Sunday 18 October 2015

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral Neuropathy
Tests of peripheral nerve function used by some doctors can fail to detect what to patients are significant degrees of dysfunction.
I know this personally from being a patient with a massive lumbar disc herniation, pronounced to have normally functioning nerves by some doctors. Surgery removal of the offending bit of disc was spectacularly successful.
If you can do the following then you can be assured that your peripheral nervous system is functioning pretty well.


If you can't do this maybe you should think about whether you have a nerve problem and need to alter your management. Perhaps you should be more sceptical of advice you have previously received. It is well documented that many asymptomatic T1s, who are normal according to doctors physical examination, actually have low peripheral nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes. A doctor's opinion without nerve conduction studies is really not that reassuring.
Also note that riding a unicycle with a training wheel (aka bicycle) requires much much less nerve function.