Peripheral neuropathy, is a disease affecting the peripheral nerves, meaning nerves beyond the brain and spinal cord. Damage to peripheral nerves may impair sensation, movement, gland, or organ function depending on which nerves are affected; in other words, neuropathy affecting motor, sensory, or autonomic nerves result in different symptoms.
Peripheral neuropathy may be with sudden onset, rapid progress or chronic (symptoms begin subtly and progress slowly), and may be reversible or permanent. It depends entirely on the level of nerve injury.
Common causes include diseases like DIABETES MELLITUS (most common), leprosy, vitamin B6 or B12 deficiency, various medication (e.g., chemotherapy, or commonly prescribed antibiotics including metronidazole and the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, radiation therapy, excessive alcohol consumption, toxin exposure like lead, and other diseases like AIDS. It can also be inherited/hereditary or idiopathic like HMSN.
Most patients commonly complain of pin prick sensation, burning or stabbing sensation in both palms and soles, weakness and atrophy of muscles, loss of balance, walking difficulties and increased chances of fall.
Usually diagnosed by physical examination by your doctor and confirmed by a special test called nerve conduction velocity and EMG. Treatment involves a number of medications like antidepressants, anticonvulsants, vitamins and antioxidants to improve the sensory symptoms to be prescribed by your rehab physician.
Neurorehabilitation plays a huge role in treating neuropathy apart from prescribing medicines is by sensory motor retraining, improving balance, correcting gait and ultimately preventing fall especially in the elderly. This is mainly achieved by training through the static and dynamic balance board, our ROBOTIC MEND balance board with visual feedback, proper gait training using various assistive devices in a graded manner and doing various home modifications to prevent fall.
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