
If you experience tingling, weakness or stabbing pain in your hands or feet, you may be among the 2%–3% of the population with peripheral neuropathy.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (0:57) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.
"It's a condition that affects the peripheral nerves of the body," explains Dr. Michelle Mauermann, a Mayo Clinic neurologist. Those are the nerves that exit the spinal cord and go to the rest of the body. Peripheral neuropathy happens when those nerves are damaged. Some patients experience decreased sensation or numbness in their hands and feet.
"They can also have what we call positive sensory symptoms, so things like prickling and tingling, or burning or electrical shocklike sensations," says Dr. Mauermann.
Muscle weakness, balance issues, and abnormalities in blood pressure or pulse also can be symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, which can be brought on by a number of reasons ― the most common being diabetes.
Dr. Mauermann says positive sensory symptoms can be treated. In some cases, it's possible to halt or reverse the neuropathy.
Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs to keep your bones healthy and strong. It also has properties that support your immune system and ...
Regular urine color varies but usually ranges from clear to pale yellow. The exact hue depends on how much water you drink. Fluids dilute the ...
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My neighbor recently retired, and I've been trying to convince her to volunteer at the library with me. She's not swayed by ...