Friday, February, 10, 2012

Chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Polyneuropathy - chronic inflammatory; CIDP; Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy


Symptoms
  • Difficulty walking due to weakness
  • Difficulty using the arms and hands or legs and feet due to weakness
  • Facial weakness
  • Sensation changes (usually affects feet first, then the arms and hands)
    • Numbness or decreased sensation
    • Pain, burning, tingling, or other abnormal sensations
  • Weakness , usually in the arms and hands or legs and feet

Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:

  • Abnormal movement
  • Bowel or bladder problems
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Fatigue
  • Hoarseness or changing voice
  • Loss of function or feeling in the muscles
  • Muscle atrophy
  • Muscle contractions
  • Paralysis of the face
  • Speech impairment
  • Swallowing difficulty
  • Uncoordinated movement

Signs and tests

The doctor will examine you and ask questions about your medical history. The physical exam shows:

  • Loss of muscle mass
  • No reflexes
  • Paralysis
  • Muscle weakness
  • Sensation problems on both sides of the body

Tests may include:

  • Electromyography (EMG)
  • Nerve conduction tests
  • Nerve biopsy
  • Spinal tap

Which other tests are done depends on the suspected cause of the condition, and may include x-rays, imaging scans, and blood tests.


Review Date: 08/27/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)