Neuropathy Definition, Causes, and Treatments

Neuropathy is damage to the nerves, most often the peripheral nerves that send sensory, motor, and autonomic signals throughout the body. It can be caused by traumatic injury, illness, or degenerative conditions, among others. When spinal nerves become compressed or damaged, symptoms of pain and tingling can spread through the extremities. This is because spinal nerve roots innervate large sections of muscles and skin – if these major nerves are damaged, they are unable to fully transmit these signals to the areas of the body they serve.

Causes of Neuropathy

Common conditions of the back or neck that can cause neuropathy can stem from degenerative disc disease and facet disease. They include:

• Herniated disc
• Bulging disc
• Spondylolisthesis
• Bone spurs
• Spinal stenosis

Neuropathy in the Sciatic Nerve

Neuropathy most commonly affects the larger nerves of the body. The largest and longest nerve in the body is the sciatic nerve. When this nerve becomes compressed by any of the above degenerative spine conditions, the symptoms are collectively referred to as sciatica. These can include pain, tingling, throbbing, or weakness that begins in the lumbar spine (lower back) and follows the path of the nerve through the buttocks, hips, legs, and feet.

Outpatient Treatment Options

At Laser Spine Institute, we specialize in minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures that safely and effectively target neuropathy. By decompressing the nerves without trauma to surrounding muscles, tendons, or ligaments, we’ve been able to help tens of thousands of people rediscover their lives without back or neck pain. If you’ve tried weeks or months of conservative treatments and the risks of an open spine surgery are discouraging you from seeking lasting relief, contact Laser Spine Institute. We’d even like to offer you a completely free review of your MRI or CT scan to find out if you could be a candidate for one of our revolutionary procedures.