Peripheral Neuropathy is damage to the nerves just under the skin. It can be caused by HIV itself and/or medications such as ddI, ddC, d4T, and
some chemotherapies.
What do I look for?
Peripheral neuropathy may include the following symptoms:
- numbness and tingling of fingers, hands, toes and feet
- weakness in hands & feet
- pain and/or burning sensation in hands & feet
A person with these symptoms should seek medical attention.
Can Peripheral Neuropathy be prevented?
There is no known prevention for peripheral neuropathy.
How is Peripheral Neuropathy treated?
If peripheral neuropathy is a result of taking medications such as ddI, ddC, d4T, or INH (Tb medication) then stopping the medication may reverse the neuropathy
and symptoms may disappear. If the cause is HIV itself, treatment is given to relieve pain and the following medications can be used:
- Elavil (amitriptyline)
- Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aspirin
- Prednisone
- Dilantin, Tegretol
- Capsaicin cream
- Valproic acid
There is usually no treatment available for the underlying cause of the neuropathy, unless there is a vitamin B12 deficiency.
References
Bowers, M. (1993). "Peripheral Neuropathy in HIV
disease" in BETA--Bulletin for Experimental Treatments for AIDS, pp.3-7. San Francisco: San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Grimes, D. and Grimes, R. (1994). AIDS and HIV infection. Toronto: Mosby Co.
