Are You at Risk of Neuropathy in Vacaville

Neuropathy in Vacaville consists of a wide range of conditions that involves disease and damage to the peripheral nerves, and the results that come from those conditions. The peripheral nervous system is responsible for transmitting messages between the central nervous system and other parts of your body.

An estimate of 20 million Americans is suffering from some form of neuropathy. Common symptoms of neuropathy include pain; pins and needles sensations; altered, increased, or reduced sensation; burning; muscle weakness or wasting; increased sensitivity to touch; paralysis; dysfunction in glands or organs; or impairment to urination and sexual function.

common causes and risk factors of neuropathy in Vacaville

These are the common causes and risk factors of neuropathy:

1. Diabetes - Diabetic peripheral neuropathy has affected 12% and 50% of people with diabetes and is the most common type of all. The most common symptom involves a progressive change in sensation, as well as pain and weakness in the feet. If this continues to progress, it can lead to a loss of sensation in the affected areas.
2. Chemotherapy - Cancer patients are susceptible to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The symptoms of this form of neuropathy include paralysis, impaired movement, severe pain, trouble breathing, balance problems, changes in blood pressure and heart rate, and even organ failure. About 68% of those undergoing chemotherapy experience CIPN during their first month, but it decreases to 30% after 6 months or more.
3. HIV or AIDS - People who are infected with HIV or AIDS may develop neuropathy due to the effects of the virus and the drugs used to treat it. The symptoms for this one may include burning, prickling, stiffness, tingling, and loss of feeling in the hands and feet. The drugs Hivid (zalcitabine), Videx (didanosine), and Zerit (stavudine) are the ones commonly associated with neuropathic symptoms.
4. Infections - There are certain infectious diseases that can cause neuropathy. Herpes zoster or shingles is one of the most common causes. As you age, you become more at risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia, or lasting nerve pain. Within a month of getting shingles, 27% of 55- to 59-year-old individuals and 73% of people beyond age 70 experience the condition, wherein women have a higher risk. People with Lyme disease also have a 12% chance of developing neurological symptoms, especially neuropathy that involves the face.
5. Age - About 2.4% of the general population are suffering from neuropathy. But prevalence increases with age specifically to the heightened risk of chronic diseases in older people. 8% of people ages 55 and older have some type of polyneuropathy, which means multiple nerves are affected.
6. Malnutrition, alcohol abuse, and vitamin deficiencies - When the nerves aren't getting the right kind of supplements, they can easily stop functioning. Malnutrition can be caused by diseases, disorders, an unbalanced diet, and drugs that affect the absorption of nutrients into the body.
   • Vitamin B12 deficiency has also been linked to neuropathy and this phenomenon is common in 10% to 15% of people who are aged 60 and above. This deficiency can damage the myelin sheaths surrounding and protecting the nerves. Chronic use of type 2 diabetes drug Glucophage (metformin) is linked to vitamin B12 deficiency. So if you are taking this type of medication, make sure to have your status monitored by a licensed physician.