If you have experienced tingling, numbness, or sharp pains in your feet or in your hands, it is likely that you have experienced neuropathy. Neuropathy does not refer to a singular condition, but rather from nerve damage that may be caused by a number of different things.
There are many different things that can cause damage to the nerves and because of this, the symptoms of neuropathy will vary from person to person. If neuropathy is not treated it can escalate to a point where it hinders the quality of life of a person. The good news is that there are several lifestyle changes that can be made in order to reverse or slow down the progression and symptoms caused by nerve damage.
In order to detect neuropathy early, it is important to understand some of the most common symptoms of the condition. Here are 8 of the most common neuropathy symptoms.
1. Pain
Pain that is experienced from neuropathy is typically very specific. This pain is most often described as a throbbing, burning, or stabbing sensation. No matter how it feels, this pain is hard to ignore. Pain from neuropathy occurs because the fibers of the nerves have been damaged. These damaged fibers will then send out signals that are jumbled or incorrect to the different pain centers of the body.
The pain occurs in different areas of the body based on the type of neuropathy that has developed. For people who have diabetes, neuropathy will most often appear in the feet first. Neuropathy that is caused by an injury or some type of trauma will occur at the place the injury occurred. Pain in the wrist and arm caused by carpal tunnel syndrome is one example. If you experience this type of pain it is important to discuss it with your doctor to determine the underlying cause.