About 20 million people in the United States, or about 25 to 30 percent of the population, suffer from neuropathy, or nerve damage. Symptoms of neuropathy often start off as minor, like a tingling sensation in the hands and feet, but without neuropathy treatment, they can develop into serious problems, including paralysis and organ failure. Diabetes is the top reason for neuropathy, but there are other causes of neuropathy too, including various illnesses, injury, alcoholism, medications, and even genetics. Different neuropathy types are classified by how many nerves they affect and which kinds of nerves these are. So, how many types of neuropathy are there?
The two main classifications of neuropathy are mononeuropathy, which affects just one nerve or nerve group, and polyneuropathy, which affects many nerves and causes widespread problems. Mononeuropathy is also sometimes called focal neuropathy, and it commonly affects the wrist, thigh, foot, back and chest, or eyes. Nerve damage can develop quickly or come on slowly, depending on the underlying cause. Beyond those two categories, there are other classifications of neuropathy, depending on the type of nerve affected.
Peripheral neuropathy involves damage to the peripheral nervous system. Your peripheral nervous system is involved in just about all body process, from voluntary motor actions to sensory input to autonomic functions like digestion, blood pressure, and breathing. Typically, peripheral neuropathy affects the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, and arms. It’s the most common type of neuropathy.
Proximal neuropathy involves nerve damage in the thighs, hips, and gluteal area. The second most common type of neuropathy, it usually starts on one side of the body but can spread to the other side.
Cranial neuropathy affects the cranial nerves. These are the nerves that travel from the brain or brainstem, and when they’re damaged, the resulting conditions include Bell’s palsy, microvascular cranial nerve palsy, and other palsies. If more than one cranial nerve is affected, the condition is called multiple cranial neuropathies (MCN).
Autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves of the involuntary nervous system. Diabetes is the most common cause of this condition, though other health conditions and some medications can also cause this kind of nerve damage. Autonomic neuropathy can affect the heart, circulation, digestion, sweat glands, bowel, bladder, or sexual organs.
If you’re looking for neuropathy treatment, trust Oregon Medical Centers to help. Founded in 1989 as First Choice Chiropractic, Oregon Medical Centers was established in 2018 after adding Medical Providers and becoming an integrated medical facility. Specialists in treating car accident and workplace injuries, we also treat conditions like sciatica, pinched nerves, TMJ, neck and back pain, headaches, joint pain, and much more. We offer chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage, and regenerative medicine, and we specialize in diagnosing and treating chronic pain. Our dedicated medical team provides high-level care and compassion for patients in a collaborative environment where patients get the best possible treatment. What’s more, our insurance department assists in the insurance process, to alleviate stress for patients and allow them to focus on getting better. For more information, to find a location, or to schedule an appointment, call (503) 390-1552 in Salem, (503) 642-2845 in Aloha, or contact us through our website.
Dr. Bhasin grew up in Southern California and did her undergraduate work in pre-med at California State University Northridge, as well as Humboldt State University in California. Dr. Bhasin attended the University of Western States in Portland Oregon where she earned her Doctor of Chiropractic Degree. Dr. Bhasin has passed her National boards and her State Boards. Dr. Bhasin loves helping people and finds great joy helping injured people get out of pain and get their life back again. She has helped thousands of patients.
