Your nerves carry electrical signals throughout your body, helping you move, breathe, digest your food, and more. They also allow you to feel sensations.

Often, that’s a good thing. Your nerves let you enjoy the feeling of the warm sun on your skin, for example. They also warn you of harm through pain. If you put your hand on a hot stove, for example, your nerves register that heat and warn you by telling you that it hurts.

This all assumes your nerves are working properly. But they can get damaged, causing a condition called neuropathy.

This leads to symptoms ranging from tingling and numbness to outright pain. If you’re dealing with new, unpleasant sensations in your limbs, neuropathy could be to blame. Fortunately, we can help. Samantha Childers, DPMRicky Childers, DPM; and our team at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle specialize in treating neuropathy at our offices in Roanoke and Decatur, Texas.

We often see — and help — people with two kinds of neuropathy in particular. Let’s look at both of them.

Diabetic neuropathy

Consistently high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves, leading to a condition called diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes can cause several different types of neuropathy, but it often leads specifically to peripheral neuropathy. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that peripheral neuropathy affects somewhere between one-third and one-half of people with diabetes.

Peripheral neuropathy causes sensation changes in your extremities (usually, your legs and feet, but it can impact your hands and arms, too). In some cases, it can lead to loss of sensation.

Treatment options for diabetic neuropathy

Treating diabetic neuropathy starts with getting and keeping your blood sugar levels under control.

From there, it usually centers around managing any complications that stem from this condition. Loss of feeling in your feet can lead to diabetic ulcers, for example. With expertise in treating foot wounds, we can help you manage issues like these, protecting your feet from infection and serious complications that could require amputation.

Mechanical neuropathy

This type of neuropathy is caused by nerve compression in your lower back. Because the nerves in your spine play a role in sensation signaling for your entire system, this can lead to pain and muscle weakness throughout your body.

Treating options for mechanical neuropathy

Alleviating compression neuropathy usually means addressing the nerve causing the symptoms.

Dr. Ricky Childers is a member of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons, which means he has expertise in finding the problem nerve and tailoring a solution for you. In some cases, that means surgery to address the entrapped nerve.

If you’ve been feeling new, uncomfortable sensations, particularly in your extremities, it could be neuropathy. To find out if that’s what’s to blame — and to get treatment tailored to bring you relief — call North Central Texas Foot & Ankle today or request an appointment online.

May 16th, 2024

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