Image is from Arizona Brain & Spine Center
The AANEM, Your Source for Neuropathy Information
National Neuropathy Awareness Week is May 12th – 16th yearly to bring to the forefront challenging brain disorders that affect millions of people.
The AANEM or American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine plays a vital part in the lives of people who suffer from over 50 various chronic diseases of the muscles and nerves. You may have one of many different muscles and nerve diagnosis and not know it.
The condition, which the AANEM focuses, plagues millions of people is neuropathy. The AANEM brings to light all of the early signs and symptoms of various illnesses and help people of all ages to deal with their brain diagnosis.
The AANEM states, “Neuropathy is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Neuropathy is common, misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and misdiagnosed. Treatment for neuropathy is often inadequately treated.”
What is Neuropathy?
The human body’s nervous system contains the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. These two nervous systems are responsible for all voluntary and involuntary muscle movements. It is the peripheral nervous system that transmits signals to your median nerves, brain, spinal cord, and the remaining parts of your body.
If your nerves become damaged, they cannot send out the correct signals to muscle groups and vital organs for voluntary and involuntary movements. When your peripheral nerves become damaged, you may have peripheral neuropathy.
Neuropathy affects one or all of your sensory, autonomic, and motor nerve groups. Doctors can eliminate any of the over 50 brain disorders or slow the progression with early diagnosis and treatment.
Neuropathy Awareness
May 12th – 16th is the time where AANEM educates you and the public on neuropathy, signs, symptoms, risk factors, and treatments available. Currently, many people do not know about neuropathy, what it is, the symptoms, and treatments available.
The AANEM wants you to know that neuropathy is truly a debilitating disease process and is devoted to helping you, your doctor, medical providers, and the public tackle this problem during Neuropathy Awareness Month.
AANEM want you to know that researchers are working tirelessly in the battle against neuropathy through discovering new treatments, possible cures, and appropriate therapies.
A few common muscle and nerve disorders.
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Bell’s Palsy
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Erb’s Palsy
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome
- Low Back Pain
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Neck Pain
- Pinched Nerve
- Post-polio Syndrome
- Restless Legs Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Writer’s Cramp
You may develop neuropathy from infections, viruses, or by contacting bacteria. HIV, shingles, and Lyme disease are three of the six conditions where neuropathy develops.
Signs and Symptoms
If you experience in your lower extremities and hands, weakness, tingling, numbness, and pain
Do you have Neuropathy?
As soon as you identify these signs and symptoms, your doctor may order some tests such as an EDX, Needle EMG, Evoked potentials, Creatine Kinase Blood Test, or an Ischemic Exercise Test.
Performing these tests on several nerves in the body help the doctor to determine if you have neuropathy. It is vital to get high-quality testing done as soon as possible.
If your body functions properly, your nerves continue to send electrical impulses to your muscles. Properly functioning nerve signals to your muscles are how you move without even thinking about what has to happen in your body.
If you have a muscle or nerve disorder, your nerves are not sending the correct signals to your muscles to move you properly.
If your doctor suspects you have a muscle and nerve disease, the AANEM stands ready to help you through in-depth education, videos, reading materials, focus groups, support groups, and much more.