Peripheral Neuropathy Essay

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An estimated 20 million people in the US have some form of peripheral neuropathy, and more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathies have been identified. (NINDS, 2014) Peripheral neuropathy is damage to peripheral nerves that can cause lack of coordination, weakness, numbness, tingling and pain usually in the hands and feet. Peripheral nerves send sensory information from your central nervous system to the rest of your body, which also helps generate movement. Peripheral neuropathy can be a mild or sever disease leading to disability. Most cases of peripheral neuropathy are caused by a treatable underlying condition. It is rare for peripheral neuropathy to be fatal but it can be extremely painful. Recently a link between peripheral neuropathy and dietary deficiencies has been discovered. The most common form of peripheral neuropathy is nutritional polyneuropathy, which is as a result of malnutrition. Two common conditions associated with nutritional polyneuropathy are dry beriberi and alcoholic neuropathy. Nutritional neuropathy has a direct link to a deficiency Vitamin B12.Vitamin B12 …show more content…

Dry beriberi can occur in anyone who is malnourished and can become very severe if not treated. The symptoms include, decreased muscle function, tingling or loss of feeling in hands and feet, pain and paralysis. People at risk are those of alcohol abuse, genetic beriberi traits, kidney dialysis, and those who have had prolonged diarrhea. Dry beriberi is treated with thiamine supplements in the form of a shot or pill. Dry beriberi has a direct link to the lower social economic status. Dry beriberi is more common is areas that are of poverty because of lower access to nutritional foods. In many low poverty areas white rice is a major part of the diet due to its low cost. White rice is not very nutritional which unfortunately leads these people to malnutrition and eventually developing different harmful diseases like dry

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