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I had a client who fueled planes in Saigon. His boots were soaked in Agent Orange. It usually hurts when I touch his feet, so I just Sensory nerve damage • Trauma: crushing injuries, undrape them because the sheet may be the most common damaged discs, and presentation of PN. When fractures of bones in the hurts him, too. Occasionally, he the affected neurons are extremities can lead to lets me lightly put oil on them, large-diameter fibers, mechanical irritation of but not always. His neuropathy the senses of vibration nearby nerves. Trigeminal and proprioception may neuralgia, usually the result is increasing. He has gone be interrupted. The of an artery strangulating from zero to "often severe" consequences of this part of the trigeminal over the last three years. include muffled sensations nerve, fits in this category. and a numb feeling, • Toxic exposure: Agent Pat Collins as if a thick blanket is Orange, many insecticides, covering the affected arsenic, lead, mercury, areas. Proprioceptive solvents, and other toxins damage may present as a can cause nerve damage. loss of tendon reflexes. If smaller-diameter nerves • Medication: drugs that treat HIV can cause are targeted, then the sensations of pain and PN. This is also a frequent and serious temperature are predominant. Often, both largecomplication of chemotherapy. and small-diameter neurons are affected, resulting • Metabolic upset: pituitary and thyroid tumors in numbness, paresthesia, and burning pain. and liver dysfunction can lead to nerve damage. When motor neurons are affected, symptoms Deficiencies and pathologically high levels of might include painful cramps, fasciculations some nutrients are associated with PN. (small areas of involuntary twitching), muscle wasting, and progressive weakness. Recognizing PN When PN affects autonomic nerves, a wide Signs and symptoms of PN depend on what types variety of symptoms may develop: digestive problems, of nerves have been affected. Damage can change including difficulties with swallowing and gastric function in autonomic nerves, motor nerves, sensory motility; changes in sweating that can include both nerves, or any combination of the three. Symptoms hyper- and hypohidrosis; unstable blood pressure typically start bilaterally in the toes and feet, and that can lead to dangerous bouts of orthostatic progress to affect the lower legs. The fingers and hypotension; and changes in breathing and heart rate. hands might be next, and the arms follow. For reasons that are not entirely clear, PN usually affects the longest nerves first and shorter nerves later. A couple of years ago, I had a hospital patient with leukemia who had peripheral neuropathy in both feet that caused her a lot of discomfort. My students did reiki and reflexology. Later that afternoon, I saw the patient walking up and down the floor practically yelling, "They made my feet feel better! They took the pain out of my feet!" Lisa Mertz www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 45