Can You Inherit Neuropathy Pain?
You or a relative may experience neuropathic pain, leading you to wonder – is it hereditary?
If you experience neuropathy as the result of a condition like diabetes or thyroid disease, this is considered acquired neuropathy. However, there are hereditary conditions that can cause neuropathic pain.
WHAT IS HEREDITARY NEUROPATHY?
Neuropathy stems from dysfunction or damage to nerve cells, which can result in discomfort or pain to the affected area. These often affect your peripheral nerves, or those nerves outside your spinal cord and brain.
Hereditary neuropathies can go undetected for years or present later in life. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the person and root cause. The environment in which such a condition manifests will also determine to phenotype (the actual symptomatic presentation).
Hereditary neuropathies have some commonalities. These symptoms include:
- Sensory concerns like numbness, tingling or pain, often in the hands and feet.
- Issues with your autonomic nervous system, the part of the body that affects involuntary actions like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing.
- Motor symptoms that can lead to muscle weakness or muscular atrophy. This is commonly seen in the lower legs and feet.
- Physical deformities that can affect various parts of the body including the feet and spine. This can lead to high arches, hammer toes or even scoliosis.
TYPES OF INHERITED NEUROPATHIES
Hereditary neuropathies are passed from parent to child, making a parent with hereditary neuropathy the highest risk factor.
More common forms of inherited neuropathy include Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.
HNPP has a 50 percent chance of being passed from a parent with HNPP to their child. It causes an extreme sensitivity to pressure that results in episodes of discomfort. During these episodes there is a loss of sensation, tingling or numbness in certain areas of the body. These commonly include the hands, arms, feet and legs.
However, the symptoms of HNPP can often be so mild that the carrier of the condition does not even realize it is there. This particular neuropathy is due to a deletion of chromosome 17p11.2 and it is autosomal dominant.
The more these episodes occur, the greater risk there is for permanent nerve damage and chronic pain.
CMT disease has many different subtypes, all of which affect about one in 3,300 people. This disease affects motor and sensory nerves and the symptoms depend on which type of CMT disease a person has.
Some common symptoms of CMT include poor balance, hand coordination and difficulty lifting the foot. As with HNPP, there is a 50 percent chance of a child inheriting this disease from an affected parent.
RELIEVING NERVE PAIN NATURALLY
Although these genetic conditions cannot be treated, the associated nerve pain can be reduced. You can help yourself to reduce nerve pain with several of Dr. Warner’s Well Theory supplements.
The Nervous System Multi is a well-rounded supplement that combines the strength of PEA, Resveratrol, Luteolin and more to relieve inflammation and pain naturally. It also contains Omega-3 which protects nerve endings by maintaining the health of your myelin, an insulating layer that contributes to neural signaling.
Well Theory also offers Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) as a single-ingredient supplement. ALA is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals that can be harmful to nerves while promoting healthy nerve function. It can also help control blood sugar, which can reduce inflammation, resulting in decreased pain levels.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation