What is peripheral polyneuropathy?

This condition implies damage of multiple nerves, usually affecting the lower extremities first, then the upper extremities. Symptoms will include numbness and tingling, usually first in the feet and legs, then hands and arms, in a so called “stocking-glove distribution”. Advanced cases will demonstrate motor weakness of the feet and hands, then in the more distal, possibly more proximal muscles of the arms and legs. Causes of peripheral polyneuropathy include a relation to medical conditions such as Diabetes, after suffering from certain infectious diseases such as Guillen Barre syndrome, exposure to toxins such as lead, excessive alcohol intake, as a side effect from certain medications, or simply hereditary in nature. Many times the underlying cause of a patient’s peripheral polyneuropathy is unable to be determined.