Three Types of Neuropathy Symptoms
There are three types of peripheral nerves: sensory nerves, motor nerves, and autonomic nerves. These nerves have different functions and cause different symptoms when affected by neuropathy. Since the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are not the same across the board, they will be discussed based on the affected nerves.
Symptoms of neuropathy of the sensory nerves
The sensory nerves transmit impulses from receptors to the central nervous system. They control sensation in many parts of the body. If these nerves suffer damage, you may experience numbness, weakness, or tingling sensations in the affected body parts. Symptoms of damage to the sensory nerves include [2]:
- Tingling and numbness in the hands, feet, face, mouth, or internal organs
- Increased sensitivity to pain or desensitization to pain
- Inability to detect temperature changes
- Pins and needles sensations and hypersensitivity to touch
- Pain from simple actions like covering up with a blanket
- Feeling like the hands or feet are clothed in tight gloves or socks when they are not
- Sharp, burning, piercing, or boring pains that sometimes worsen at night
- Inability to sense the location, movement, and direction of body parts
- Loss of coordination and reflexes
- Thinning of the skin
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [3], neuropathic pain tends to worsen at night because pain receptors in the body suddenly become very active even though there is no real trigger. It may also happen due to misreading of spinal cord signals when you are touch lightly. In some cases, damage to the sensory nerves may contribute to the development of health problems like leg ulcers and gangrene (tissue necrosis).