Polyneuropathy as the cause of my symptoms?
January 15, 2021 | 25,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ive Dr. Schaaf
Hello,
I am male, 38 years old and have no previous illnesses, but I am overweight and have herniated discs in the lumbar spine. Since 2016, I have been experiencing fasciculations mainly in the calves while at rest. In 2016, I also suffered from cramps in the calves and feet. Neurological examinations at that time were inconclusive. The fasciculations have persisted until today.
Currently, I am experiencing recurrent cramps in the feet and pain in the calves. Especially after exertion (even short periods) and subsequent rest, I feel tingling in both feet and sometimes in the lower legs. It feels like a slight electric current is flowing. This sensation diminishes after a longer period of rest. My research led me to consider polyneuropathy as a possible cause. I do not have diabetes or alcohol abuse. Could this be a case of polyneuropathy?
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your question, which I would like to answer in light of the information you provided as follows:
A polyneuropathy as the cause of your symptoms is definitely a possibility. Polyneuropathy means that multiple nerves are "having a problem." Nerves typically manifest themselves with sensory disturbances, such as tingling or numbness, and pain is also possible. Fasciculations are primarily a muscle problem, not a nerve problem. However, a misinnervation, or faulty impulse from a nerve, can cause muscle twitching, so this phenomenon can also occur in the context of a polyneuropathy.
On the other hand, you mention being overweight and having multiple disc herniations in the lumbar spine region. This can lead to nerve impairment at the level of the lumbar spine. Such irritation at the lumbar spine level can cause leg symptoms. The lower the problem occurs in the lumbar spine, the lower down the leg the symptoms will manifest. You can think of it like a light switch. Pressing it on the wall turns on the light on the ceiling. Nerves in the brain always report that something is wrong at their end, no matter where (light switch) pressure is applied. And your symptoms can indeed be as you describe.
It is a good idea to investigate whether a polyneuropathy exists, but it is also possible that your symptoms are caused by your lumbar spine disc problem.
I hope this information is helpful, if not, please feel free to ask for more clarification.
Best regards,
Dr. Schaaf
