Should you walk if you have neuropathy in your feet?

And of course, if your neuropathy is linked to diabetes or high blood sugar, regular exercise will help you keep those exacerbating factors in better control. This means that exercise will not only make your feet and legs feel better, but can actually keep your neuropathy from progressing to a more severe stage.


Is walking good for neuropathy in feet?

Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, can reduce neuropathy pain, improve muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.

Can walking make neuropathy worse?

Not at all. Walking can reduce the pain and other symptoms of neuropathy from the nerve damage in your feet and lower legs. Walking and other light aerobic exercises have various benefits for people affected by neuropathy, which is a wide range of conditions involving disease and damage to the peripheral nerves.


What is the best thing to do for neuropathy in your feet?

Walk it off. Exercise releases natural painkillers called endorphins. Exercise also promotes blood flow to the nerves in the legs and feet. Researchers believe that regular exercise may create a long-lasting expansion in blood vessels in the feet, nourishing damaged nerves back to health.

Does neuropathy in feet cause trouble walking?

If you have peripheral neuropathy, you might experience: changes in the way you walk. loss of balance, which could make you fall more often. loss of muscle tone in your hands and feet.


Why Neuropathy Makes Balance and Walking Difficult



Does neuropathy in the feet ever go away?

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may lessen or go away over time, but in some cases they never go away. These are some ways to learn to live with it: Use pain medicines as your doctor prescribes them.

How serious is neuropathy in feet?

If the underlying cause of peripheral neuropathy isn't treated, you may be at risk of developing potentially serious complications, such as a foot ulcer that becomes infected. This can lead to gangrene (tissue death) if untreated, and in severe cases may mean the affected foot has to be amputated.

What causes neuropathy in feet to flare up?

Nutritional or vitamin imbalances, alcoholism, and exposure to toxins can damage nerves and cause neuropathy. Vitamin B12 deficiency and excess vitamin B6 are the best known vitamin-related causes. Several medications have been shown to occasionally cause neuropathy.


What can be done at home for neuropathy in the feet?

Ways to Treat Nerve Pain at Home
  1. Soak in Warm Water and Epsom Salt. Soaking in Epsom salt can help ease the pain and discomfort associated with nerve pain. ...
  2. Compression Socks/Neuropathy Socks. ...
  3. Rest. ...
  4. Ice the Pain. ...
  5. Check Feet Daily. ...
  6. Avoid Alcohol. ...
  7. Anesthetic Lidocaine. ...
  8. Massage Your Feet.


What is the number one medicine for neuropathy?

The main medicines recommended for neuropathic pain include: amitriptyline – also used for treatment of headaches and depression. duloxetine – also used for treatment of bladder problems and depression. pregabalin and gabapentin – also used to treat epilepsy, headaches or anxiety.

What can you not do with neuropathy?

Keep Smoking and Drinking Alcohol Both cigarettes and alcohol can have a toxic effect on nerve tissue. Heavy drinking can actually make neuropathy worse. It can alter the level of important minerals and vitamins that are needed for proper nerve function.


Can Sitting make neuropathy worse?

If you suffer with nerve pain, sitting for long periods of time is slowly damaging the nerves over time. Sitting can affect the nerves most vulnerable to pain sensations, such as tingling, burning or stabbing pain.

How do you stop neuropathy from spreading?

Keep your blood sugar levels in your target range
  1. Report symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
  2. If you have problems, get treatment right away. Early treatment can help prevent more problems later on. ...
  3. Take good care of your feet. ...
  4. Protect your feet. ...
  5. Get special shoes if needed. ...
  6. Be careful with exercising.


Does walking help or hurt neuropathy?

The more you exercise on a consistent basis, the better your chances are at reducing your nerve pain. Now, it may not be simple at first for some and in fact, may hurt a little. Please don't get discouraged, but rather keep moving forward one small step at a time.


What can a podiatrist do for neuropathy of the feet?

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment may be helpful in relieving neuropathy symptoms. The therapy uses gentle electrical currents to prevent pain signals from traveling to your brain. Reduce pain, tingling and other neuropathy symptoms with a visit to The Foot & Ankle Group.

Can you live with foot neuropathy?

Roughly 20 million Americans are living with neuropathy. Living with daily pain and discomfort can be challenging. People with neuropathy are at a higher risk for depression and anxiety than those without a neurological disorder. The good news is treatable, and a pain management specialist can help.

Does Vicks help foot neuropathy?

Vicks Vapor Rub® – Massaging one's feet with Vicks, particularly at night, soothes neuropathic pain and distress in one's feet and legs.


Do compression socks help neuropathy?

Compression socks can help patients manage their neuropathy symptoms. These socks apply pressure to assist your feet and ensure blood keeps flowing in the correct direction. However, compression socks come in various compression levels, so it's important to speak to a doctor before purchasing a pair.

What vitamins help neuropathy?

Vitamin B-12 is present in some foods and helps with proper nerve function and red blood cell production. People who don't get enough vitamin B-12 may have a higher risk of neuropathy and other nervous system (neurological) problems.

How do you stop neuropathy from getting worse?

Lifestyle choices can play a role in preventing peripheral neuropathy. You can lessen your risk for many of these conditions by avoiding alcohol, correcting vitamin deficiencies, eating a healthy diet, losing weight, avoiding toxins, and exercising regularly.


What happens when you have neuropathy in your feet?

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy

numbness and tingling in the feet or hands. burning, stabbing or shooting pain in affected areas. loss of balance and co-ordination. muscle weakness, especially in the feet.

Where does neuropathy in feet start?

The most common type of neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy. It affects the nerves in the hands, feet, legs, and arms. It generally starts in the feet, and it tends to start in both feet at once.

Can sitting too much cause neuropathy?

Can I Get Nerve Damage From Sitting Too Much? You won't feel the effects overnight, but the answer is yes. Sitting for long periods of time can slowly damage your nerves. In a recent study, researchers found that 70% of participants had lower physical activities today than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.


Can neuropathy turn into MS?

Despite these similarities, peripheral neuropathy and MS are completely distinct diseases with different causes and treatments. Both of them can worsen if they are not medically managed, so it is important to seek medical attention if you experience neurological symptoms.

What is the newest treatment for neuropathy?

Intraneural Facilitation (INF) treatment effectively restores blood flow to damaged nerves, decreasing pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), according to a new study conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University Health.