Also called: Also called: Neuritis, Peripheral neuritis, Peripheral neuropathy
Your peripheral nerves are the ones outside your brain and spinal cord. Like static on a telephone line, peripheral nerve disorders distort or interrupt the messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
There are more than 100 kinds of peripheral nerve disorders. They can affect one nerve or many nerves. Some are the result of other diseases, like diabetic nerve problems. Others, like Guillain-Barre syndrome, happen after a virus infection. Still others are from nerve compression, like carpal tunnel syndrome or thoracic outlet syndrome. In some cases, like complex regional pain syndrome, the problem begins after an injury. Some people are born with peripheral nerve disorders.
Symptoms often start gradually, and then get worse. They include
- Numbness
- Pain
- Burning or tingling
- Muscle weakness
- Sensitivity to touch
Treatment aims to treat any underlying problem, reduce pain and control symptoms.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
-
Peripheral Neuropathy
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/detail_peripheralneuropathy.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/neuropatia_periferica.htm
-
JAMA Patient Page: Peripheral Neuropathy(American Medical Association) - Links to PDF - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/299/9/1096.pdf
- Peripheral Neuropathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/peripheral-neuropathy/DS00131/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Peripheral Neuropathy(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/peripheralneuropathy/peripheralneuropathy.htm
- Diagnosis of Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders: Procedures(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec06/ch077/ch077d.html
- Electrodiagnostic Testing(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00270
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Symptoms and Signs(Neuropathy Association) - http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Symptoms
- Anticonvulsants Drugs(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/anticonvulsants.htm
- Nerve Blocks(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/nerve_block/hic_nerve_blocks.aspx
- Managing Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.asco.org/patient/Library/Cancer.Net+Features/Living+With+Cancer/Managing+Peripheral+Neuropathy
- Managing Your Own Treatment(Neuropathy Association) - http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Living_Managing
- Quality of Life Scale: A Measure of Function for People with Pain(American Chronic Pain Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.theacpa.org/documents/Quality_of_Life_Scale.pdf
- Autonomic Neuropathy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/autonomic-neuropathy/DS00544/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Brachial Plexus Injuries(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brachial_plexus/brachial_plexus.htm
- Brachial Plexus Injury (Erb's Palsy)(American Society for Surgery of the Hand) - http://www.assh.org/Public/HandConditions/Pages/BrachialPlexus.aspx
- Burners and Stingers(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00027
- Burning Feet(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/burning-feet/MY00409/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Cervical Radiculopathy(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00332
-
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cidp/cidp.htm
-
Diabetic Neuropathies: The Nerve Damage of Diabetes(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/neuropathies/
-
Dysautonomia (Autonomic Dysfunction)(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dysautonomia/dysautonomia.htm
-
Giant Axonal Neuropathy(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gan/GiantAxonalNeuropathy.htm
-
Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/glossopharyngeal_neuralgia/glossopharyngeal_neuralgia.htm
-
Hereditary Neuropathies(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/neuropathy_hereditary/neuropathy_hereditary.htm
-
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hereditary_spastic_paraplegia/hereditary_spastic_paraplegia.htm
-
Isaac's Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/isaacs_syndrome/isaacs_syndrome.htm
- Pinched Nerve(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pinched-nerve/DS00879/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Pinched Nerve(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pinchednerve/pinchednerve.htm
- Polyneuropathy: Diabetic Neuropathy, AIDS Neuropathy, and Others(Beth Israel Medical Center, Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care) - http://www.stoppain.org/pain_medicine/content/chronicpain/polyneuropathy.asp
- Postherpetic Neuralgia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/postherpetic-neuralgia/DS00277/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Pseudoclaudication vs. Claudication: What's the Difference?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pseudoclaudication/HQ01278/METHOD=print
- Ulnar Nerve Entrapment(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00069
- 10 Questions to Ask Your Neurologist(Neuropathy Association) - http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Living_Ten_Questions
- Demystifying Neuropathy(Neuropathy Association) - http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Living_Demystifying
- Neuropathic Pain(National Pain Foundation) - http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/MyTreatment/articles/NeuropathicPain_Overview.asp
- Understanding Nerve Pain(American Chronic Pain Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.theacpa.org/nerve/pdf/Final_Brochure.pdf
- Atlas of the Body: The Nervous System(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZB2KOBGJC
- Atlas of the Body: The Nervous System -- Groups of Nerves(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZCLJKBGJC
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Brachial Plexus Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Brachial+Plexus%22
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Peripheral Nervous System Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Peripheral+Nervous+System+Diseases%22
-
Genetics Home Reference: Giant axonal neuropathy(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=giantaxonalneuropathy
-
Genetics Home Reference: Spastic paraplegia type 11(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=spasticparaplegiatype11
-
Genetics Home Reference: Spastic paraplegia type 7(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=spasticparaplegiatype7
-
Genetics Home Reference: Spastic paraplegia type 8(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=spasticparaplegiatype8
-
Genetics Home Reference: Transthyretin amyloidosis(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=transthyretinamyloidosis
-
Genetics Home Reference: Troyer syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=troyersyndrome
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Neurofibromatosis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19380279&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Health-related quality-of-life improvements in CIDP with immune globulin IV 10%:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19365055&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Cauda equina syndrome. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19336488&tool=MedlinePlus
- Peripheral Nerve Disorders -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(peripheral+nervous+system+diseases[majr]+NOT+brachial+plexus+neuropathies[mh])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Brachial plexus -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(brachial+plexus/injuries[majr]+OR+brachial+plexus+neuropathies[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- peripheral neuropathy - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=peripheral+neuropathy
- Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon(American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/findaneuro/
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
- Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) - http://www.e-aapmr.org/imis/imisonline/findphys/find.cfm
- American Chronic Pain Association - http://www.theacpa.org/
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Erb's Palsy (Brachial Plexus Birth Injury)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00077&return_link=0
-
Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brachial_plexus_birth/brachial_plexus_birth.htm
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/carpaltunnelsyndrome.html
- Degenerative Nerve Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/degenerativenervediseases.html
- Diabetic Nerve Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabeticnerveproblems.html
- Pain - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pain.html
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/thoracicoutletsyndrome.html
- Trigeminal Neuralgia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/trigeminalneuralgia.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Peripheral Nerve Disorders is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/