When you experience a sensation like tingling or burning, you want to be able to trace it back to a cause. You might have “pins and needles” because your leg fell asleep after sitting in one position for too long, for example.
But if you have sensations that you can’t explain, it could be neuropathy. This condition develops when there’s damage or dysfunction in your peripheral nervous system. It can cause symptoms ranging from the aforementioned tingling and burning to numbness and muscle weakness.
Ultimately, neuropathy isn’t comfortable. That’s why Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson offers focused neuropathy care here at Hawai’i Pain and Spine, on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua.
In many cases, developing the most effective plan to bring you relief starts with identifying the cause of your nerve issue. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the leading causes of neuropathy.
Neuropathy can develop as a result of nerve damage after a serious injury. A sports injury, car accident, or another accident can compress your nerves or cause other issues that contribute to neuropathy symptoms. That’s especially true if you broke or fractured a bone, which can put pressure on the nearby nerves.
A variety of infections can contribute to nerve problems, including:
In many cases, these infections impact your sensory fibers, causing the uncomfortable symptoms.
Some autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, cause your body to mistakenly attack your nerves, resulting in neuropathy. Others, like Guillain-Barré syndrome, can cause neuropathy after an infection.
Consistently high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves over time, causing a specific type of nerve issue called diabetic neuropathy.
A broad range of health conditions can contribute to nerve problems that develop into neuropathy. These include:
If you’re diagnosed with another health condition, talk to Dr. Carlson about it so he can determine if it might be at play in your nerve problems.
In some cases, your health care team won’t be able to determine what’s causing your neuropathy. That’s called idiopathic neuropathy.
Whether Dr. Carlson can pinpoint the cause of your neuropathy or not, he has a variety of treatment options, from laser therapy to regenerative medicine, that can help you find relief.
To put a stop to your neuropathy symptoms, visit us so Dr. Carlson can tailor a treatment plan for you. To get started, call our office to schedule your appointment today.
