The condition will only worse if you don't seek help—so don't wait. For some, neuropathy symptoms progress rapidly—from asymptomatic to wheelchair-bound within a year or two. For others, neuropathy evolves slowly over many years. However, in each case, the problem will not go away on its own.
The outlook for peripheral neuropathy varies, depending on the underlying cause and which nerves have been damaged. Some cases may improve with time if the underlying cause is treated, whereas in some people the damage may be permanent or may get gradually worse with time.
In severe cases, these neuropathies can spread upwards toward the central parts of the body. In non-length dependent polyneuropathies, the symptoms can start around the torso, or are patchy. Symptoms can range from mild to disabling, but are rarely life-threatening.
Here's an example: It's not uncommon for people with peripheral neuropathy to have short-circuiting, backfiring neurons and axons that are ill and causing pain. Over time, those fibers may undergo degeneration and die, which means the neuropathy is worse because of the loss of more nerve fibers.
Symptoms can range from tingling or numbness in a certain body part to more serious effects such as burning pain or paralysis. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
With neuropathy, your symptoms may range from mild to severe and debilitating. Dr. Levine advises patients to see their doctors as soon as possible if they experience neuropathy's motor symptoms, which include muscle weakness, muscle wasting or uncontrolled twitching.
PN was strongly associated with earlier mortality. Mean survival time for those with PN was 10.8 years, compared with 13.9 years for subjects without PN. PN was also indirectly associated through impaired balance.
Nerve damage can become permanent
At first, neuropathy may cause occasional numbness and pain, but as it progresses, your symptoms may become more persistent. The pain may reach a high point before reaching a state of constant numbness. Once your nerves become too damaged, they can't send signals to your brain.
Specific foods such as bread, dairy, gluten, or high-sugar products can flair your neuropathy. Simply put, if it bothers your stomach, causes swelling, or you just don't feel good after eating that food, you should avoid it. It's hard, I know.
The final stage of neuropathy is severe and constant numbness in the affected areas. The pain at this point will be all but gone since the feeling in these areas are no more. It is also extremely difficult to both keep balance and walk once the final stage has set in due to the damage that has been done.
It can affect blood pressure, temperature control, digestion, bladder function and even sexual function. The nerve damage affects the messages sent between the brain and other organs and areas of the autonomic nervous system. These areas include the heart, blood vessels and sweat glands.
If the condition has progressed to the fourth or fifth stage, the nerve damage at that point is all but permanent and is nearly impossible work with. If caught early enough, the symptoms can be managed to nearly nothing within 6-12 months depending on how severe the nerve damage is.
Beyond staying active, eating a healthy diet and managing underlying conditions (such as blood sugar levels) will be critical in helping you slow the progression of neuropathic damage. You should also thoroughly examine your feet every day for sores, cuts, temperature fluctuations, or any signs of infection or injury.
Whether or not neuropathy can be reversed depends on the cause of the nerve damage. In some cases, the pain may go away entirely. In others, nerve damage may be permanent. For example, when neuropathy is caused by an infection, symptoms might go away completely when the infection is treated.
Stage Five: Total Loss of Feeling
It's hard to walk, and you feel unsteady most of the time. You may actually have to use a wheelchair some or all of the time. Any small cut to your feet could become infected and lead to amputation. This is a very serious condition.
Proximal neuropathy
This type of nerve damage is usually only on one side of the body and can affect the hip, buttock, or thigh. Proximal neuropathy can cause severe pain and difficulty with movement, as well as weight and muscle loss.
Muscle weakness and paralysis. Nerve deterioration from peripheral neuropathy weakens the connected muscles. That can cause paralysis, which may cause difficulty moving the toes, foot drop and hand weakness. Weakness can also affect muscles in the thighs, arms and elsewhere.
Salty Foods: Foods high in sodium, such as potato chips, cold cuts, and frozen prepared meals, can be an issue for neuropathy patients because high levels of sodium can lead to restricted blood flow, which may cause a flare-up of symptoms.
Early-onset patients, whose symptoms appear between the ages of 30 and 50, usually experience more rapid disease progression. Disease progression is reportedly slower — with a survival rate of up to 20 years — among patients who develop symptoms later on, after the age of 50.
Muscle weakness.
Neuropathy can cause muscle weakness and fatigue that makes it hard to walk or move your arms and legs.
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy vary depending on which nerves are involved. Peripheral refers to all the nerves in your body other than the brain and spinal cord. Peripheral neuropathy can cause pain and make it difficult to walk or do things with your hands.
Peripheral neuropathy is rarely fatal but may cause serious complications if left untreated. These complications may affect a person's life expectancy. A healthcare professional can advise on their condition, their outlook, and how they can manage it.
Neuropathy is a disorder that prevents nerves from functioning properly. It can cause paralysis if a nerve is completely lacerated, although total paralysis is rare in people with neuropathy. Rather, the disease causes varying degrees of weakness, depending on the type and severity of the neuropathy.
Treating the underlying cause of the neuropathy can cause it to go away on its own, such as: Controlling blood sugar in patients who have diabetes. Controlling inflammatory and autoimmune conditions that can cause neuropathy.