A Check-List of Symptoms

The strange, sometimes painful sensations in your lower extremities—and especially in your feet--can be very alarming. How can you discover the cause?

First off, you need to pinpoint specific symptoms.

According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms you may be experiencing depend on which of several varieties of nerves are the ones affected.  Indicators causing discomfort felt below the knee or in your hands that point to a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy may include:

• Gradual onset of numbness, prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can spread upward into your legs and arms
• Sharp, jabbing, throbbing, freezing or burning pain
• Extreme sensitivity to touch
• Lack of coordination and falling
• Muscle weakness or paralysis if motor nerves are affected

Complicating matters is that these symptoms can be the result of:

• one nerve being affected (mononeuropathy)
• two or more nerves in different areas of the legs or feet (multiple mononeuropathy)
• or many nerves affected in different areas (polyneuropathy).

Most people suffering from peripheral neuropathy have polyneuropathy: many nerves affected by symptoms in different areas. Early diagnosis and treatment of the telltale signs of tingling, weakness or pain in your feet and hands provide the best path toward controlling your symptoms and halting any further damage to your peripheral nerves.

Source: Mayo Clinic Patient and Healthcare information: Diseases & Conditions/Peripheral Neuropathy  See: : http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/symptoms-causes/dxc-20204947