Peripheral neuropathy [1] can affect just one nerve (mononeuropathy), two or more nerves in various areas (multiple mononeuropathies), or several nerves (polyneuropathy).
In polyneuropathy, the peripheral nervous system is affected, that is, the nerves that go to the trunk, limbs, and head. Peripheral nerves are divided into sensory and motor. The sensory nerves come in various sizes (they are small and large). Sensory nerves are responsible for sending information from internal organs and skin to the brain, while motor neurons sends information instead, about movements from the brain to the body. For example, if a person injured his leg, the sensory nerves will “tell” the brain about this, and the motor nerves, having received the appropriate command from the brain, will help the person to pull the leg away from the unsafe object.
The first symptoms of polyneuropathy occur, as a rule, in the feet, and it takes longer for the development of polyneuropathy in the hands. Over time, small nerve fibers are also included in the pathological process.
When the feet are affected, the following symptoms start to manifest.
Numbness and Tingling Sensation
In order to pull away from dangerous surfaces and pass easily through changing terrain, your feet depend on your sense of touch. But you may perceive no sensation or almost no sensation in your feet if you experience numbness in your foot.
This numbness [2] can often be a temporary condition or a debilitating condition such as in diabetes. The symptoms may be progressive as well. As time goes on, you may gradually lose some sensory perception in your foot and then eventually lose more and more perception. The main symptom of numbness in your foot is that your foot will lose sensation. This affects your sense of touch and balance, because the position of your foot against the ground cannot be felt. While the main symptom of numbness in your foot is loss of sensation, you may witness some extra, unusual sensations, such as tingling sensations.
Sharp and Burning Pain
You may experience sharp and sudden intense pains that feel like an electrical charge shock sometimes. You may feel cramped at other times. In most cases, burning sensations are experienced in the feet and associated area. This pain is mostly felt in situations where sensory nerves are affected as they are responsible for sensory innervations and sensation.