Peripheral neuropathy, sometimes caused by certain antibiotics, is a serious health concern that is affecting more and more Americans.

Peripheral neuropathy is a medical term for damage to the nerves of the hands and feet. The specifics of the extent of damage and exact nerves involved produce a variety of symptoms.

But patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy generally experience pain, numbness, and/or a tingling sensation in the affected extremities. Peripheral neuropathy pain has been described as a needling sensation. Peripheral neuropathy may also cause problems with motor neurons, including paralysis, trembling, and other problems with movement.

Peripheral neuropathy is a serious medical problem and patients should seek medical help. It’s advisable that peripheral neuropathy patients write down any kind of symptoms, like peripheral neuropathy pain that they are experiencing, as well as any questions they have about the condition and possible peripheral neuropathy treatments.

Medication is one of the main peripheral neuropathy treatments. But it is important to remember that many of the drugs used for peripheral neuropathy treatments can carry risks of their own.

NSAIDS may work for very mild cases of peripheral neuropathy pain. Many peripheral neuropathy pain cases may require strong pain medication like opioids, which carry a strong risk of addiction and other side effects.

Anti-seizure drugs and antidepressants can also provide some peripheral neuropathy relief since these drugs act on nerve cells. But these drugs have risks of their own, including dizziness, drowsiness, and mood problems.

Capsaicin cream is another option, popular with “natural heath” crowds. Capsaicin is derived from hot peppers and is the naturally-occurring  chemical that gives many spicy foods their kick. Mixed into a cream, it seems to relieve some nerve-related peripheral neuropathy pain for some of the milder cases.

However, despite the natural origin of capsaicin, these creams can have some side effects. Many patients who use capsaicin for peripheral neuropathy treatments experience skin burning and irritation. In fact, some patients cannot even tolerate capsaicin cream.

Beyond drugs, peripheral neuropathy treatments can include other forms of medical intervention, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TEN), physical therapies, as well as therapies that involve replacing patients’ blood plasma and administering immunoglobulins. These peripheral neuropathy treatments’ efficacy varies with the severity and cause of the peripheral neuropathy pain.

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by a number of very different conditions. A number of viruses and bacteria have been implicated in peripheral neuropathy pain, including the virus that causes shingles and the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

Additionally, chronic conditions like genetic diseases and diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy pain. One cause of peripheral neuropathy has received much attention of late. Peripheral neuropathy can be a side effect of quinolone antibiotics.

Quinolone antibiotics are a popular and generally effective family of antibiotics. Quinolone antibiotics include blockbuster drugs like Cipro, Levaquin, and Avelox. These drugs can treat anything from a sinus infection to Anthrax.

Previously, quinolone antibiotics had enjoyed a strong reputation for safety. However, it has come to light that some patients taking quinolone antibiotics may experience peripheral neuropathy as a quinolone sideeffect.

A class action lawsuit investigation has been launched to explore the possibility of filing peripheral neuropathy lawsuits for patients who developed peripheral neuropathy pain after using quinolone antibiotics. Such a lawsuit could allege that drug makers were aware — or reasonably should have been aware — that quinolone antibiotics could cause peripheral neuropathy pain.

Such a quinolone antibiotic lawsuit could seek to recoup medical costs or other costs stemming from peripheral neuropathy pain or peripheral neuropathy treatment.