If you haven’t heard of neuropathy yet, there’s a good chance you will at some point.

Neuropathy is estimated to affect 25% to 30% of Americans. Neuropathy in the feet is one the most common affected areas, although it can affect different areas.

While it can affect people of all ages, older adults are at an increased risk.

If you have neuropathy in the feet, the most common symptoms are numbness, tingling, and weakness in the affected area. You may also experience sharp pain, or a burning, throbbing, or stabbing pain.

The most crucial treatment for neuropathy in the feet is to stop the nerve damage.

Some people will find that treatment of the underlying disease will improve their neuropathy symptoms.

In other cases, where a cause for neuropathy can’t be identified, your doctor will instead focus on treating your neuropathy symptoms.

However, there are a few things you can do at home to combat the symptoms you are experiencing from neuropathy in the feet.

We will discuss them in the article below.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

    What’s Peripheral Neuropathy?

    Peripheral neuropathy is damage to your peripheral nerves. Check out a related blog on the stages of neuropathy.

    Your peripheral nerves are the nerves that travel to your arms and legs, which is why neuropathy in the feet often occurs.

    When your peripheral nerves are damaged, they can’t function correctly.

    People who have peripheral neuropathy have decreased or abnormal sensation in their toes and fingers.

    People can even develop issues moving those parts of their bodies as well.

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    Causes of Neuropathy

    The most common cause of neuropathy in the United States is Diabetes.

    According to the ADA, 60% to 70% of people with diabetes will develop neuropathy which is referred to as diabetic neuropathy.

    There are other common causes of neuropathy, including:

    • Medications, like some chemotherapy drugs.
    • Heredity. Some people are unlucky and have a family history of peripheral neuropathy.
    • Advanced age. Peripheral neuropathy will become more common as you age.
    • Arthritis, especially involving your back, can cause peripheral neuropathy.
    • Alcoholism. It’s believed that up to half of all long-term heavy alcohol users will develop peripheral neuropathy.
    • Toxins. Exposure to toxins like lead, mercury, arsenic, and thalium, can cause neuropathy.
    • Neurological disorders. Certain neurological diseases, like spina bifida and fibromyalgia, are linked to peripheral neuropathy.
    • Injury. Acute injury to the peripheral nerves can cause peripheral neuropathy. 

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    Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy

    The most common symptoms you are likely to experience if you have neuropathy in the feet are burning, numbness, tingling, or shooting or stabbing pain.

    Health conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome can also be a symptom of neuropathy.

    If you notice a change in sensation in your fingers or toes, it could be a symptom of peripheral neuropathy.

    Make sure to report abnormal sensations you experience to your doctor before they start to affect your quality of life.

    The sensations are typically the sign of another problem, like diabetes.

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    Neuropathy in the Feet

    Home Treatments For Neuropathy in The Feet

    Wear The Right Shoes

    If you’re dealing with peripheral neuropathy symptoms in your feet, you may have issues wearing athletic socks and regular shoes.

    Even softer dress socks can cause pain.

    Look for non-constricting, padded socks. They may reduce some of the foot pain you are experiencing.

    Loose, padded shoes can also help you prevent the pain associated with wearing tight, constricting shoes.

    Diabetic shoes have wider widths and extra padding designed to accommodate swelling and burning sensations associated with peripheral neuropathy.

    You can also buy a pair of slippers designed explicitly for patients with neuropathy in the feet with a broader toe box and extra padding.

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    Vitamin Supplements

    Sometimes peripheral neuropathy can be related to a vitamin deficiency.

    Vitamin B is essential for your nerve health, and a deficiency of vitamin B can lead to significant nerve damage.

    Vitamin B is present in many foods, but your doctor may recommend a vitamin B supplement to ensure you are getting enough.

    Vitamin D can help prevent your nerve pain. Your skin typically produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, and a deficiency can cause neuropathy pain.

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    Topical Treatments

    Since burning sensations in the feet are a common symptom of people with neuropathy, you should know about the topical treatments that can help.

