Table of contents:
- Cause
- The time it happened
- Associated symptoms
- Signs
- Long term problems
- What are the causes of neuropathy?
- What are the treatments for neuropathy?
Neuropathy is damage to nerves. Nerves communicate with the brain but they are outside the brain and spinal cord. The nerves provide an electrical stimulus to the muscles and "tell" the muscles to work. The nerves also receive input from various body locations and send messages to the brain about body sensations, such as heat and cold, pain and touch, and convey the texture and location of sensations.
When nerves are damaged, symptoms can vary. When a stroke occurs, the symptoms also vary. Therefore, it is natural to confuse these two conditions because many of the symptoms overlap.
The differences in stroke and neuropathy are in the following categories:
Cause
Neuropathy can cause symptoms that look similar to those of a stroke. However, neuropathy is caused by neurological diseases, which occur outside of the brain, whereas strokes are caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain.
The time it happened
Stroke is much more dangerous than neuropathy and usually occurs suddenly. Neuropathy on the other hand, although it is a serious medical condition, is generally not emergency and dangerous and develops over a longer period than a stroke.
Associated symptoms
Another important difference between neuropathy and stroke is that neuropathy does not directly cause some of the symptoms commonly associated with stroke, such as headaches, dizziness or vision changes.
Neuropathy can cause changes in sensation. Changes may include a lack of sensation or unusual sensations such as pain, tingling, burning, numbness or even like something is crawling under the skin. Often times, neuropathy causes hypersensitivity, usually making you feel uncomfortable with light touch.
Neuropathy can also cause weakness in the arms or legs. Usually, this only occurs when the neuropathy is severe. Neuropathy is usually considered a disease of both sides of the body, but it is common when one side is worse off than the other.
Some people notice balance problems with neuropathy. This is generally less severe than the balance problem in a stroke. Balance problems caused by neuropathy are commonly seen when a sufferer tries to walk in a straight line or stand on both legs together. Neuropathy causes balance problems because people with neuropathy have sensory difficulties. This makes it difficult for them to do things that require good coordination, such as walking in a straight line.
Signs
When a person with neuropathy is checked for reflexes, the reflexes of neuropathic sufferers generally do not move as fast as usual. This often helps doctors differentiate between neuropathy and stroke. Diagnostic tests are called electromyography (EMG) and nerve / conduction studies.Nerve Conduction Study (NCV) indicates neurological disorders in patients with neuropathy. Brain imaging studies the abnormalities present in stroke patients.
Long term problems
The biggest problem with neuropathy is a long-term problem. People with neuropathy cannot feel pain in their feet or hands, so when a hand, finger, or foot is injured, the neuropathic person may not even notice it. Bleeding, and even infection can occur when the injury goes unnoticed. Long-term problems with stroke can include muscle atrophy and muscle stiffness.
What are the causes of neuropathy?
There are many causes of neuropathy, such as diabetes, medications, chemotherapy, kidney failure, alcohol, vitamin B12 deficiency, and some infections. One of the most severe types is Guillain Barre's syndrome, also called acute demyelinating polyneuropathy. This dangerous disease is characterized by neuropathy that develops rapidly and causes weakness, usually starting in the legs, and then rapidly moving up the legs and eventually reaching the muscles that control breathing, causing severe and life-threatening breathing problems.
What are the treatments for neuropathy?
Neuropathy is very difficult to treat. The most effective treatment is to control the cause, whether it is alcohol, diabetes or drugs. In some cases, early diagnosis of neuropathy, controlling the cause of the disease can reverse some or most of the symptoms. Medicines for pain and discomfort caused by neuropathy are helpful for most patients.
