Neuropathy (sometimes called peripheral neuropathy) is a condition in which one or more nerves in the human body are damaged. Nerve damage can interfere with the communication between parts of the body, resulting in a wide range of possible effects. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), there are more than 100 different types of neuropathy, and their specific effects vary depending on what types of nerves are affected and where they are located in the body.
Motor Effects
Motor nerves control the movements that are under conscious control (walking, talking or holding things). When motor nerves are damaged, the ability to move and control muscles is affected. According to the NINDS, muscle weakness, cramps, twitching or spasms may develop, along with a loss of reflexes and spatial senses (judgments of position, or how close or far away things are). Balance and motor coordination may also be affected, making it difficult to maintain balance with eyes closed or coordinate multiple complex movements such as walking and zipping up a coat. Fine motor movements may also be affected, making it difficult to perform activities such as fastening buttons or grasping objects between the thumb and other fingers.
Sensory Effects
Sensory nerve damage can cause a number of generalized symptoms that are felt throughout the body. Many sufferers experience substantial tingling, numbness or pain, and may lose the ability to distinguish temperature or identify objects by feeling them with their hands. According to the Neurology Channel, sufferers may have strange sensations, feeling as if they are wearing an invisible glove or sock. They may feel as though their hands are burning or freezing, or they may have electric-like shocks that spontaneously shoot through a part of the body. Some may lose their sense of touch, whereas others may experience heightened sensitivity to touch.
Involuntary Function Effects
Autonomic nerves control involuntary functions such as breathing and contractions of the gastrointestinal tract and esophagus that are vital for digestion. According to the National Institutes of Health, autonomic neuropathy is a type of peripheral neuropathy that affects the peripheral nervous system, including nerves responsible for communication from the brain and spinal cord to all other parts of the body. The effects of autonomic neuropathy may be vast, causing digestive symptoms such as constipation or diarrhea, nausea after eating, swollen abdomen, vomiting of undigested food and early satiety (feeling full after eating very little), urinary symptoms such as difficulty starting urination, urinary incontinence or a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, and heart-related symptoms such as blood pressure changes and dizziness that occurs upon standing. Other effects of autonomic neuropathy may include fainting, heat intolerance, abnormal sweating or impotence in males.