    Prescription treatments like SSRIs, Cymbalta, and Wellbutrin can help you if you have peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

    But most of them come with adverse side effects that may outweigh the positive impact they will have.

    Over the counter treatments can be helpful when trying to address the foot pain associated with peripheral neuropathy.

    Some suitable topical treatments to look into are:

    • NerveRenew cream
    • MyoMed P.R.O.
    • Frankincense & Myrrh neuropathy rub. 

    Most topical treatments have capsaicin that comes from chili pepper seeds.

    Capsaicin may reduce the capacity for nerve cells to communicate pain messages to the brain.

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    Warm Bath

    If you’ve been looking for an excuse to take a warm bath, here it is.

    Taking a warm bath can be extremely relaxing, and it can also alleviate pain symptoms from neuropathy.

    The warm water will increase blood circulation throughout your body, decreasing pain symptoms from numbness.

    If your sensory nerves are affected by your peripheral neuropathy making you less sensitive to heat, make sure your bath water isn’t too hot.

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    Over-the-Counter Medications

    Common nonprescription treatments for peripheral neuropathy include over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin. 

    These treatments often aren’t strong enough to address the severe nerve pain associated with peripheral neuropathy, and they also come with unwanted side effects.

    These medications are only temporarily beneficial, and you should never take them for more than ten days.

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    Exercise

    Exercising regularly will help combat your pain and improve your overall health.

    Exercise reduces blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can reduce or slow down your nerve damage.

    When you exercise, you will also increase the blood flow to your limbs and reduce stress.

    All of this will help reduce your discomfort and pain.

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    Lifestyle Adjustments

    When you are suffering from neuropathy that affects your feet, you need to be open to making lifestyle adjustments that address your issues.

    This might mean eating a healthier diet full of lean meats, vegetables, and whole grains.

    You should also limit your alcohol intake and quit smoking.

    Making these lifestyle changes may offer a holistic approach to addressing peripheral neuropathy foot pain.

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    Cayenne Pepper

    Cayenne pepper has a lot of capsaicin that is used in the topical creams we talked about earlier.

    When you incorporate cayenne pepper into your diet or take a capsaicin supplement, you could help reduce your neuropathy pain.

    Be sure to discuss this treatment method with your doctor before using it to prevent adverse symptoms.

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    Quit Smoking

    We mentioned this above when talking about lifestyle adjustments, but this is worth mentioning again.

    If you haven’t stopped smoking, please, do your best to quit.

    Smoking affects your blood circulation, narrowing your blood vessels allowing less oxygenated blood through.

    Without proper blood circulation, you will likely experience more numbness and pain from your peripheral neuropathy.

    When you quit smoking, you will help to improve your symptoms.

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    Get Relief From Neuropathy Of The Feet

    These home neuropathy treatments have had success in alleviating pain symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy.

    You should always consult your doctor before starting a new treatment method.

    If you begin experiencing irregular symptoms from natural remedies or your conditions worsen, contact your doctor right away.

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    Ethos Health Group

    At Ethos Health Group, our treatment process’s first step is to determine how much nerve damage is present and if your condition can still be treated.

    We will perform a series of non-invasive tests that tell us just how much sensation has been lost and what options exist for you. 

    These tests will show us if your neuropathy has reached the “point of no return” or if you can still benefit from our treatment program.

    Our treatment programs at Ethos Health Group consist of cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies designed to stimulate new blood vessels’ growth to help reverse nerve damage in the feet or hands. 

    If you’re ready to find relief from your neuropathy, you should contact Ethos Health Group as soon as possible.

    Click the button below to schedule your free consultation.

    Neuropathy Treatment
    Click the button to schedule a free consultation

    If you’ve never heard of neuropathy, it is damage to one or more nerves that can lead to tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, or pain in an affected area. There are many causes of Neuropathy.

    Neuropathy typically starts in your hands and feet, but it isn’t unusual for other parts of your body to be affected as well.

    Neuropathy is also frequently called peripheral neuropathy, and it indicates a problem within the peripheral nervous system.

