Painful neuropathy is a neurological disorder where you experience severe chronic pain due to nerve damage. These nerves connect the spinal cord to the body and help the brain communicate with skin, muscles, and internal organs.
Typically in peripheral neuropathy, the smallest nerves are affected such as those in the feet and/or hands. Damage may be a result of nutritional imbalances, alcoholism, toxins, infections, autoimmunity, illnesses, such as kidney failure, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), rheumatologic disorders or cancer, and nerve trauma. Symptoms include stabbing or sharp pain, burning and numbness in the hands or feet. Routine history and physical examination will be conducted by your doctor for a diagnosis. To aid in the diagnosis, your doctor may recommend additional laboratory and radiologic testing including electromyography (EMG), X-rays, CT scans, and MRI imaging.
