The Causes of Peripheral Nerve Damage in Your Feet

Your peripheral nervous system is comprised of a vast ecosystem that ranges from the nerves that radiate throughout your bodily system from the spinal cord region. These nerves provide the majority of the sensory and motor input that your body needs to function properly. Nerve damage to the extremities, and to the feet, is often a chronic and progressive condition that has a variety of causes.

Possible causes of peripheral nerve damage include:    

●     Medication side effects

●     Complications from diabetes

●     Uremia

●     AIDs(Acquired Immune Deficiency)

●     Nutritional and vitamin deficits

●     Rheumatoid and other types of arthritis

●     Vascular diseases

●     Radiation

●     Toxic chemical exposure

Symptoms of Peripheral Nerve Damage

As the nerves are damaged, the primary symptoms will consist of pain, a burning sensation, tingling, and numbness. These symptoms will begin gradually, and proliferate from the toes and feet and move upwards and outwards. You may experience a total lack of feeling in your feet which can make it difficult to tell when you have a cut or other injury to your foot.

Because you can’t feel any sensations of cold, heat, or pain if you have peripheral nerve problems, always have your feet evaluated and treated by your podiatrist to ensure that there are no unnecessary complications. At Fit Feet for Life, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies and years of experience to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including heel pain, sports injuries, toe deformities, nail fungus, and plantar warts.  Bonnie Sanchez, DPM, and Gregory Cook, DPM, provide high-quality foot and ankle care to patients in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area at our five offices conveniently located in Sun City Center, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and our two Tampa locations. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.