Peripheral Neuropathy
What is peripheral neuropathy?Peripheral neuropathy refers to the many conditions that involve damage to the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is a large communications network that sends signals between the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and all other parts of the body. Peripheral neuropathy affects millions of people in the U.S.Peripheral nerves send many types of sensory information to the brain, such as the message that your feet are cold. They also carry signals from the brain and spinal cord out to the rest of the body. Peripheral nerves send signals to the muscles that tell them to contract, which is how we move, but also different types of signals help control everything from our heart and blood vessels, digestion, urination, sexual function, and to our bones and immune system.When peripheral nerves can’t send and receive signals like they should, it can have serious consequences for the body.In peripheral neuropathy, nerve signaling i...