What is the Difference Between Polyneuropathy and Peripheral Neuropathy

The key difference between polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy is that polyneuropathy refers to a condition where multiple peripheral nerves become damaged, while peripheral neuropathy refers to a condition where a single or multiple peripheral nerves become damaged.

Neuropathy is damage or dysfunction of one or more nerves that normally results in numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and pain in the affected region. Generally, neuropathies frequently start in the hands and feet. However, other parts of the body can also be affected by neuropathies. Neuropathy occurs when neurons become damaged or destroyed. Polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy are two types of neuropathies.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Polyneuropathy
3. What is Peripheral Neuropathy
4. Similarities – Polyneuropathy and Peripheral Neuropathy
5. Polyneuropathy vs Peripheral Neuropathy in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Polyneuropathy vs Peripheral Neuropathy

What is Polyneuropathy?

Polyneuropathy refers to a medical condition where multiple peripheral nerves become damaged. Polyneuropathy occurs when multiple peripheral nerves throughout the body malfunction at the same time. It can have a wide variety of causes, including exposure to certain toxins such as alcohol abuse, poor nutrition (vitamin B deficiency), and complications from other diseases such as cancer and kidney failure. One of the most common forms of chronic polyneuropathy is diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy occurs in people who have diabetes. It is more severe with poorly controlled blood sugar levels. However, diabetes is also a less common cause of mononeuropathy.

The most common symptoms of this condition include tingling, numbness, loss of sensation in the arms and legs and a burning sensation in the feet or hands, foot or leg ulcers, skin and nail infections, diarrhoea, difficulty in eating and swallowing, digestive problems, constipation, sexual dysfunction, low blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, breathing difficulties, dizziness, bladder problems or incontinence.

Polyneuropathy can be diagnosed through medical history, physical evaluation, neurological evaluation, blood tests, urine tests, MRI, CT scans, electrodiagnostic tests, and biopsies. Furthermore, treatment options for polyneuropathy may include medications for associated conditions (insulin for diabetes and thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism), pain medications, prescription medications (antidepressant), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, plasma exchange, immune globulin therapy, physical therapy, orthotic and other devices (braces, canes, casts, splints, etc.) and alternative medicine treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, and meditation.

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where a single or multiple peripheral nerves become damaged. It is of two types: mononeuropathy and polyneuropathy. Damage to a single peripheral nerve is called mononeuropathy. Physical trauma such as damage from an accident is the common cause of this condition. On the other hand, polyneuropathy occurs when multiple peripheral nerves throughout the body malfunction at the same time. Polyneuropathy has a wide variety of causes. Moreover, the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy include toxins, trauma, illness, diabetes, rare inherited diseases, alcoholism, poor nutrition, certain kind of cancer and chemotherapy treatments, an autoimmune condition, certain medication, kidney or thyroid injury, infections (Lyme disease), and heredity (Charcot Marie Tooth disease type1).

The symptoms of this condition may include gradual onset of numbness, prickling, tingling, sharp, jabbing, throbbing, or burning pain, extreme sensitivity to pain, lack of coordination and falling, muscle weakness, paralysis, heat intolerance, excessive sweating, bowel, bladder or digestive problems, drops in blood pressure, and light-headedness. Peripheral neuropathy can be diagnosed through medical history, neurological examinations, blood tests, imaging tests (CT and MRI), nerve function tests (electromyography), other nerve function tests (autonomic reflex screen), nerve biopsy, and skin biopsy. Furthermore, treatment options include pain relievers (medicine containing opioids), anti-seizure medications (gabapentin), topical treatments (capsaicin cream), tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin, physical therapy, and surgery.

What are the Similarities Between Polyneuropathy and Peripheral Neuropathy?

• Polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy are two types of neuropathies.
• In both conditions, the peripheral nervous system gets affected.
• Both conditions may show similar symptoms.
• They are treatable conditions through medications and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Polyneuropathy and Peripheral Neuropathy?

Polyneuropathy refers to a condition where multiple peripheral nerves become damaged, while peripheral neuropathy refers to a condition where a single or multiple peripheral nerves become damaged. Thus, this is the key difference between polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy. Furthermore, the causes of polyneuropathy include exposure to certain toxins such as alcohol abuse, poor nutrition (vitamin B deficiency) complications from other diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, and diabetes. On the other hand, the causes of peripheral neuropathy include toxins, trauma, illness, diabetes, rare inherited diseases, alcoholism, poor nutrition, certain kind of cancer and chemotherapy treatments, an autoimmune condition, certain medication, kidney or thyroid injury, infections (Lyme disease), and heredity (Charcot Marie Tooth disease type1).

The below infographic presents the differences between polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Polyneuropathy vs Peripheral Neuropathy

Polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy are two types of neuropathies that occur in the peripheral nervous system. Polyneuropathy occurs when multiple peripheral nerves become damaged, while peripheral neuropathy occurs when a single or multiple peripheral nerves become damaged. So, this is the key difference between polyneuropathy and peripheral neuropathy.

Reference:

1. “Peripheral Neuropathy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 July 2021.
2. Rubin, Michael. “Polyneuropathy – Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders.” MSD Manual Consumer Version, MSD Manuals, 17 Mar. 2022.

Image Courtesy:

1. “CIDP Histopathology Teased fibre” By Marvin 101 – Own work (Original text: Benutzer:Marvin_101) (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia