StemCell Therapy

Diagnosis

Peripheral neuropathy has many potential causes. Besides a physical exam, which may include blood tests, diagnosis usually requires:

Your doctor may order tests, including:

Treatment goals are to manage the condition causing your neuropathy and to relieve symptoms. If your lab tests indicate no underlying condition, your doctor might recommend watchful waiting to see if your neuropathy improves.

Besides medications used to treat conditions associated with peripheral neuropathy, medications used to relieve peripheral neuropathy signs and symptoms include:

Pain relievers. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can relieve mild symptoms. For more-severe symptoms, your doctor might prescribe painkillers.

Medications containing opioids, such as tramadol (Conzip, Ultram) or oxycodone (Oxycontin, Roxicodone, others), can lead to dependence and addiction, so these drugs generally are prescribed only when other treatments fail.

Topical treatments. Capsaicin cream, which contains a substance found in hot peppers, can cause modest improvements in peripheral neuropathy symptoms. You might have skin burning and irritation where you apply the cream, but this usually lessens over time. Some people, however, can't tolerate it.

Lidocaine patches are another treatment you apply to your skin that might offer pain relief. Side effects can include drowsiness, dizziness and numbness at the site of the patch.

Antidepressants. Certain tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, doxepin and nortriptyline (Pamelor), have been found to help relieve pain by interfering with chemical processes in your brain and spinal cord that cause you to feel pain.

The serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor duloxetine (Cymbalta) and the extended-release antidepressant venlafaxine (Effexor XR) also might ease the pain of peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes. Side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, decreased appetite and constipation.

Various therapies and procedures might help ease the signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

Plasma exchange and intravenous immune globulin. These procedures, which help suppress immune system activity, might benefit people with certain inflammatory conditions.

Plasma exchange involves removing your blood, then removing antibodies and other proteins from the blood and returning the blood to your body. In immune globulin therapy, you receive high levels of proteins that work as antibodies (immunoglobulins).

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease.

To help you manage peripheral neuropathy:

Some people with peripheral neuropathy try complementary treatments for relief. Although researchers haven't studied these techniques as thoroughly as they have most medications, the following therapies have shown some promise:

You're likely to start by seeing your primary care provider. You may then be referred to a doctor trained in nervous system disorders (neurologist).

Here's information to help you prepare for your appointment.

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting for a specific test. Make a list of:

Take a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember the information you're given.

For peripheral neuropathy, basic questions to ask your doctor include:

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:

Aug. 09, 2017

See the rest here:

Peripheral neuropathy - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

This entry was posted on October 1, 2018 at 8:44 pm and is filed under Neuropathy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |