What it means
The nerves that run between the central nervous systemSEN-trul NER-vus SIS-tumThe brain and the spinal cord together.centr/o center-al having to do withFull entry (brain and spinal cord) and the skin, muscles and organs. It includes 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. Its somatic part carries feeling from the body and controls the muscles we move on purpose; its autonomic part runs the organs without our thinking about it. Damage to these nerves is peripheral neuropathy, which often causes numbness, tingling or pain in the feet and hands.
For the nurse
Check feeling, strength and movement in the hands and feet, especially in clients with diabetes. Teach clients with numb feet to look at their feet every day and test bath water with a thermometer or elbow.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PNS |
|---|---|
| Spanish | sistema nervioso periférico |
| Also written | PNS, peripheral nervous systems |
Related terms
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
spinal cord
The long bundle of nerves that runs down through the backbone and carries messages between the brain and the body.
autonomic nervous system
The part of the nervous system that controls body functions without conscious thought, such as heart rate, breathing and digestion.
numbness
Loss or reduction of feeling in a part of the body.
neuron
A nerve cell: a cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the nervous system.