“The new parameters are designed to help patients by giving physicians the tools they need to arrive at a proper diagnosis efficiently.” “Neuropathy can be very difficult to pin down, and there are dozens upon dozens of tests that a doctor can order in an attempt to properly diagnose the patient,” said Herrmann. The condition has a variety of causes, including diabetes, poor nutrition, HIV, certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, or simply, genetics.
The new guidelines focus on patients with distal symmetric polyneuropathy, which generally describes nerve damage that is most often in the hands and feet, and arms and legs. The symptoms of nerve damage vary greatly among patients: Burning pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness are all common. The new practice parameters were published last month in the journal Neurology. Now a Rochester neurologist has helped compile a national set of guidelines that aim to help doctors better diagnose the most common cause of such symptoms more quickly and efficiently and with less expense.ĭavid Herrmann, MBBCh, director of the Peripheral Neuropathy Clinic at Strong Memorial Hospital, is an author of the guidelines for a painful nerve condition known as neuropathy, which affects millions of people with diabetes and many other patients as well. Many patients spend years going from doctor to doctor seeking a diagnosis, and many doctors order test upon test, with no firm conclusion. These are among the most vexing of symptoms for patients and their doctors alike. Hands that feel like they’re burning feet that make it feel like you’re walking on pins and needles numbness that spreads gradually up the limbs.
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