Neuropathy Specialist

What is neuropathy?

Neuropathy is nerve damage typically caused by diabetes. When nerve damage affects the arms, hands, legs, or feet, it’s known as peripheral neuropathy. There are three types of nerves that can be affected by diabetic neuropathy, including:

Sensory nerves

Sensory nerves allow you to feel sensations like pain and temperature. Sensory nerve damage often leads to numbness and an inability to feel certain sensations.

Motor nerves

Motor nerves control your muscles, so you can strengthen and tone them. Damage to the motor nerves can result in muscle weakness and movement.

Autonomic nerves

Autonomic nerves control your involuntary functions, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, digestion, and sweating. Without treatment, autonomic nerve damage can lead to diarrhea, abnormal heart rate, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, and more.

What are the symptoms of neuropathy?

Some of the most common neuropathy symptoms include:

• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of coordination
• Muscle twitching
• Bladder problems
• Low blood pressure or high blood pressure
• Pain, especially at night
• Inability to feel pain or other sensations
• Unintentional weight loss
• Skin ulcers that don’t heal
• Loss of muscle tone

Diabetic neuropathy often damages the nerves in your feet. Those with neuropathy may suffer from dry, cracked skin that makes you prone to skin ulcers. It’s also hard to notice if you’ve cut or injured your foot if you have persistent numbness and tingling.

In addition, bunions or hammertoes caused by motor neuropathy can cause your shoes to rub up against your toes, creating sores.

What causes neuropathy?

The most common cause of neuropathy is diabetes, especially if your condition has gone unmanaged. Other common causes of neuropathy include:

• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Kidney disorders
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Lyme disease
• Trauma
• Hepatitis C
• Vascular disorders
• Alcoholism

While there are many conditions and disorders that can cause neuropathy, some cases have no known cause.

How is neuropathy treated?

The team at Dan Preece, DPM & Darren Groberg, DPM, uses SUDOSCAN to help diagnose and monitor neuropathy. This innovative device evaluates how your sweat glands function to detect and monitor neuropathy. 

They also have a pressure specified sensory device (PSSD), which tests your lower extremities (legs) for sensory deficits and symptoms of nerve entrapment — a condition that occurs when a nerve becomes squeezed or compressed.

To treat neuropathy, it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels under control. This may mean consulting with your primary care physician about taking medications, monitoring your diet, or changing certain lifestyle habits.

The team may also recommend medications to control your burning, tingling, or pain, or physical therapy for balance problems.

To prevent the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, you should:

• Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes
• Monitor your blood sugar levels
• Inspect your feet for cuts or sores
• Visit your podiatrist regularly

To book an appointment, call Dan Preece, DPM & Darren Groberg, DPM, or schedule a visit online today.