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Neuropathy is a common health condition that affects more than 25% of people in the United States. However, because neuropathy causes a wide range of symptoms, getting an accurate diagnosis is difficult. At Modern Migraine MD, with office locations in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, Toms River, New Jersey, Aventura, Florida, and is virtually in 13 states, Risa Ravitz, MD, uses and reviews diagnostic studies to diagnose neuropathy. To schedule an in-office or telemedicine neuropathy consultation, call or book online today.
Neuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy, refers to an array of conditions that interfere with the communication between the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
The peripheral nervous system has three types of nerves:
The sensory nerves are your five senses — touch, taste, hearing, smell, and sight. These nerves carry sensory information from your body to your brain.
Motor nerves carry messages from your brain to your muscles, telling them to move, contract, or relax.
The autonomic nerves manage all the body functions that are out of your control, like your breathing, body temperature, and digestion.
Damage or dysfunction to any one of these types of nerves affects communication between your body and brain, causing neuropathy.
Because neuropathy can affect any type of peripheral nerve, symptoms vary in type and severity, making it hard to get an accurate diagnosis. The type of symptoms you have depend on the location of the nerve damage or dysfunction.
Common symptoms of neuropathy include:
These symptoms may develop slowly over time or occur suddenly and worsen quickly. If you have any of these symptoms, schedule an in-office or telemedicine consultation at Modern Migraine MD. Dr. Ravitz offers neuropathy workups at her office in New York City or can review a previous workup for virtual visits.
Dr. Ravitz takes a holistic approach to medicine, focusing on your whole health, not your symptoms or condition. She performs electrodiagnostic studies at her New York City office to find the underlying cause of neuropathy.
These studies include:
For the NCS, Dr. Ravitz places electrodes on the skin over the nerves and muscles at different points on the body. She delivers a brief electrical pulse to the electrode and measures the rate of the nerve response.
An EMG focuses on muscle health, aiming to find out if there’s a disconnection between the nerve and muscle. During the test, Dr. Ravitz inserts a thin needle electrode into the muscle during the test. She records muscle and nerve activity when the muscle is at rest and then during movement.
Dr. Ravitiz evaluates the data from the electrodiagnostic studies to determine the cause of your neuropathy symptoms and design an effective treatment plan.
To schedule your neuropathy consultation at Modern Migraine MD, call or book online today.