The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a drug safety communication about the possible risk of developing peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) when taking fluroroquinolone drugs such as the antibiotic Cipro.

Many users who have taken Cipro for both short- and long-term treatments experienced symptoms of nerve damage. Some Cipro symptoms stopped quickly after ceasing Cipro use, but others had a more long-term effect.

The peripheral nervous system is responsible for sending information from the brain and spinal cord (which make up the central nervous system) to the rest of the body. It is also responsible for receiving information from the rest of the body. So when Cipro and other fluroroquinolone drugs increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy, the side effects can be painful and dangerous.

Symptoms of Nerve Damage 

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include numbness beginning in the hands or feet with the potential to spread through the rest of the limb, muscle weakness (or potentially paralysis), extreme sensitivity to touch, sharp pain, and more.

The FDA says if a Cipro user is experiencing these side effects, they should switch to a non-fluoroquinolone drug. 

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

There are several different possible causes of peripheral neuropathy. According to Mayoclinic.org, the list includes alcoholism, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, poison exposure, medication, infections, inherited disorders, trauma or pressure on the nerve, tumors, vitamin deficiencies, and other diseases.

Antibiotics such as Cipro have been found to be one of the causes of nerve damage. The FDA has required the warning labels on all fluroquinolone antibacterial drugs to include the risk of peripheral neuropathy. The FDA claims that the negative side effects, “may occur soon after these drugs are taken and may be permanent.” 

The nerve damage cause appears to be limited to antibiotics taken orally or through injection. 

Other Possible Cipro Side Effects 

In addition to Cipro peripheral neuropathy, the drug might also cause severe side effects such as liver toxicity, liver failure, Stevens Johnson Syndrome (where the skin essentially burns from the inside out), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (a more severe form of SJS where the blistering gets so bad that the skin might actually fall off in the infected areas). 

Many people are taking legal action over Cipro and other quinolone drugs after allgedly suffering peripheral neuropathy and other negative side effects.