Neuropathy is a mysterious disease. The Neuropathy Association calls it the most wide-spread disease most people have never heard of. In fact, more than 20 million people in the U.S. suffer from some kind of neuropathy. Neuropathy results from damage to peripheral nerves, often the result of diabetes. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, tingling, and loss of coordination. It shows up in the hands, arms, feet, and legs. The earlier it is diagnosed, the better it can be managed.

In neuropathy, three types of nerves can be affected. The sensory nerves, obviously, monitor sensation. Autonomic nerves control the function of internal organs. Motor nerves affect the muscles. As the nervous system is the communication network within your body, neuropathy might best be understood as a disruption of communications.

Most neuropathy patients are elderly, and the care for their disease costs Medicare $3.5 billion every year. Many people experience subtle sensations that come and go. For others, the disease may be debilitating. There are more than one hundred types of neuropathy, including autonomic, cancer-related, compressive, hereditary, and diabetic. Not many of these can be cured, but for those which cannot be, there are many ways of treating the symptoms and minimizing pain.

If you suffer from neuropathy, the best thing you can do for yourself is to become an energetic advocate for your own health. Do your own information search. Learn as much as you can about your symptoms and the various treatments that are out there. Be very honest with your doctor about the frequency of your symptoms. Insist that he be up front with you about your disease and what you can expect as it progresses. Also, make sure your physician has a file with your full medical history and is updated with every single medication and supplement you are taking. Be proactive: ask your doctor if there is anything you should be doing to help yourself. Finally, you may benefit from talking to others who suffer from neuropathy. Find out if there are any support groups nearby.

There is no substitute for educating yourself. Knowing more about neuropathy gives you a certain amount of control you may not otherwise have, and knowledge has a way of making opening up doors.