Living with foot pain can be debilitating and frustrating. When standing, walking and even sitting becomes painful, every facet of your lifestyle changes in response. What’s more, it can be extremely difficult to find reliable treatments for foot neuropathy in Richmond. Learn about the symptoms of foot neuropathy and the common treatment paths to determine the best next steps for your health and lifestyle.
Foot neuropathy is nerve damage in the feet. Neuropathy refers to pain disorders that impact the nerves. Foot neuropathy falls under the category of peripheral neuropathy, which includes pain disorders that affect any of the peripheral nerves. The system of nerves located outside of the central nervous system are peripheral nerves.
The feet are among the areas most commonly affected by neuropathy. Neuropathy as a whole is estimated to impact 20 million Americans.
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Get Started NowFoot neuropathy can encompass a wide range of specific conditions. Causes of neuropathy include nerve damage from injury, autoimmune diseases like diabetes, infections, tumors and more. Different causes and various types of nerve damage each result in their own symptoms.
Symptoms of foot neuropathy can include:
Because of the wide range of symptoms and causes, diagnosing foot neuropathy can be a long process involving multiple types of tests. These tests can include blood tests to identify conditions like diabetes and vitamin deficiencies, imaging tests to see any irregularities in the bones, nerve function tests and more.
Physical exams will also allow your doctor to observe reflexes, muscle strength, coordination and other important factors. All of this information together can help doctors determine the exact cause of the foot neuropathy and develop the best treatment plan to address it.
The causes for foot neuropathy vary greatly, and so do foot neuropathy treatment options. One common route for addressing foot neuropathy symptoms is to prescribe or recommend medication. Sometimes, over-the-counter pain relievers like NSAIDs may be used to address more mild symptoms, or prescription pain medications will be prescribed if symptoms are particularly severe.
Other medications, such as anti-seizure medications and antidepressants, may be prescribed for certain causes of neuropathy. In some cases, topical treatments can help if symptoms involve a burning sensation. Unfortunately, relying on medication as the only form of treatment fails to address the underlying cause and problems at hand. This means that the condition will not improve — the medication is only working to cover up symptoms. Many people struggling with foot neuropathy do not want to sign on for a lifetime of taking medication and dealing with unpredictable side effects and other complications.
Aside from medication, other common therapies include physical therapy and surgery. While these treatments do aim to address the root of the problem, they also come with their own concerns and may not work to address all symptoms. For example, physical therapy can be extremely helpful for those experiencing muscle weakness as a symptom of foot neuropathy. On the other hand, if your primary symptom is a burning or tingling sensation, physical therapy may not address the issue.
Finally, in some cases, surgery may be recommended as a treatment option for foot neuropathy. In the case of some common causes of foot neuropathy, surgery can be used to reduce pressure on nerves. However, many people are understandably hesitant to undergo an invasive surgery and face the associated risks and recovery times.
Fortunately, there are more foot neuropathy treatment options available outside of invasive surgery and medication. Chronic Care of Richmond offers safe and effective therapies for peripheral neuropathy such as foot neuropathy. With natural, non-pharmaceutical treatments, Chronic Care of Richmond is a leader in non-surgical chronic pain relief.
The importance of finding relief for foot pain cannot be overstated. Living with foot neuropathy can impact every part of daily life, from work tasks and family events to travel and recreational activities. Searching for a treatment only to find potentially-addictive medications and invasive surgeries as the only common options can be extremely disheartening. Fortunately, with Chronic Care of Richmond, there’s another way. Request a consultation today!
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Get Started NowMyerisha is free from Neuropathy pain, tingling, burning, coldness, & and numbness in her feet!
Carol found relief from neuropathy and her balance is back, no more tingling, sharp pains, pins and needles in her feet. She's even working out 5 days a week!
Rodney, is a dancer who could no longer feel his feet. He came to us skeptical and without hope. After treatment from our Neuropathy program he is dancing again and is AMAZED with his progress and recovery.
Mr. Mundy was suffering with pain, numbness, tingling, and severe neuropathy in his feet. After going through our treatment he can wear his work shoes again and can work all day.
Mr Spicer had neuropathy in both feet with burning, tingling, pins and needles. He went from a 78% and 61% nerve loss on each foot to to 35% and 28% nerve loss improvement. His A1C is now stabilized, and he's lost 30 pounds.
Mr. Walls suffered with pins, needles, balance issues, and severe neuropathy. His A1C dropped from 12.2 to 6.6. He feels better — no more tingling or bee stinging feeling / stepping on needles, burning, or pain.