Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of or trauma to the nerve or the side-effects of systemic illness.^[1]

The four cardinal patterns of peripheral 

neuropathy are polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, mononeuritis multiplexand autonomic neuropathy.

The most common form is (symmetrical) peripheral polyneuropathy, which mainly affects the feet and legs.

The form of neuropathy may be further broken down by cause, or the size of predominant fiber involvement, i.e., large fiber or small fiber peripheral neuropathy.

Frequently the cause of a neuropathy cannot be identified and it is designated as being idiopathic.