    Your peripheral nervous system is the system of peripheral nerves that are outside of your brain and spinal cord.

    Your central nervous system is in your brain and spinal cord and the two systems have to work together.

    Your central nervous system is the control center. Your peripheral nervous system and your peripheral nerves allow signals to travel to and from the central nervous system.

    When nerve cells or neurons are damaged due to neuropathy, it disrupts how the nervous systems can communicate with each other.

    In the article below, we will take a look at the causes of neuropathy, and what you can do if you are suffering from neuropathy.

    Table of Contents

    Causes of Neuropathy

    There are several causes of neuropathy, including diabetes, chemo-induced neuropathy, hereditary disorders, autoimmune disease, genetic disorders, poor nutrition, protein abnormalities, kidney failure, alcoholism, and certain medications.

    However, even with so many causes of neuropathy, some people will never figure out what caused their neuropathy, which is called idiopathic neuropathy.

    Diabetes is one of the most common causes of neuropathy, and most people with diabetes will experience neuropathy.

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    Diabetes

    If your peripheral neuropathy is caused by type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it is referred to as diabetic neuropathy.

    It’s typically caused by high levels of sugar in your blood that damage the blood vessels supplying your nerves.

    The longer you have diabetes, the greater likelihood you have of developing peripheral neuropathy.

    About 1 in 4 people who have diabetes will experience pain that is caused by nerve damage.

    Your risk of neuropathy if you have diabetes is greater if you smoke, drink large amounts of alcohol, or are over 40 years old.

    You should regularly examine your feet if you have diabetes to check for open wounds, sores, or chilblains.

    Along with diabetes, there are several other possible causes of neuropathy.

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    Health Conditions

    There are many health conditions that can cause peripheral neuropathy, including:

    • Cancer like lymphoma and multiple myeloma
    • Amyloidosis which is a group of rare but severe health conditions caused by deposits of an abnormal protein called amyloid in tissues and organs
    • Inflammed blood vessels
    • Underactive thyroid gland
    • Chronic liver or kidney disease
    • Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, or coeliac disease
    • Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition that causes the accelerated onset of paralysis within days
    • An abnormal protein in the blood
    • Insufficient levels of vitamin B12 or other vitamins
    • Physical damage to the nerves, such as from a traumatic injury 
    • Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease and different types of hereditary motor sensory neuropathy which are genetic conditions that cause nerve damage
    • Excessive alcohol drinking for years
    • High levels of toxins in your body, such as arsenic, lead, or mercury
    • Infections such as shingles, Lyme disease, diphtheria, botulism, and HIV

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    Medications

    There are also medicines that can cause peripheral neuropathies as a side effect.

    The most common types of medications that can cause neuropathy are types of chemotherapies for cancer, especially lymphoma, myeloma, or bowel cancer.

    Antibiotics, if they are taken for extended periods, can also cause neuropathy.

    Phenytoin that is used to treat epilepsy, if taken for a long time, can cause peripheral neuropathy.

    Amiodarone and thalidomide are also common causes of neuropathy.

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    Neuropathic Pain

    Neuropathic pain is a side effect of peripheral neuropathy.

    It’s a pain condition that’s typically caused by chronic, progressive nerve disease, or peripheral neuropathy, and it can also occur as the result of injury or infection.

    If you have chronic neuropathic pain, it can flare up at a moment’s notice without warning or an obvious pain-inducing event or factor, and neuropathic pain tends to get worse over time.

    Neuropathic pain isn’t typically triggered by an event or injury, but the body just sends pain signals to your brain unprompted.

    People with this pain condition may experience shooting, burning pain that could be constant or occur intermittently.

    A 2014 study estimated that as many as 10 percent of Americans experience some form of neuropathic pain.

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    Who Can Get Neuropathy?

    Peripheral neuropathy is increasingly common. It is estimated that up to 30% of people in the United States will be affected by neuropathy.

    Any person of any age can experience neuropathy, but older adults are at an increased risk.

