If you have become severely impaired, you may need physical therapy to help retain strength and avoid muscle cramping and spasms. When neuropathy is related to diabetes, careful monitoring of blood sugar levels may slow its progression and curb symptoms.Įarly diagnosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathy is important, because the peripheral nerves have a limited capacity to regenerate, and treatment may only stop the progression - not reverse damage. Peripheral neuropathy caused by toxic substances or medications can often be corrected in much the same way. Likewise, nerve damage brought on by alcohol abuse can often be stopped and improved by avoiding alcohol. For example, a peripheral neuropathy caused by a vitamin deficiency can be treated - even reversed - with vitamin therapy and an improved diet. What Are the Treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy?Įffective prognosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathy relies heavily on the cause of the nerve damage.

If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy or has had similar symptoms, your doctor may want to review their medical records or examine them to look for potential hereditary links to your condition. A lumbar puncture, known as a spinal tap, is sometimes recommended to help identify infection or inflammation that might be associated with the neuropathy. Nerve and muscle biopsies may also be performed and may provide valuable information about the type and cause of the neuropathy. Using these tests, doctors can often pinpoint the abnormal nerves and determine which part of their structure is damaged. You may also be given an electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests, which is used to assess nerve and muscle function and measure the electrical properties of the nerves. You’ll also need to take a serious look at your alcohol intake and what medications you are taking.

You may need blood and urine tests to check for diabetes, vitamin or metabolic deficiencies and the presence of any underlying disease or genetic defect that may be affecting nerve function. The neurologist (or your own doctor) will begin by taking a history of your symptoms and examining you for signs of muscle weakness, numbness, and impaired reflexes. If your doctor suspects you may have a form of peripheral neuropathy, they may refer you to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the nerves.

Test for nerve damage in legs