Peripheral Nerve Disorders

Summary

What are peripheral nerves?

Nerves are like wires that carry messages back and forth between your brain and your body. Your peripheral nerves branch off from your brain and spinal cord and connect to all parts of your body, including your muscles and organs. Peripheral nerves carry messages from your brain that control your movement, breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and more. They also carry messages from your body to your brain, so you can feel things, such as pain, heat, and cold.

What are peripheral nerve disorders?

Peripheral nerve disorders happen when one or more peripheral nerves are damaged. Damaged nerves may not carry messages correctly, or they may not work at all. As a result, you may have pain, trouble walking, or a variety of other problems, depending on which nerves are involved.

Peripheral nerve disorders are very common. There are more than 100 different types.

What causes peripheral nerve disorders?

Many things can damage nerves and lead to peripheral nerve disorders:

• Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral nerve disorders. Most people with diabetes will develop diabetic nerve problems.
• Physical injury (trauma) that stretches, crushes, squeezes, cuts, or puts pressure on one or more nerves. Some examples of peripheral nerve disorders from physical injury include complex regional pain syndrome and brachial plexus injuries.
• Health conditions, including:
  • Certain cancers and their treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy).
  • Infections, such as HIV and Lyme disease.
  • Problems with blood or blood vessels.
  • Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
  • Kidney or liver disease.
• Certain medicines.
• Contact with certain toxic substances, such as lead or mercury.
• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and smoking.
• Vitamin imbalances, especially a lack of vitamin B12.
• Your genes, including changes in your genes or conditions that you inherit from your parents, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

In certain cases, the cause of peripheral nerve disorder is not known.

What are the symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders?

The symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders depend on which nerves are affected, what is causing the damage, and how serious it is:

Types of nerves	Possible symptoms of nerve damage
Motor nerves control your muscles and all your movement, such as walking, talking, and using your hands.	Weak or aching muscles Problems with balance, walking, or using your arms and hands Cramps or twitching muscles Muscle shrinking
Sensory nerves carry messages to your brain from your senses, including touch, hot and cold, and pain.	Tingling, numbness, or pain often in the hands and feet Not being able to feel heat, cold, or pain, such as a cut on your foot Pain from even light touch
Autonomic nerves send messages to your organs to control breathing, digestion, and other body functions that happen without thinking about them.	A heartbeat that’s too fast or too slow Trouble swallowing Sweating too much or too little Vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation Problems with urination or sexual function

Symptoms may range from mild to very strong. They may develop quickly over days or slowly over months and years. But they are rarely life-threatening.

How are peripheral nerve disorders diagnosed?

To find out if you have a peripheral nerve disorder, your provider will:

• Ask about your medical history
• Ask about your family health history
• Do a physical exam
• Order tests, which may include:
  • Blood tests
  • Genetic tests
  • Nerve tests that measure:
    • Electrical activity in your nerves and muscles
    • How well your autonomic nerves are working
  • A biopsy of nerve or skin tissue
  • CT or MRI scan to see what may be pressing on your nerves

What are the treatments for peripheral nerve disorders?

It’s important to treat any conditions that are causing nerve damage. In certain cases, that will allow your nerves to heal over time.

Treatment for symptoms depends on the type of peripheral nerve disorder you have, where it is, and how severe. Treatment options include:

• Braces or splints
• Over-the-counter patches and skin creams
• Prescription medicines
• Non-drug pain management, such as electrical stimulation or relaxation therapy
• Surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve

Can peripheral nerve disorders be prevented?

You can help prevent peripheral nerve disorders by:

• Managing health conditions that may cause nerve damage, especially diabetes
• Preventing falls and accidents
• Avoiding toxic substances
• Being careful to avoid repeated motions and body positions that press on your nerves
• Eating a balanced diet, exercising, limiting alcohol, and not smoking

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Genetics

• Adult polyglucosan body disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Autosomal recessive axonal neuropathy with neuromyotonia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital cataracts, facial dysmorphism, and neuropathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital insensitivity to pain: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Erythromelalgia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Giant axonal neuropathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type II: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type V: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hereditary sensory neuropathy type IA: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hypomyelination and congenital cataract: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Refsum Disease, Infantile National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Refsum disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Small fiber neuropathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spastic paraplegia type 11: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spastic paraplegia type 15: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spastic paraplegia type 7: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spastic paraplegia type 8: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Transthyretin amyloidosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Troyer syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Yuan-Harel-Lupski syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Treatments and Therapies

• Anti-Seizure Medications: Relief from Nerve Pain Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Nerve Blocks Radiological Society of North America

Specifics

• Autonomic Neuropathy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Burning Feet Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Cauda Equina Syndrome American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched Nerve) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Dysautonomia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Giant Axonal Neuropathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Hereditary Neuropathies National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Isaacs Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Paresthesia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Pinched Nerve National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at the Elbow (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Encyclopedia

• Autonomic neuropathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Familial dysautonomia Medical Encyclopedia
• Ganglioneuroma Medical Encyclopedia
• Mononeuropathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Nerve biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
• Nerve conduction Medical Encyclopedia
• Neurosciences Medical Encyclopedia
• Numbness and tingling Medical Encyclopedia

Patient Handouts

• Axillary nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
• Chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Common peroneal nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
• Distal median nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
• Femoral nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
• Glossopharyngeal neuralgia Medical Encyclopedia
• Metabolic neuropathies Medical Encyclopedia
• Mononeuritis multiplex Medical Encyclopedia
• Neuralgia Medical Encyclopedia
• Neuropathy secondary to drugs Medical Encyclopedia
• Peripheral neuropathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Radial nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
• Sensorimotor polyneuropathy Medical Encyclopedia
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• Ulnar nerve dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Peripheral Nerve Injuries National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Peripheral Nervous System Diseases National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Related Issues

• Hypothyroidism: Can It Cause Peripheral Neuropathy? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Nerve Problems (Peripheral Neuropathy) and Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange Department of Veterans Affairs

Diagnosis and Tests

• Neurological Evaluations Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
• Specialized Nerve Tests: EMG, NCV and SSEP North American Spine Society

Start Here

• Peripheral Neuropathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Videos and Tutorials

• Peripheral Neuropathy: What We Want You to Know Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy

Journal Articles

• Peripheral neuropathy

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy

Reference Desk

• What Are the Parts of the Nervous System? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development