What is Peripheral Neuropathy
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About Peripheral Neuropathy - What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is not a single disease. It’s a general term for a series of disorders that result from damage to the body’s peripheral nervous system.

What is the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?

The body’s nervous system is made up of two parts. The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) connects the nerves running from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body…the arms and hands, legs and feet, internal organs, joints and even the mouth, eyes, ears, nose, and skin.

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when nerves are damaged or destroyed and can’t send messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, skin and other parts of the body.

Peripheral nerves go from the brain and spinal cord to the arms, hands, legs, and feet. When damage occurs, numbness and pain in these areas may occur.

Polyneuropathy versus Mononeuropathy – Which type is it?

Diagram from http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_nerves/index.htm


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