What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy from chemotherapy?

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on which peripheral nerves—sensory, motor, or autonomic—are affected by cancer treatment.

Sensory nerves help you feel pain, heat, cold, and pressure. Damage can cause tingling, numbness, or a pins-and-needles feeling in your feet and hands that may spread to your legs and arms, and trouble feeling hot or cold or feeling pain from a cut or sore. Motor nerves help your muscles move; damage can cause weak or achy muscles, balance problems, muscle twitching or cramps, and—if chest or throat muscles are affected—swallowing or breathing difficulties. Autonomic nerves control functions such as blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, temperature, and urination; damage can cause constipation or diarrhea, dizziness from low blood pressure, sexual problems, sweating problems, and urination problems.

If you start to notice any of these problems, talk with your doctor or nurse. Getting them diagnosed and treated early is the best way to control them, prevent further damage, and reduce pain and other complications.