Neuropathy (noo-ROP-uh-thee) is any disease or malfunction of the nerves. When it affects the peripheral nervous system, the network that carries signals between the central nervous system and the rest of the body, it is called peripheral neuropathy. CMT is, by definition, a neuropathy. Because it involves many nerves at once, it is a polyneuropathy: “poly” means many, so polyneuropathy simply means many nerves are involved.
A Name That Does Too Much Work
Jean-Martin Charcot's name appears throughout medicine, but nowhere does it create more confusion than in the foot. Learn why the CMT foot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, also known as Charcot foot, share a name yet differ in how they develop, appear, and are managed.
