![]() ![]() ![]() Blood Tests: Blood tests are run to assess nutritional deficiencies, organ function, toxins, and the presence of an atypical immune response.Neurologic Exam: During a neurologic exam, your doctor–usually a neurologist–assesses reflexes ability to feel sensations like hot, cold, and pain coordination balance muscle strength and muscle tone.The following tests can be useful to identify the condition, as well as rule out potential causes and contributing factors. How to Diagnose Neuropathyįor most people, a diagnosis of neuropathy may be based upon a person’s medical history, physical exam, lab work, and neurologic evaluation. But first, let’s review some of the testing measures used to diagnose this condition. While this may feel like an overwhelming list, rest assured that you have several options to improve your symptoms, heal your body, and mitigate the pain and discomfort caused by neuropathy. Numbness or a reduced ability to feel sensation.Pins-and-needles tingling sensations, most often felt in the hands and feet.Pain that could be described as “sharp,” “burning,” or “throbbing”.Neuropathy begins gradually and worsens with time. The symptoms of neuropathy in Lyme disease are likely to be similar to those from other diseases like diabetes, autoimmune disease, nutritional deficiencies (B12, B6, B1, copper, and vitamin E), different types of infections, and more. Typically, neuropathy develops in various nerves leading to the hands and feet, causing discomfort that ranges from mild irritation to significant impairment. So how do you know if the symptoms you’re facing are neuropathy, and what can you do to find some relief? Read on to learn about the symptoms, diagnosis, and ideas on how to manage the pain and discomfort associated with neuropathy more effectively. To make matters worse, co-infections like Babesia and Bartonella can contribute to neuropathy as well, according to a study in the International Journal of General Medicine. The damage results in interference among the neurons, and they begin to have difficulty communicating with each other and the brain. Neuropathy occurs when there is damage or dysfunction of neurons (nerve cells) in one or more nerves. This is a disease process that impacts the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. One debilitating symptom that may be present among those with LNB is peripheral neuropathy (also referred to as neuropathy). A brief stint in an online Lyme patient forum will quickly reveal that most individuals report experiencing at least some amount of neurological involvement on a routine basis. However, the exact incidence of LNB isn’t well known. Research suggests the neurologic manifestations of Lyme disease may be present in approximately 15% of the patient population. This is neurological Lyme disease, which affects and inflames the central and peripheral nervous systems. Unfortunately, once the infection begins to spread throughout the body, many people will develop Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). That’s when the nervous system can become involved, and symptoms ratchet up to a whole new level. ![]() If an infection goes untreated for months to years, however, there’s a good chance the infection will proceed to late stage or late disseminated Lyme disease, sometimes called chronic Lyme disease. This occurs in the days and weeks following infection, referred to as early disseminated Lyme disease. (The actual frequency is unknown because the disease is so underreported).Īnd the initial symptoms of infection may be nothing more than fever, chills, headache, fatigue, or muscle aches, making them easy to miss or brush off as a case of the flu.īut as the disease advances, the bacteria associated with Lyme, Borrelia burgdorferi, spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, a process known as dissemination. The telltale sign of a Lyme infection - an erythema migrans (EM) rash, or the classic “bull’s-eye” rash - doesn’t occur in every case. Unfortunately, Lyme often goes missed early on. Yet, one thing everyone seems to agree on about the tick-borne disease is that it can significantly impact the nervous system, especially without prompt treatment in the early stages of the infection. It’s one of the reasons a Lyme disease diagnosis may be controversial. The list of symptoms infected individuals can experience is expansive and varies from person to person. Lyme disease can affect several systems of the body - the brain, nervous system, joints, heart, and more. ![]()
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