Peripheral Neuropathy & Leg Infections

Peripheral neuropathy is a general term used when the peripheral nervous system is damaged, and messages can't travel the way they're supposed to between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Leg infections and peripheral neuropathy have a complicated relationship. Both can be either a symptom or a cause of the other.

• Leg Infections and peripheral neuropathy are often intertwined.

Significance

• Peripheral neuropathy and leg infections can be a serious combination that in its worse form could lead to amputation. Peripheral neuropathy makes it difficult for the body to detect and respond to infection in the extremities, while an infection can actually damage nerve cells further and spur the vicious cycle to the next level.

Causes

• Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by many different conditions such as diabetes, hereditary disorders, alcoholism, kidney failure and even physical trauma or infection. When infection is the cause, localized to the legs or systemic, loss of function and sensation is usually the result of nerve tissue being damaged by an auto-immune response (when the body attacks itself) or as a side effect of heavy antibiotic treatments.

Symptoms

• One potential symptom of peripheral neuropathy is skin ulcerations on the extremities, usually the legs, due to decreased nerve function. Muscles may be less responsive, and falls or injuries become more likely. The body is less able to detect inflammation and infection, and signals telling the body to fight and heal are slow or stopped. Because of this, injuries to the legs and feet might not have the expected symptoms of pain, swelling and redness, and could go undetected until they've become severely infected and/or ulcerated.

Considerations

• Some diseases and conditions can make peripheral neuropathy more severe and leg infections much more likely to occur, not to mention much more serious when they do. Any condition that decreases the flow of blood and nutrients to the extremities, such as diabetes mellitus, makes it easier for infections to get started and harder for infections to be treated.

Prevention/Solution

• Since leg infections complicated by peripheral neuropathy are especially difficult to treat, it's important to prevent them. All patients with peripheral neuropathy should be aware that decreased sensation and muscle weakness are common symptoms and can lead to falls, bumps and other injuries. Other measures taken to prevent infection will be based on treating the underlying cause of the peripheral neuropathy. For example, diabetics should keep blood sugar levels within normal limits and do regular foot care and leg skin checks to keep ulcers from forming.