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What Is Neuropathy? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Medically reviewed.

Neuropathy, or nerve damage, can result from a wide range of conditions such as diabetes and even treatments like chemotherapy.

In fact, neuropathy, which is sometimes referred to as peripheral neuropathy, is not a single health condition but rather a term used to describe a range of health problems involving damage to the peripheral nerves, as well as the symptoms of those issues.

While the group of conditions is irreversible, you can take steps to help prevent neuropathy or manage it through diet, lifestyle, and treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Neuropathy

Neuropathy symptoms ultimately depend on the underlying cause and the individual, but they can include, according to the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): (1,2)

Temporary or permanent numbness
Tingling, prickling, or burning sensation
Increased sensitivity to touch
Pain
Muscle weakness or wasting
Paralysis
Dysfunction in organs or glands
Impairment to urination and sexual function

To understand how neuropathy acts in the body, it’s important to know that the nervous system is divided into two parts. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) describes them as the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord — and the peripheral nervous system, which transmits messages between the central nervous system and the rest of your body.

In turn, the peripheral nervous system is divided into a voluntary — or somatic — nervous system controlling all of the functions we are aware of and can consciously control, such as moving limbs, and an involuntary — or autonomic — nervous system regulating processes we can’t consciously direct, such as heartbeat, breathing, and digestion.

Damage or disruption to both voluntary and involuntary peripheral nerves can be involved in neuropathy. Sensory and motor nerves can be affected, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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