Causes

Many diseases and conditions can cause peripheral neuropathy. The damage may occur due to:

• Lack of oxygen
• Malnutrition
• Compression
• Cancer
• Trauma
• Inflammation
• Toxins
• Medications
• Unknown causes

Diseases that can damage peripheral nerves include:

• Diabetes ( type 1 or type 2 )
• Alcoholism
• AIDS
• Lyme disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Uremia from chronic kidney failure
• Autoimmune disorders
• Hypothyroidism
• Viral infections (such as hepatitis )

Compression commonly occurs when nerves are pinched or trapped somewhere along their course, such as:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (nerve in the wrist)
• Sciatica (nerve roots forming the sciatic nerve in the back of the legs as they exit the spine)

Toxins that can damage the peripheral nerves include:

• Lead
• Mercury
• Thallium
• Organic solvents (hexacarbons)
• Pesticides (organophosphates)
• Carbon disulfide
• Arsenic
• Acrylamide
• Diphtheria toxin
• Alcohol

Many medications can lead to peripheral neuropathy. A partial list includes:

• Chemotherapeutic agents to treat cancer (eg, vincristine , paclitaxel , cisplatin , suramin)
• Anti-HIV medications (eg, didanosine , zalcitabine )
• Anti- tuberculosis medications (eg, isoniazid , ethambutol )
• Other antimicrobial drugs (eg, dapsone , metronidazole , chloroquine, chloramphenicol )
• Psychiatric medications (eg, lithium )
• Other medications (eg, amiodarone , aurothioglucose, phenytoin , thalidomide , colchicine , cimetidine , disulfiram , hydralazine , high levels of vitamin B6 )

Other causes of peripheral nerve damage include:

• Vitamin deficiencies ( thiamin and B12 deficiency , often related to alcoholism, and vitamin E deficiency)
• Injury
• A tumor pressing on a nerve
• Exposure to cold or radiation
• Leprosy
• Acute or chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy
• Porphyria
• Paraneoplatic syndromes
• Genetic disorders ( Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease , Dejerine-Sottas disease, and Refsum’s disease)
• Prolonged treatment in the intensive care unit

Risk Factors

These factors increase your chance of developing this condition. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:

• Diabetes (about 60% of people with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy)
• Alcohol abuse
• Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or celiac sprue
• Family member with peripheral neuropathy
• Exposure to toxins or medications known to cause neuropathy
• Vitamin deficiency (thiamin and vitamin B12)
• HIV infection
• Pressure on a nerve (may occur with repetitive stress injuries)
• Hospitalization treatment in the intensive care unit