Neuropathy Specialist

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage in the feet. This condition most commonly occurs in diabetics who have prolonged periods of high blood sugar. 

Peripheral neuropathy also occurs in people who struggle with their alcohol intake, as the ethanol in alcoholic beverages can trigger nerve damage. A less-common type of peripheral neuropathy occurs with long-term exposure to toxins like pesticides or heavy metals. 

What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy?

One of the main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy is numbness. Being unable to feel parts of your feet can lead to foot damage that you're unaware of. 

For example, you might have a small puncture wound, blister, or cut on the bottom of your foot and never know it with peripheral neuropathy. 

Unfortunately, that little wound can grow quite quickly as you walk and go about other normal activities without treating it. Foot numbness may also cause you to lose balance or walk abnormally, which increases the risk of foot injuries.

Many people with peripheral neuropathy also have circulatory problems, in which the blood vessels in the legs and feet narrow. Lessened blood supply means difficulty in healing wounds, so a small foot wound can spiral into a major open foot ulcer if you have peripheral neuropathy.  

Sometimes, peripheral neuropathy causes other symptoms like tingling and burning in your feet as well. 

What is the treatment for peripheral neuropathy?

If you have peripheral neuropathy, your treatment should start with good disease management, specified for your disease. If you have diabetes, this means working with your primary care doctor or endocrinologist to regulate and monitor your blood sugar levels. 

If you struggle with alcohol dependence, you may need to start a treatment program to safely discontinue the use of alcoholic beverages. For other causes of peripheral neuropathy, for example, toxin exposure, you may need to make changes in your lifestyle or environment to limit the exposure. 

The Gentle Foot and Ankle Care team can prescribe specific treatments to minimize your symptoms and encourage nerve healing. A few common options include:

• Oral medication
• Topical pain-relieving ointments
• Custom orthotics
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment 
• Magnetic therapy

The team always creates a treatment protocol for your specific situation, so they may recommend other treatments as well. The earlier you start managing your condition, the better you can prevent peripheral neuropathy complications like foot ulcers. 

Call Gentle Foot and Ankle Care or book an appointment through the online appointment link.