Neuropathy

If you have neuropathy symptoms like numbness and tingling in your feet, visit Caitlyn Lee, DPM, AACFAS, and Wenjay Sung, DPM, FACFAS, at Global Podiatry Partners, Inc. in Arcadia, California. Around 130,000 people undergo limb amputation yearly in the United States because of diabetic ulcers that develop in patients with neuropathy. To avoid being one of them, call Global Podiatry Partners, Inc. today or schedule a consultation online for a prompt evaluation and expert treatment.

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy is a broad term for nerve damage and dysfunction, typically affecting the peripheral nerves. These nerves spread throughout the body from their roots in your spinal cord, sending sensory information back to your brain and helping control your muscles.

Damage to these nerves causes symptoms like:

• Pain
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Burning
• Tingling
• Prickling
• Loss of function

Neuropathy can affect any part of your body but is common in the hands and feet.

Why would I have neuropathy?

Neuropathy has multiple causes, including injuries, infectious diseases like shingles (postherpetic neuralgia), exposure to toxins, pain disorders like fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and other chronic conditions.

Sometimes neuropathy is idiopathic, meaning there’s no apparent cause.

Most people visiting Global Podiatry Partners, Inc. for neuropathy affecting their feet have diabetes (diabetic peripheral neuropathy), a leading cause of neuropathy affecting the feet.

How does diabetes affect my feet?

Diabetes damages the blood vessels around your body, reducing blood flow. Blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells that your tissues need to remain healthy. If you injure your feet, they don’t heal as quickly and are more vulnerable to infection.

The second problem with diabetes in your feet is numbness — a common diabetic peripheral neuropathy symptom. If your feet are numb, you may not notice a cut or other damage, making it easier for infection to set in. 

Combined with poor healing from reduced blood flow, this provides the ideal environment for diabetic ulcers to develop.

Diabetic ulcers are open sores that are difficult to treat and resist healing, sometimes eating away the tissues down to the bone. If gangrene gets into an ulcer, the limb could die and require amputation.

What treatments help with neuropathy?

Treating the underlying cause of neuropathy is vital, where possible. That means managing conditions like diabetes properly by controlling your blood sugar and having regular checkups.

Global Podiatry Partners, Inc. provides invaluable care for people with diabetes. Your podiatrist performs regular diabetic foot checks, ensuring your feet stay healthy and treating problems like ingrown toenails, corns, athlete’s foot, and toenail fungus.

They also trim your toenails and provide diabetic shoes and orthotics to protect your feet and ensure comfort.

If you develop diabetic ulcers, your podiatrist offers expert wound care — specialized ulcer treatments to promote healing and reduce infection.

Call Global Podiatry Partners, Inc. today if you have neuropathy symptoms, or arrange a diabetic foot check online.