Advice From Our Twin Falls Foot Doctors: Stop Nerve Damage Before It Stops You

Peripheral neuropathy is an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous medical condition involving nerve damage in the hands and feet. Many people suffer from little to no feeling, numbness, burning or shooting pain, tingling, sensitivity to touch, poor balance, muscle weakness,  decreased mobility, and lost ability to drive. 

At Canyon Foot + Ankle, in Idaho’s Magic Valley, our doctors are committed to providing state-of-the-art treatment for our patients with peripheral neuropathy. One proactive approach to your care is to emphasize the importance of daily peripheral neuropathy management.

8 Ways to Manage Peripheral Neuropathy older-woman-stretching-feet-neuropathy

Because this is a serious diagnosis with the potential for life-changing complications, daily neuropathy management is required. Failing to do so may result in worse nerve damage, infections, hospitalizations, amputations, and even death. Here are some of our top recommendations. 

1.  Control Related Conditions

Various medical conditions can cause neuropathy, the most common of which is diabetes. Autoimmune diseases, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to toxins, alcohol abuse, infections, genetics, and disorders of the kidney and liver also contribute to nerve damage. Dedicated control of the underlying condition that led to neuropathy is the first step in preventing related problems. For example, if you have diabetes, this means keeping blood sugar within the recommended range.

2. Regular Exercise

Daily movement, especially walking, swimming, and seated yoga, helps increase circulation and slow or even prevent further damage. The exception to this could be if your neuropathy is already quite advanced—unfortunately, some forms of exercise can make symptoms worse. Our doctors or your primary care doctor will help determine what level of physical activity is best for you.

3. Good Dietary Choices

Eating nutritious foods, with high levels of Vitamin B-12—often found in fruits and vegetables—and omega-rich proteins like fish or eggs provides exceptional nutrition for people with neuropathy.

4. Take Medications as Prescribed

If your doctor prescribed insulin or other medications to help manage your blood sugar, it’s important that you take them as directed. Bacteria thrive in a body with high blood sugar, which can make it harder to fight off foot infections should you develop a wound where germs can enter your body.

5. Avoid Alcohol and Nicotine

Smoking decreases blood flow to the feet and legs, which compounds neuropathy symptoms. Even moderate drinking can create temporary issues with nerve function, but heavy drinking over a longer period of time causes permanent nerve damage.

6. Mental Tools

Insomnia, depression, and impotence are complications many people with peripheral neuropathy experience. It’s understandable that these and other issues related to this condition could impact a person’s mood and sense of well-being. Talking to a therapist and meditating may be helpful. Although these practices won’t necessarily make symptoms go away, they may make it easier for you to tolerate discomfort associated with nerve damage.

7. Mindful Positioning

Be careful not to cross your legs at the knee for an extended length of time. Doing so can result in additional nerve damage due to adding pressure to your legs and decreasing blood flow.

8. Taking Good Care of Your Feet

Everyone should look after their feet, but people with peripheral neuropathy must be especially diligent. Some of the steps we recommend include:

  • Foot massages to increase circulation
  • Washing feet daily with mild soap and water
  • Thoroughly drying feet after any exposure to moisture, paying special attention to the area between the toes
  • Choosing socks and shoes that wick moisture away from feet and don’t rub
  • Applying lotion daily
  • Inspecting feet carefully every day, to identify any cuts, scrapes, blisters, irritation, or other problems that could lead to foot ulcers. 
  • Trimming toenails frequently and straight across
  • Utilizing warm and cold soaks to manage pain and swelling. Soak feet in hot water for up to 4 minutes, then cold water for up to 4 minutes. Repeat three times.

Call Canyon Foot + Ankle Right Away for Foot Problems

The highly trained podiatrists at our clinics in Twin Falls and Burley rely on the latest research and technology to create personalized care plans for patients with peripheral neuropathy, often including a combination of traditional and advanced treatments such as:

Trust that we’ll work with you to find the right solutions for a better, pain-free life.

Are You Looking for Expert Foot Care in Twin Falls, ID?

If you are looking for expert foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Burley patients can get in touch at 208-678-2727, or call us in Twin Falls at 208-733-0436. Appointments are also available for request through our online portal.

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