Several conditions can lead to peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) in your feet, but none are as prevalent as diabetes. If you consider that 1 in 10 people in the United States has diabetes and more than half of these people will struggle with neuropathy, you understand just how significant the issue has become.
As experts in the many conditions that can affect your lower extremities, the team of podiatrists here at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle, with 10 locations throughout Tennessee, has considerable experience helping our patients to preserve their foot health in the face of diabetes. Through branches of our practice dedicated to diabetic foot care and neuropathy, our goal is to help you maintain comfortable mobility. Here’s how we can accomplish this together.
As we mentioned, diabetes (both types 1 and 2) is the primary reason for peripheral neuropathy in the feet. It occurs due to higher-than-normal glucose levels in the bloodstream, which can damage blood vessels and lead to nerve damage, especially in areas that are farthest from your heart, namely your feet.
Outside of diabetes, neuropathy can develop due to:
To give you an idea about how prevalent neuropathy is, 25-30% of all Americans have some degree of nerve damage.
The symptoms can vary greatly when it comes to nerve damage, but when it strikes your feet, you may feel pain, numbness, and tingling, as well as experience muscle weakness.
The complications that stem from unchecked peripheral neuropathy can be significant, especially if ulcers or infections develop in your feet and they don’t respond to antibiotics.
While there may be no cure for neuropathy, there are effective management solutions that can help prevent irreversible damage to the nerves in your feet.
When it comes to managing neuropathy, the most essential step is to manage the underlying condition. For example, if you have diabetes and you’ve developed peripheral neuropathy, it’s imperative that you control the glucose levels in your blood.
Similarly, if metabolic syndrome is causing nerve damage, we want to address the underlying conditions, which typically means lowering your blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, and losing weight.
For existing neuropathy in your feet, we can turn to certain vitamin supplements that support nerve health, as well orthotics to better support your feet.
It’s essential to do your part to manage the neuropathy by:
Between your efforts at home and ours here in our offices, we can help optimize the nerve health in your feet and preserve your mobility.
To learn more about managing neuropathy, contact one of our offices in Hermitage, Brentwood, Nashville, Mount Juliet, Waverly, Smyrna, Gallatin, Columbia, Pulaski, or Lebanon, Tennessee, to schedule an appointment.
