How to Detect Neuropathy Symptoms

Neuropathy symptoms can vary quite a bit from person to person, but there are some symptoms of neuropathy that occur in most individuals who suffer from this condition. Read this article to learn how to spot the most prevalent neuropathy symptoms in order to determine if you or someone you love may in fact be suffering from neuropathy. (Of course only a doctor can officially diagnose neuropathy.)

Instructions

• 1

  People with neuropathy typically feel as though they are wearing mittens or gloves on their hands and/or stockings or socks on their feet and ankles even when they are not wearing anything at all on their hands or feet. This extremely disconcerting and uncomfortable sensation gradually spreads further up the legs and arms. They hands, feet and lower legs might also start to feel numb and tingly.

• 2

  Over time, walking becomes more difficult. One of the more common neuropathy symptoms is a sensation of heaviness in the legs. Going up and down the stairs becomes a painful chore.

• 3

  Additional neuropathy symptoms include loss of balance and muscle weakness. It can become harder and harder to get your footing. You feel as though you are always on the brink of falling. You may even fall or stumble from time to time due to the pain and the strange, tingly sensations that neuropathy causes in your legs.

• 4

  Regarding the use of your hands, when you have neuropathy, it can become more and more difficult to hold things tightly or to feel like you have a solid grip on small objects that you pick up and try to carry.

• 5

  As you can see, neuropathy attacks the nervous symptom. It can inflict damage on your sensory nerves (affecting the way you feel, causing the pain and tingling, etc.). It can also impact your motor nerves (disrupting your ability to move and support yourself). Finally, it can also impede the functioning of your autonomic nerves, which are integral to the ongoing operation of your internal organs.