Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (NHS Choices)

Peripheral neuropathy

• Many causes: alcohol and diabetes being two of the most common. Testing is best done for a given modality by first comparing the feet with (say) the upper leg which is likely to be normal. If there is a reproducible difference it is then helpful to go from distal to proximal to see where sensation changes. Legs are usually affected before the hands - hyporeflexia would be the norm. Hypertension is not a recognised cause and joint position sense loss would characteristically be a dorsal column problem.

• Diabetic amyotrophy is a subacute, painful and mainly motor mononeuropathy which commonly involves the femoral nerve producing wasting and weakness of the quadriceps muscle with loss of the knee jerk. It can, rarely, be symmetrical. Phenytoin causes a symmetrical, sensory neuropathy. Although vitamin B12 neuropathy can be painful, symmetrical paraesthesiae and numbness are the characteristic features. Peripheral neuropathy (NHS Choices)

Restless legs syndrome

• Restless legs syndrome (RLS) / Willis-Ekbom disease (CKS)