    Just about 8% of adults over the age of 65 report having symptoms of neuropathy.

    As we discussed above, another common risk factor of neuropathy is diabetes.

    High blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and heavy alcohol use are other common risk factors of peripheral neuropathy.

    Your job can also increase your risk of developing peripheral neuropathy.

    If you work a job that requires repetitive motions, you will have a greater chance of developing mononeuropathies from trauma or compression of the nerves.

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    Causes of Neuropathy
    Symptoms from Neuropathy

    Symptoms

    All of the nerves in your peripheral nervous system have a specific function, so your symptoms of neuropathy will depend on the affected nerves.

    Your nerves are classified into three categories:

    • Sensory nerves that receive sensations from the skin
    • Motor nerves that control your muscle movement
    • Autonomic nerves control functions like blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and your bladder.

    The most typical signs and symptoms of neuropathy are:

    • A gradual onset of numbness or tingling in your feet or hands that may spread upward into your legs and arms
    • A lack of coordination
    • Paralysis if your motor nerves are affected
    • A sharp, jabbing, throbbing or burning pain
    • Pain during activities that shouldn’t cause pain, like pain in your feet when putting weight on them or if they’re under a blanket
    • Feeling like you’re wearing gloves or socks when you aren’t
    • Muscle weakness
    • Extreme sensitivity to touch

    If your autonomic nerves are affected, you may experience

    • An intolerance to heat
    • Excessive sweating or the inability to sweat
    • Bowel, bladder, or digestive problems

    There are a few types of peripheral neuropathy.

    Peripheral neuropathy can affect just one nerve, which is referred to as mononeuropathy. 

    It can affect two or more nerves in different areas, which is referred to as multiple mononeuropathies, or it can affect many nerves, which is called polyneuropathy.

    Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of mononeuropathy, and many people with peripheral neuropathy have polyneuropathy.

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    When To See A Doctor

    If you notice any unusual tingling, weakness, or pain in your hands or feet, it could be a sign of peripheral neuropathy, and you should see a doctor right away.

    Although there is no cure, an early diagnosis and treatment will give you the best chance to control your neuropathy symptoms and prevent further damage to your nerves.

    If you’d like the best chance of avoiding the doctor and neuropathy, you should:

    • Exercise regularly. Get at least 30 minutes to an hour of exercise at least three times a week.
    • Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein to keep your nerves healthy. Eat foods high in vitamin B-12 like meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy foods, and fortified cereals. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, fortified cereals are a good source of vitamin B-12, but you can also look into supplementation.
    • Avoid repetitive motions, cramped positions that put pressure on nerves, exposure to toxic chemicals, smoking, and overindulging in alcohol as they are all factors that may cause nerve damage.

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    Schedule A Visit With Ethos Health Group

    Our Neuropathy treatment programs at Ethos Health Group consist of cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies designed to stimulate new blood vessels’ growth to help reverse nerve damage in the feet or hands.

    When the sensation begins to improve, our team of healthcare providers will develop a customized balance program to give you the confidence you need to not live in fear of falling. 

    We also utilize our NeuroRegen-CT injections, which combine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with platelet-derived growth factors from your own blood.

    These natural regenerative procedures help support blood vessel and nerve growth to reverse damage from peripheral neuropathy safely.

    If you’re ready to find relief from your neuropathy, you should contact Ethos Health Group as soon as possible.

    Click the button below to schedule your free consultation.  

    If you’ve ever touched a hot burner, your likely recoiled immediately without thinking.

    That’s because the nerves in the hand that touched the burner make you immediately aware of the burner’s extreme heat.

    Your sensory and perception networks, including your central nervous system, are very complex.

    Your brain works together with your nervous system to identify threats and damage and keep you out of harm’s way.

    But when your nerves are damaged and stop functioning correctly, which is the cause of neuropathy, an assortment of misinformation is carried back to your brain.

    The nerves in your hand could send messages to your brain, telling you that your hand is in danger when it’s not.

    Or the opposite could happen.

