What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy from chemotherapy?
The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on which nerves cancer treatment affects. There are three kinds: sensory, motor, and autonomic.
Sensory nerves help you feel pain, heat, cold, and pressure. Damage can cause tingling, numbness, or a pins-and-needles feeling in your feet and hands. That feeling may spread to your legs and arms. You may also have trouble feeling hot, cold, or pain from a cut or sore.
Motor nerves help your muscles move. Damage can cause weak or achy muscles, balance problems, and muscle twitching or cramps. If chest or throat muscles are affected, it can cause trouble swallowing or breathing.
Autonomic nerves control things like blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, temperature, and urination. Damage can cause constipation or diarrhea. It can also cause dizziness from low blood pressure, sexual problems, sweating problems, and urination problems.
If you start to notice any of these problems, talk with your doctor or nurse. Getting them diagnosed and treated early is the best way to control them. It also helps prevent further damage and reduce pain and other complications.
Want the full picture? Read our complete explanation: Peripheral Neuropathy and Cancer Treatment
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