck Sue PS I am 61 but there are all ages
here..

--shoulder to hand/fingers, in addition to getting worked up for some of the more systemic causes of neuropathy listed on the Liza Jane charts, you should get some MRI's of cervical spine and shoulder areas (if you haven't already).

There are two conditions known as Brachial Plexopathy and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome that involve compression of nerves that go from the body cavity near the spine and down the arms; depending on where the compression is one can get symptoms anywhere from shoulder to fingertips. We have a good forum for these here that you should look through:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

And, of course, compression at cervical nerve roots can cause these symptoms as well.

There is also the "double crush phenomenon"--a systemic neuromorbid condition (like diabetes, or autoimmune vasculitis) doesn't by itself cause much in the way of symptoms, but add another insult, such as compression, and then you get them. (Almost anyone with a systemic neuropathy cause is more prone to compressive effects--the already damaged nerves are just more sensitive).

Are your symptoms in all areas similar? Do you hve the same "type" of pain? There's nociceptive (normal) pain, then there's nerve pain (burning, lancating, elctrical, stinging--just some of the words used for this hard to describe sensation), and you can get numbness, feelings of things (i.e., fabric) touching skin/sensations of wind/water when there's nothing there, vibrations--the whole gamut of what is referred to as parastheses (literally, sensations beyond the normal).

Hi Jamie - This is how my PN started. I was first diagnosed as having carpal tunnel. I had 2 hand surgeries and the worst of the pain was gone but my hands were still numb and tingly. At least after the surgeries I was able to sleep again.