    Read on to learn the five things everyone should know about neuropathy.

    Table of Contents

    What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?

    Your peripheral nervous system is the nervous system outside of your brain and spinal cord.

    Your hands and feet are included in this system, and they have nerves that tell you where your extremities are in relation to your body.

    They also help regulate your temperature and signal pain.

    In the example we talked about above, when you touch something hot, your peripheral nerves signal your nervous system so you can recoil your hand right away.

    Your peripheral nervous system acts as a messenger between your central nervous system and the rest of your body.

    Peripheral neuropathy is the damage done to your peripheral nervous system that disrupts the communication between your brain and the rest of your body.

    Three types of peripheral nerves may be damaged by neuropathy, including your sensory nerves, motor nerves, and autonomic nerves. 

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    Causes of Neuropathies

    Nerve damage is often hard to recognize because it can have so many different causes and symptoms.

    Traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, and exposure to toxins are typical causes of neuropathy.

    Diabetes is known to cause neuropathy.

    Nerves are the pathways that communicate sensations to the brain, so nerve damage can produce tingling, burning, stabbing, or numbing sensations in the body.

    More clear signs of neuropathy involve both the right and left sides of the body.

    There are several conditions that can cause numbness, but symptoms that start in the feet and involve both sides of the body are typically neuropathy.

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    Neuropathy Treatment
    Symptoms from Neuropathy

    Common Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy

    As mentioned above, peripheral neuropathy can cause a tingling sensation or numbness in different parts of the body.

    Muscle weakness, high blood pressure, sensory nerve damage, as well as autonomic nerve damage, are all common symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

    Neuropathic pain is most common in the hands and feet. 

    Your personal experience of neuropathy will depend on the types of peripheral nerves affected, the symptoms you experience from damage to those nerves, and the severity of your symptoms. 

    There are some typical neuropathy symptoms, but everyone’s experience may vary.

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    Neuropathy Treatment

    Treatments for neuropathy will reduce the sensations and other symptoms you are experiencing.

    Neuropathy currently can be cured or have its symptoms reversed. 

    Doctors are still unable to impact the underlying cause of most neuropathies. 

    That’s why the main focus of treatment is to decrease the pain that can occur if you have neuropathy. 

    Nerve damage can also result from autoimmune diseases like Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. 

    In approximately 5-10 percent of neuropathy patients, the cause is the person’s immune system attacking the nerves.

    In these situations, neurologists can treat the underlying immune system causes and may even stop the neuropathy altogether.

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    What Do I Do If I Have Neuropathy?

    Everyone’s treatments and recovery time will vary, but peripheral nerves can heal, and recovery is possible. 

    Neuropathy cannot be “cured,” but depending on the cause of your peripheral neuropathy and the type of damage involved, there are a variety of treatment options that may be recommended by your health care team. 

    These typically include:

    • Medication
    • Nutrition
    • Physical or occupational therapy
    • Integrative medicine

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    Schedule A Visit With Ethos Health Group

    If you think you’re experiencing symptoms of neuropathy, you should see a medical professional as soon as possible.

    At Ethos Health Group, our treatment process’s first step is to determine how much nerve damage is present and if your condition can still be treated.

    We will perform a series of non-invasive tests that tell us just how much sensation has been lost and what options exist for you. 

    These tests will show us if your neuropathy has reached the “point of no return” or if you can still benefit from our treatment program.

    Our treatment programs at Ethos Health Group consist of cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies designed to stimulate new blood vessels’ growth to help reverse nerve damage in the feet or hands.

    When the sensation begins to improve, our team of healthcare providers will develop a customized balance program to give you the confidence you need to not live in fear of falling. 

    We also utilize our NeuroRegen-CT injections, which combine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with platelet-derived growth factors from your own blood.

    These natural regenerative procedures help support blood vessel and nerve growth to reverse damage from peripheral neuropathy safely.

    If you’re ready to find relief from your neuropathy, you should contact Ethos Health Group as soon as possible.

    Click the button below to schedule your consultation.