is numbness the beginning of PN

[krashleen]

I have read somewhere, and it might be patient accounts..but numbness could be the beginning of PN?

My neurologist wants me to have an EMG on my right leg. Could this check for PN?

My toes(two of them) are numb, can't feeel a thing on them.

Can someone set me straight on this?
TIA

[HeyJoe]

Yes it definitely can and the EMG/NCS is the first step in determining if and what kind of PN you have. There are many other steps afterward. Post the results here if it does come out to be a type of PN and there are places you can look up to see what testing is needed, and keep a copy of your results for future reference.

[dahlek]

To start, check out www.Neuroexam.com to tell YOU what all your neuro is doing and why.

Depending on what's happened to cause this [sometimes never known], what the pain levels are, or if things constantly change and/or get worse, your problem could be a zillion things at this point. Don't panic tho, just push for answers, and learn about what to ask about here and other places.

There is no question too silly, but a bit of extra info could be helpful in bouncing questions off of us that have full-force PN. Something I wouldn't wish on all but my 2-3 worst enemies?

Read all posts here and search Peripheral Neuropathy on the web, learn ask, then learn some more.

I hope this helps you ease your fears of the worst, and I surely hope for the absolute best. Hang in there! - j

[joy]

Sorry to say yes but I believe that was one of the first symptoms for me as well, the numbness. Sadly so far it is the last as well for me. I went through the stages of the stabbing, tingling, burning, etc. but now it is back to really numb. I keep saying "I don't see how my feet and hands can get any number", and they do!

[jjano]

Hi Krash,
While we are all so different, I can say my wife had a brain stem stroke in (01) and woke up one morning and if you cut her in half, from the top of her head right straight down, she lost all feeling to the right side*** Major numbness!!!!! Half the head, tongue, nose ,and the trunk *the whole works.

But the PN burning and pain did not totally kick in until about 2.5 years down the road.

So we just add another major problem to the growing list of 6,834 other problems.

Jim

[rose]

When peripheral nerves malfunction, that is peripheral neuropathy. And one of the ways they can malfunction will cause numbness.

But the question is why. What is causing it.

The EMG would be a usual first step. But realize that if the EMG is normal that does not rule out nerve damage. It may show it, but it does not rule it out.

rose

[nide44]

Rose Said:
It may show it, but it does not rule it out.

That's the way PN is diagnosed. Ruling things (disorders) out.
It can be a long and tiresome process, but ther's no definitive ,
'right off the bat-we'll know in 24 hours' way to diagnose it completely.
Skin Punch biopsy is a way to look at the nerves under a microscope and see if the small fibers are affected, but its not a 'one-shot' Dx.
Looking for the cause can be a longer and even more tiresome process as well. some of us never know ("Ideopathic" PN - because the docs are idiots and can't find a cause :) )

[rose]

:( Sadly, doctors often have blinders on and will do invasive tests to document damage while ignoring the cause and the possibility the damage could be stopped.

Make sure you remember the difference between the skin punch biopsy Bob mentions and the nerve biopsy many doctors are so gung ho to do. There is very seldom a good reason to do the nerve biopsy.

rose

[nide44]

OOOPPS!
Sorry.
I forgot to say the difference.
The Skin Punch Biopsy is whre they take small patches of skin off the top of your thigh, hip & ankle- about the size of a dime, or smaller.

The Sural Nerve Biopsy is where they dig down deep into your ankle (sometimes other areas of the foot, or close by it) and remove(cut out) about 1-2 inches of your nerve. Nerves don't grow back very fast, if at all- so that area will be, at best -numb for the rest of your life & at worst........worse pain and suffering than the PN originally was.....for the rest of your life.
Rose is right, lotsa docs wanna do the sural lately- but there is seldom a good reason for it. Usually the Sural test results either are inconclusive, or merely confirm what you already know.
Sometimes the test helps the docs, too - but that is not in the majority of cases that I've heard or read about.