What are The Four Stages of Peripheral Neuropathy?
There are four general stages of peripheral neuropathy: early, intermediate, late and very late. In the early stage, symptoms may be mild and nonspecific, such as tingling or a pins-and-needles sensation in the feet or hands. The intermediary stage is usually when symptoms become more pronounced and may include numbness, pain and weakness in the extremities. The late stage is marked by an increased loss of function in the extremities and can lead to disability. The very late stage is often associated with permanent nerve damage. (6)
Early
It is normal to experience some pain and numbness at the beginning of neuropathy. Symptoms won’t persist, but they’ll come and go. You will recognize these first symptoms of pain and numbness even though they may be subtle.
For instance, hands and feet may experience some tingling or numbness, but it will eventually go away. Your balance and reflexes may also be out of sync compared to what they normally are if you have neuropathy. The first symptoms often recur every few weeks and become more consistent as time goes on. Since neuropathy’s first signs are so subtle, it is common for people to ignore them.
Intermediate
When your pain and numbness become more regular and consistent, you are in the second stage of peripheral neuropathy. The second stage of neuropathy is difficult to pinpoint, but it is obvious when patients experience pain and numbness more often than before. It becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the pains, numbness, and other symptoms in the second stage.
A lot of people seek medical treatment at this stage when they realize something may be wrong. Most nerve damage can be cured if caught and treated by the second stage, but if left untreated past the second stage, nerve damage may become permanent.
Late
Your pain occurs almost every day in the third stage of neuropathy. You cannot go about your daily activities normally at this stage due to the pain affecting your daily activities. Over the counter medications may no longer work, and you are unable to alleviate your pain with over the counter medications. You are likely experiencing other pains and symptoms of nerve damage in the third stage of neuropathy.
The legs and feet will become very numb. The reason for this is that your brain does not receive signals from healthy nerves. The numbness and pain may decrease, but this is not a good thing. A large number of nerve fibers have disintegrated when this occurs, which is a sign that the nerves are dying. The large nerve fibers are now irreversibly damaged. This stage is likely to affect your balance, and it may be difficult for you to walk and stay balanced. You will experience irreversible numbness during this stage of neuropathy. To prevent worsening numbness, it is urgent to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Very late
You lose all sensation in your lower legs and feet at this stage of neuropathy. Numbness is the only sensation you feel, no pain. Because of this, your brain cannot receive signals from your nerves. The difficulty of walking and the lack of balance have caused you to have a difficult time walking at this point. You may need a wheelchair if you become unsteady. The loss of senses or feeling in your lower extremities at this stage of neuropathy requires immediate medical attention.
Prognosis
The prognosis of peripheral neuropathy can vary, depending on the cause and severity of the condition. In some cases, peripheral neuropathy may be reversible with treatment. However, in many cases, the condition is permanent and may require ongoing treatment to manage symptoms. If left untreated, peripheral neuropathy can lead to potentially serious complications. (7)