Polyneuropathy

Polyneuropathy refers to damage to multiple peripheral nerves, especially in the extremities. It is often an integral part of systemic disease. The primary site of damage may be a nerve fiber (e.g., in diabetes, exposure to harmful substances) or a sheath of fibers (e.g., in acute or chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy, leukodystrophies, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome). If small myelin fibers are affected, there is a primary loss of sensation of temperature and pain, and in the case of large fibers, muscle weakness occurs. Within the neurological deficits, pain often occurs in the form of paresthesia, burning, numbness, a feeling of tightness. Painful sensitivity of nerve endings in muscles to pressure is typical. The pain is more common at night and can be made worse by touching the affected area. If the disease progresses, there are signs of loss of sensation, typically according to a “gloves and socks” distribution. Walking is also difficult due to the disorder of the sensory nerves.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of neurological examination and EMNG.

Treatment includes treatment of the underlying disease, effective treatment of pain, treatment for nerve recovery, physical treatment, etc.