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Nerves of the peripheral nervous system serve many functions. The symptoms of an individual's peripheral neuropathy depend upon which types of nerves are involved, including:

• Sensory nerves - Damage to a sensory nerve can produce symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or a loss of sensation or feeling. The pain usually begins in the hands or feet and progresses towards the trunk of the body. Lack of sensation can cause other complications relating to recurrent injuries that may go unnoticed, (e.g., awareness of cuts or burns to the skin) and can lead to ulcers or poor healing of wounds. The nerve damage in sensory peripheral neuropathy may be found in either large fibers or small fibers. The symptoms of sensory peripheral neuropathy can be intermittent or continuous and can significantly interfere with quality of life.

• Motor nerves - Damage to a motor nerve results in decreased movement or control of muscles. Since movement is important for the health of many organ systems, (e.g., it promotes increased blood circulation) damage to motor function can also lead to abnormal changes in muscle, bone, skin, and other organs. Symptoms of damage to peripheral motor nerves usually begin as weakness or heaviness of the hands and/or feet and may deteriorate over time.

• Damage or injury to peripheral nerves that link to the autonomic nervous system, which affects involuntary body functions, can result in:

  • impaired ability to regulate body temperature
  • orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up from a sitting position)
  • blurred vision
  • reduced sweating
  • dizziness
  • bowel/bladder dysfunction
  • sexual dysfunction

There are many types of neuropathy included under the category of peripheral neuropathy and the etiology, symptoms, progression rate, pattern of symptoms, recurrence, and response to treatment vary widely.