Can PN have multiple causes?

Wow...you hit on something that has given me some thought for a few years and I asked my primary the same question who has all my medical history over 20 years. She scratched her head and said...hmmm. When you look at some of the possible causes of PN, I can check off five items right off the bat. A fall, heavy antibiotics, statins, medications, low B-12, both back and knee issues, etc. Or a combination which could possibly explain why the cause is so difficult to determine. Would not be surprised!!

You're not the only one. I also have really bad neuropathy and like you pre-diabetic. I didn't have the EMG because I didn't want to endure the pain. I also have degenerative disc in lower lumbar spine along with arthritis. I have horrible nerve pain in my legs. My back isn't as painful though. Now I have horrible nerve pain in my neck that runs into my head, face, arms, hands shoulders and half down my back. Like you I'm so confused and don't know who to turn to next. My personal opinion is I feel that the Covid and the boosters have done all this to me. I'm on 200 MG Lyrica a day. I have some goods day, but mostly bad days.

Thank you for sharing . My heart goes out to you.

My PN has been determined to be genetic. My father had it and so does my brother. Have you heard of Charlotte Marie Tooth syndrome?

@mitfit - Yes, I was tested for CMT at University of PA in 2018 and came back with very small slight "markers" way out on the extended areas but, according to the neurologist who was an expert in the field, he said the markers were weak and would not cause my PN. He has a special interest in CMT and thought my symptoms were cause for the test. Ed

I wonder if you can have 2 TYPES of PN, like axonal sensorimotor PN that was confirmed for me by EMG, and SFN PN that I haven’t been tested before since docs are content since they already found the other. Either way, we just manage whatever symptoms we are dealing with, but so many of mine seem to identify more with SFN at times

No - What is it? Is it an auto-immune disease?

Is Charcot-Marie-Tooth an autoimmune disease?

No, CMT isn't an autoimmune disease. However, some mutations of the PMP22 gene, which are often the cause of CMT, can also increase your risk of developing some autoimmune conditions.

Same here. Not definitive for CMT. The PN cause is still unknown, although it is non diabetic.

Well, I don’t have CMT. But family has some immune issues. What is so frustrating is; add loud tinnitus and waking up in the morning is a physical circus. So much to push through. Buzz.. Screech.. Throb.. Ache.. Creak.. from my the tip of my toes to the top of my head. Throw a bunch of pills on top of that with exhaustion as side effects and then everyone says “just get moving!” I feel like an electric slug….
Arghh…

Deb, my report from Mayo in MN says my axonal sensorimotor PN is connected to both large fiber and small fiber neuropathy. Idiopathic, of course with no autonomic at that time. Not so sure now. I am not sure about different causes or one cause and various symptoms. Confusing for sure!