Burning feet at night. Numbness that makes stairs feel unsafe. Pins and needles in your hands. Neuropathy is nerve damage, and it usually starts small and gets ignored until it does not.
Why it happens
Nerves are damaged by something. Finding out what is the first job. Common causes include:
- Diabetes and long-term high blood sugar
- Vitamin deficiencies, especially B12
- Thyroid disease
- Nerve compression or a prior injury
- Certain medications, including some chemotherapy drugs
- Alcohol use over a long period
Our evaluation
- A history focused on when symptoms started and how they have changed
- An exam checking sensation, reflexes, and circulation
- Lab work looking for causes that can be corrected, such as B12 deficiency, thyroid disease, or blood sugar problems
- A treatment plan aimed at the cause and at your symptoms
- Referral to a neurologist or vascular specialist when that is what you need
About your current medications
Some patients come to us already taking gabapentin or a similar medication and ask whether they can stop. That decision belongs to you and your prescriber, and stopping some nerve medications suddenly is not safe. Bring the bottle to your visit and we will talk it through.
Realistic expectations
Nerve damage that has built up over years does not reverse in a week, and some of it may not reverse at all. What we can often do is treat the underlying cause so it stops getting worse, and work on your symptoms. We will be straight with you about what is likely in your case.
All prescription therapies require a medical evaluation. A licensed provider decides whether a treatment is appropriate for you. Not everyone is a candidate.
Individual results will vary. This is not a guarantee of outcome.
Continue online
Neuropathy treatment is provided by our partner clinic, BioWave Regeneration. Visit their site to learn more and book a neuropathy evaluation.