What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Updated: 4 days ago
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It can cause burning, tingling, numbness, weakness or balance problems. Treatment depends on the cause and may include medical management, symptom relief and rehabilitation.
When to seek care
Call 911 for severe breathing difficulty, sudden one-sided weakness or speech changes. New bladder or bowel control problems with neurological symptoms, rapidly worsening weakness or difficulty walking needs emergency assessment. Other new or worsening weakness or rapidly spreading numbness needs urgent medical assessment. If your feet are numb, check them for injuries and seek prompt care for wounds, redness or infection, especially with diabetes.
What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy can interfere with comfort, balance and daily activities. Early evaluation helps identify treatable causes, but the outlook depends on the type and severity of nerve damage rather than a fixed point when treatment becomes too late.
This disorder affects peripheral nerves and often involves the feet or hands, although other nerves can be involved. Diabetes is one possible cause. When a thorough evaluation does not identify a cause, it may be described as idiopathic neuropathy.
Possible causes include diabetes, some vitamin deficiencies, certain medicines, alcohol exposure, injury and autoimmune conditions. Some cases remain unexplained. Assessment may include a neurological examination and targeted tests; treatment should address the cause where possible.
Treating Peripheral Neuropathy
Management may include medicines for nerve pain, such as gabapentin, pregabalin or duloxetine, when appropriate. Gabapentin and Neurontin are the same medicine rather than two separate options. Benefits and side effects should be reviewed with the prescriber. Pain relief is a legitimate part of care, alongside treatment of an underlying cause such as diabetes or a deficiency. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines without advice. No single alternative treatment is known to be better for every form of neuropathy.
Where Rehabilitation and Chiropractic Care May Fit
Diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-related neuropathy and focal nerve compression have different causes and management needs. They should not be treated as one condition caused by spinal misalignment. Physical rehabilitation may help balance, strength and function when appropriate. Spinal adjustments have not been established as a way to reverse peripheral nerve damage or guarantee improvement with each visit. Any musculoskeletal care should complement the medical workup.
Care should identify what is causing the symptoms, protect areas with reduced sensation and support safe movement. A clinician may refer you to primary care, neurology or another service based on the findings.
Chronic neuropathy does not always fully resolve, but an individualized plan may improve symptoms and function. Persistent or worsening problems warrant reassessment rather than an automatic increase in chiropractic treatment.
Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy:
Burning pain
Sensitive Skin
Cramping
Tingling Or Prickly Feelings
Leg Or Foot Pain
Electrical Shock-Like Pain
Increased Risk Of Falling
Muscle Weakness
Pain Or Muscle Cramping That Disrupts Sleep
Impaired Balance
Numbness & Pain In Your Hands Or Feet
Symptoms may begin gradually in the toes or feet and later affect other areas, but patterns vary. New numbness or balance difficulty deserves assessment instead of waiting for symptoms to spread.
Protect sensation and function. Use safe footwear, reduce fall hazards and follow your medical team’s advice. Avoid heating pads on numb skin, where burns may go unnoticed.
Ask the office whether a non-urgent musculoskeletal assessment is appropriate alongside your medical care.
A neuropathy diagnosis and treatment of its underlying cause should remain coordinated with your medical clinician.
Next steps in Waynesville
If neuropathy affects daily movement in Waynesville, discuss it with your medical clinician first. Haywood Spine and Nerve Center can explain whether any additional musculoskeletal service fits that plan.
Haywood Spine and Nerve Center is at 136 Waynesville Plaza, Suite 1, Waynesville, NC 28786. Call (828) 456-5700 for appointment questions. Contact the office. Please do not include personal health information in the general contact form.
Sources and further reading
This article is general education and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for individualized healthcare advice.
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