Your peripheral nervous system is all of the nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). Sensory nerves tell you how things look, feel, or smell and give you sensation in your feet. Motor nerves control how you move, walk, and balance. Automatic nerves carry signals to your glands and organs that you don’t consciously think about, like bladder control and heartbeat regulation.
If you suspect your feet are losing sensation, close your eyes and ask a friend to lightly run a pen or pencil over the tops and bottoms and see if you can feel it. Compare your foot’s ability to feel with an unaffected part of your body’s, like your thigh or arms.
Neuropathic pain is often worse at night than it is during the day. The pain can be constant or periodic—it depends on which nerves are affected and the underlying cause of the neuropathy. Most of the time, the pain will happen on both sides of your body. It’s possible but rare to have neuropathy in just one foot.
Motor nerve damage may also cause muscle twitches, cramps, or spasms and difficulty walking or moving your feet.
If your neuropathy is caused by diabetes, you may also experience fungal infections under your toenails from the high levels of glucose in your blood. If automatic nerve damage keeps your feet from sweating, the skin can become dry, flaky, or cracked over time.
Ulcers might appear pink, red, brown, or black (if the tissue has died). They probably won’t hurt, but may become infected and grow deeper or cover more surface area on your foot. Ulcers are most common in neuropathic patients with diabetes.
A lack of feeling makes it very difficult to walk, especially barefoot. As symptoms worsen, people with neuropathy often experience worse sleep and struggle emotionally to cope with and manage their pain.
Up to one half of people with diabetes will experience some type of neuropathy.
Low levels of vitamins B1, B6, B12, and others Metabolic diseases Poor circulation in the legs Underactive thyroid gland Bone marrow disorders or tumors Certain genetic disorders
Sometimes, an ill-fitting cast, brace, or splint can cause neuropathy even when the original injury did not. [12] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
Heavy alcohol use over a long period of time Poisoning from lead, mercury, glue, or toxic solvents Chemotherapy Side effects from drugs for cancer, seizures, and high blood pressure
Touching a tuning fork to your toes and feet to see if you can feel vibrations. Touching your toes and feet with a nylon strand to test if you can sense it (a monofilament test). Testing your balance and watching how you walk. Testing your blood for thyroid problems, kidney disease, or low vitamin B12 levels.
An EMG (electromyography) test to determine whether muscular weakness is due to muscle or nerve issues. AN NCV (Nerve Conduction Velocity) test to measure the speed of electrical impulses in your nerves. AN SSEP (Somatosensory Evoked Potential) test to see if the nerves connected to the spinal cord can send and receive information.
Use prescribed immunosuppressive drugs like prednisone or azathioprine to control inflammatory or autoimmune issues. When you correct the underlying issue, the affected nerves begin to recover and your symptoms will gradually fade. There is no direct cure for neuropathy itself. The treatment lies in the cause of the symptoms.
Remember that these medications treat pain, but do not correct nerve damage. Ask your doctor about potential side effects of any medication that’s considered for your treatment. OTC medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen may not be effective for fighting nerve pain.
Consider using a bed cradle while you sleep. It’s a device that keeps sheets and blankets off your pain-sensitive feet at night. Along with pain medication and treatment for the primary cause, physical therapy can greatly improve your quality of life and range of motion.
Follow your diabetes meal plan closely. Opt for fresh produce, beans, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and low-fat milk and cheese.
Have a medical professional examine your feet at least once a year.
Try to quit smoking to relieve symptoms and prevent other health issues. Limit your alcohol intake to 1 drink a day if you’re a woman or a man over 65, or 2 drinks a day if you’re a man under 65.
