Neuropathy Care in Bradenton, FL

What people are describing

Neuropathy is nerve dysfunction, and people describe it in a fairly consistent way: burning, numbness, tingling, pins and needles, often in the feet and sometimes the hands. It is frequently worse at night. Some people notice balance changing before they notice sensation changing, because the feet stop reporting the ground accurately.

The first question is where, not what

This is where our evaluation differs from a sales pitch. Symptoms in the feet can come from several different places, and they are not interchangeable:

• A nerve irritated in the low back, where the problem is spinal and the foot is only where it is felt.
• A nerve compressed along its path — through the hip, the knee, or the ankle.
• A systemic cause, of which diabetes is the most common, along with medication effects, vitamin deficiency, thyroid disease and others.

Those have different answers. Conservative care aimed at the spine and the nerve path is a reasonable option for some presentations and the wrong target for others. Finding out which one you have is the first job, and it is why the examination comes before any discussion of a plan.

Why this matters more than usual in Bradenton

Manatee County has a large retirement population, and neuropathy becomes more common with age and with diabetes. It also matters here for a specific practical reason: reduced sensation in the feet changes balance, and falls are consequential. Uneven sidewalks along the older streets, boat decks, and wet tile after an afternoon storm are all less forgiving when the feet are not reporting accurately.

What we do, and what we say plainly

We take a careful history, test sensation, strength and reflexes, examine the spine and the nerve path, and look at how you balance and walk. Then you get an explanation of what we found in ordinary language, including whether we believe this is something conservative care can help with.

Coming to one of our neuropathy talks?

Dr. Matt hosts lunch-hour talks on neuropathy here at the office. They are free, they run about an hour, and there is time for questions. If you heard him speak, or you are thinking about coming, this page is the background: what we look for, how the examination works, and what we will and will not tell you. Call (941) 746-2612 for the next date.

What the neuropathy examination covers

The examination takes place over two visits, so that the second one is a sit-down conversation about what we found rather than a rushed verdict.

• A detailed history — when it started, where you feel it, what makes it better or worse, your medications and your other health conditions.
• Sensation testing at 16 points on the feet, so we can map where feeling is reduced and compare it over time.
• Balance and walking, because the feet stop reporting the ground accurately before many people notice the numbness itself.
• Infrared screening of the feet, a no-contact look at surface temperature patterns.
• The spine and the nerve path — reflexes, strength, and the places along the way where a nerve can be irritated.

At the second visit you get the findings in plain words, including whether we think we are the right fit.

If care is a fit

When the findings point to something conservative care can address, a plan may combine therapy in the office, therapy you continue at home, and nutrition and inflammation support — coordinated with your medical doctor, not in place of them. You will know what the plan involves, how we will measure progress, and when we will re-check, before you decide anything.

En español

¿Siente ardor, hormigueo o adormecimiento en los pies? El Dr. Matt ofrece charlas gratuitas sobre neuropatía en nuestra oficina, y el examen se hace en dos visitas para explicarle con calma lo que encontramos. Llámenos al (941) 746-2612 — se habla español.

Common questions

Can chiropractic care help neuropathy?

It depends entirely on where the symptoms are coming from. When a nerve is being irritated in the spine or compressed along its path, conservative care aimed at that is reasonable. When the cause is systemic, such as diabetes, the medical side has to be central and we will say so.

What causes burning and numbness in the feet?

Several things, and they are not interchangeable: a nerve irritated in the low back, a nerve compressed along its path through the hip, knee or ankle, or a systemic cause such as diabetes, medication effects or a vitamin deficiency. The examination is what separates them.

Do you promise to reverse nerve damage?

No. We do not make that claim, and we would be cautious about anyone who does. What we offer is a careful evaluation of where the symptoms are coming from and an honest answer about whether we can help.

Should I see my medical doctor too?

In many cases yes, particularly where a systemic cause is likely. Neuropathy is frequently a condition best handled with the medical side and conservative care working in parallel rather than in competition.