Can a Podiatrist help with peripheral neuropathy?

Did you know that more than 50 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes suffer from peripheral neuropathy? This painful and debilitating condition is the result of unmanaged, high blood sugar levels. And it can lead to irreversible nerve damage. Nerves typically harmed include those located in the feet and legs. However, other parts of the body may also be impacted, like the kidneys or bladder.

Neuropathy patients want to know: “Can a podiatrist help with peripheral neuropathy?” Let’s explore podiatrist peripheral neuropathy care so that you can provide your patients with solid, meaningful answers.

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Peripheral Neuropathy and Your PracticE

How many patients diagnosed with diabetes walk into your practice daily? How many struggle with loss of sensation or discomfort in their feet and legs? These individuals represent an untapped market that your practice could help.

Peripheral neuropathy touches far more lives than you may realize. Besides impacting millions of patients annually, it also affects the lives of their loved ones and spouses who step in to care for them. 

It can make it difficult to sleep, drive, walk, and perform the daily functions of life necessary for independent living. This, in turn, greatly impacts those who try to assist them. 
Can a Podiatrist Help With Peripheral Neuropathy?Whether your patients ask specifically about peripheral neuropathy or something else like “Can a podiatrist help with foot numbness?”, they usually do so out of desperation. You need to be able to provide them with concrete answers. This requires comprehensively understanding the condition, its causes, and its symptoms.

One of the most common symptoms of neuropathy is numbness in the extremities. But it doesn’t stop there. Other impacts include heart problems, blood vessel issues, and urinary tract conditions. These symptoms may be deceptively mild at first. But they intensify over time, leading to severe, debilitating, and life-changing issues. 

Neuropathy progresses over time, contributing to an increased risk of infection and amputation if left unmanaged. Your patients need to be aware of the potential for these severe outcomes. But they also need to understand they aren’t inevitable in many cases. That’s where your podiatry practice comes into the picture. You can help with peripheral neuropathy when you partner with the NeuropaCalm Care Program. ​

Podiatrists and Neuropathy

The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy often come on gradually. As a result, significant nerve damage may occur well before a formal diagnosis. Due to the slow onset of the condition, it’s vital to remain proactive. 

There are four main types of neuropathy:

• Mononeuropathy or focal nerve damage 
• Autonomic neuropathy
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Proximal neuropathy

​Each of these neuropathies affects the body differently. For this reason, patients can be diagnosed with more than one version of the condition. Raising awareness about neuropathies among your patients is the best way to help them stay proactive about their health and independent longer. Now, let’s focus more specifically on peripheral neuropathy. Risk Factors for Peripheral NeuropathyWhat are some of the most significant risk factors for peripheral neuropathy? The number one factor is a diagnosis of diabetes. But other conditions may also exacerbate nerve damage like:

• Blood sugar control issues
• Kidney disease
• Smoking
• Being overweight

Because uncontrolled blood sugar remains among the leading causes of nerve damage, patients should start by making healthier eating choices. They must also understand that the longer they have diabetes, the higher their risk for nerve damage. 

In fact, factors like kidney disease are often a byproduct of diabetes, too. This can quickly become a vicious cycle. When your kidneys don’t function properly, the body releases toxins into the bloodstream, further affecting kidney function. 

What about being overweight? Studies show that patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher experience greater frequencies of neuropathic degeneration. Smoking represents another risk factor, thanks to hardening and narrowing of the arteries. In turn, this reduces blood flow to the feet and legs. Ultimately, peripheral neuropathy is a micro-circulation issue. As a result, lifestyle habits or conditions that impact circulation also lead to neuropathy. ​

Diabetic Neuropathy Complications

Diabetic neuropathy puts patients on the road to potentially severe, life-shortening complications. Nevertheless, many patients don’t know about these threats until too late. For example, the condition may contribute to hypoglycemia unawareness.

Hypoglycemia unawareness occurs when blood sugar levels drop below 70 milligrams per deciliter. Symptoms include sweating, a rapid heartbeat, and shakiness. Diabetic neuropathy may also contribute to urinary tract infections and incontinence because the bladder’s nerves get damaged. This makes it difficult for patients to know when they need to urinate. 

What else can peripheral neuropathy contribute to? Low blood pressure translates into dizziness and fainting spells along with increased fall risk. Some patients also report digestive problems (like bloating and indigestion), sexual dysfunction, and changes in perspiration patterns. Sadly, those with peripheral neuropathy face the genuine prospect of amputation in the lower extremities. ​

Win the Battle Against Peripheral Neuropathy

Can a podiatrist help with peripheral neuropathy? Yes, you can help manage peripheral neuropathy for your patients. But only if you know about the latest research and game changers like the NeuropaCalm Care Program. 

For some diabetic patients, blood sugar management and proper foot care may prevent neuropathy. But for individuals already suffering from peripheral neuropathy, symptomatic relief and restored quality of life may be possible. Your practice can provide these patients with the hope and answers they need. 

Offer your patients the NeuropaCalm Care Plan, a patient-centered and therapeutic approach to improving nerve cell regeneration and micro-circulation. Contact us today to learn more about this test-to-treat, cash-based care program and how to add it to your list of podiatric care services.