Expert Care for Neuropathy
When you experience tingling, stinging, or burning sensations in your feet and legs, it could indicate the onset of neuropathy. These uncomfortable or painful feelings result from damaged nerve endings. While neuropathy in the feet is not life-threatening, but without the best neuropathy in feet treatment, it can escalate and significantly disrupt your daily life.
Neuropathy is a broad and complex condition with multiple types and causes, ranging from illnesses and injuries to chemical exposures. Nerve pain can also affect other parts of your body or multiple areas simultaneously.
Each year, millions of Americans seek treatment for foot neuropathy. You can find the best doctor for neuropathy in feet at Neuropathy Center of Jacksonville. Connect with Dr. Troy A. Harris, an experienced physician who offers the latest treatments, including laser therapy, to help you start your journey to recovery.
Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy can manifest with a variety of symptoms, including:
- Numbness, tingling, or prickling sensations in the hands or feet
- Sharp, stabbing, or burning pain
- Sensitivity to touch or temperature changes
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Lack of coordination and falling
- Changes in skin, hair, or nails
- Digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea, or difficulty swallowing
- Blood pressure abnormalities
- Sexual dysfunction
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing (in severe cases)
- Organ dysfunction (in severe cases)
These symptoms can vary depending on the type and severity of peripheral neuropathy and the nerves affected.
Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy
- Diabetes: High blood sugar levels can damage nerves over time.
- Trauma or Injury: Physical injury, such as accidents or sports injuries, can damage nerves.
- Infections: Certain infections, such as shingles, Lyme disease, or HIV/AIDS, can cause neuropathy.
- Toxins: Exposure to toxins like heavy metals, certain medications (e.g., chemotherapy drugs), or excessive alcohol consumption can lead to nerve damage.
- Autoimmune Diseases: Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Guillain-Barré syndrome can cause the immune system to attack nerves.
- Heredity: Some forms of neuropathy can be inherited genetically.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Lack of essential vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins (especially B12), can contribute to nerve damage.
- Chronic Diseases: Conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, or hypothyroidism can increase the risk of neuropathy.
- Cancer: Both the disease itself and certain cancer treatments can cause nerve damage.
- Vascular Disorders: Conditions affecting blood flow, such as atherosclerosis or vasculitis, can lead to nerve damage due to reduced blood supply.
Sometimes we don't know the specific cause of the neuropathy. We perform a comprehensive history and exam, and may order bloodwork to help determine the cause of your neuropathy.
Comprehensive Foot Exam
Dr. Troy Harris will conduct a comprehensive examination of your feet, ankles, and lower legs to diagnose and treat your neuropathic pain. We use the latest diagnostic tools and techniques to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Laser Treatment for Neuropathy
The foundation of our neuropathy treatment involves painless laser treatment. Typically, 6 sessions of neuropathy laser therapy are needed, each one lasts approximately 30 minutes. Each session is performed 2 times per week. The treatment is soothing and relaxing, and the results are usually noticed immediately after the first treatment. It is also affordable, has no side effects, and reduces your dependence on medications.
Lower Extremity Nerve Surgery
If non-surgical treatments are not effective, Dr. Troy Harris can provide nerve entrapment release surgery. He is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, and has privileges at St. Vincent's Medical Center Jacksonville, Florida. We always reserve surgery as the very last resort for neuropathy treatment, and in most cases obtain significant improvement with nonsurgical treatments.