Is peripheral neuropathy part of ms?

    
      Re: Is peripheral neuropathy part of ms?
    


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Posted by CCF neuro MD on February 19, 1998 at 19:51:48:

In Reply to: Is peripheral neuropathy part of ms? posted by Carla on February 19, 1998 at 18:46:05:

: Just a quick question:  Is peripheral neuropathy common in multiple sclerosis?  What are the MOST common causes?  We've heard that there are many, and wondered how many causes were due to MS and/or other neurological disorders.
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Peripheral neuropathy is not a feature of MS, MS by definition affects the
central parts of the nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, while in peripheral
neuropathy the disease process is centered on the peripheral nerve fibers.
In MS the effects of a central lesion may superficially resemble the effects of
a peripheral neuropathy but it is usually possible to distinguish between the two
based on the pattern of sympotoms reported by the patient and the findings
on examination.
The common causes of peripheral neuropathy include :
Diabetes, thyroid disease, vitamin deficiencies, vasculitis or autoimmune
diseases, drug side effects, due to distant effects of tumors, familial,
renal failure and in a large  number of cases the underlying cause is not known.

[gailsy]

A related discussion, numbness of feet at night was started.