Our Services / Neuropathy

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy is an umbrella term for peripheral nerve damage. Peripheral nerves spread from the spinal cord throughout your body, including the foot and ankle. When you have neuropathy, the affected nerves don’t function properly.

Neuropathy can disrupt your motor, sensory, and/or autonomic nervous systems. That means it can affect how you move and perceive sensations and interfere with functions you don’t consciously control, like breathing and blood pressure. Neuropathy can also trigger chronic (long-term) pain even when there’s no tissue damage.

What causes neuropathy?

Many things can cause neuropathy, including:

• Trauma following an accident or injury
• Tumors
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Alcohol addiction
• Autoimmune disorders
• Kidney and liver disease
• Hereditary conditions like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Some medications
• Infections
• Toxin exposure
• Arthritis
• Sports injuries
• Auto accident and workplace injuries
• Nerve compression

In the feet, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the leading cause of this problem. Sometimes, there’s no apparent cause; that’s called idiopathic neuropathy.

What symptoms does neuropathy cause?

Neuropathy symptoms vary depending on which nerves are damaged and where they are. Foot neuropathy causes:

• Tingling
• Burning sensations
• Numbness
• Increased sensitivity
• Pain
• Reduced sensation
• Muscle weakness
• Dry skin
• Hair loss
• Pruritus (itchiness)
• Cold feet

If you develop neuropathy alongside poor blood circulation, you’re at risk of slow-healing open wounds (leg ulcers). Diabetic ulcers are among the most common complications for people with diabetes. This is because having diabetes causes both neuropathic numbness and reduced circulation.

You could easily cut your foot and not notice because it’s numb. The wound goes untreated, and instead of healing, the tissues break down. An ulcer forms that’s difficult to heal and liable to infection. Badly infected ulcers that don’t respond to treatment can lead to limb amputation.

How is neuropathy treated?

Neuropathy treatments usually include physical therapy and medication to control symptoms. The Adler Foot and Ankle team conducts regular diabetic foot checks to look for injuries or signs of neuropathy.

They evaluate your footwear to ensure that your shoes fit properly and won’t cause further problems. They might reduce corns and calluses. Your podiatrist can also use padding to protect high-pressure areas and custom-fit shoe inserts (orthotics) to support and protect your feet.

Dr. Laura Adler performs nerve decompression surgery to ease neuropathy symptoms. This involves relieving pressure on crushed or otherwise damaged nerves. Regular checkups help you to be more successful in managing neuropathy.

Call Adler Foot and Ankle today or book an appointment online for expert neuropathy treatment.