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Neuropathy

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Neuropathy is a term used to describe any functional disease and/or pathological change in the peripheral nervous system.(1)

Peripheral nervous system includes - (2)

  • Cranial nerves
  • Nerves which carry information from the brain & spinal cord (CNS) to the muscles & other organs.
  • Nerves which carry sensory information from the skin & other organs back to the brain.

Neuropathies are characterised by muscle weakness and muscle atrophy. Fasciculations are a variable feature. The muscle weakness is in a distal, or nerve or root distribution, as compared with a proximal and symmetrical distribution in myopathies.

There is usually sensory loss, which is not seen in myopathies.

Neuropathies can be divided into abnormalities which affect individual nerves - mononeuropathies - or several peripheral nerves either symmetrically - polyneuropathy - or asymmetrically - mononeuritis multiplex (2)

 

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