Skip to Content
Newbury Newbury
call us at (805) 380-3152
Top
Neuropathy Keeping Your Feet Happy & Healthy

Peripheral Neuropathy

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is the result of damage to the peripheral nervous system: a large communication network that sends signals between the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and all other parts of the body. Peripheral neuropathy affects millions of people in the U.S.

Peripheral nerves send various types of sensory information to the brain, such as the message that your foot hurts after stepping on a splinter. In peripheral neuropathy, nerve signaling can be disrupted in 3 ways:

  • Signals that should be sent, but are not
  • Signals that are sent when they should not be
  • Errors that change the messages being sent

When peripheral nerves can not send and receive signals like they should, it can have consequences on the body, such as neuropathic pain.

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy in Feet

  • Pain (tingling and burning sensation)
  • Inability to feel pain or changes in temperature (due to damage to small nerve fibers)
  • Inability to feel vibrations and tough
  • Loss of proprioception (position sense)
  • Loss of reflexes

Common Causes of Neuropathy

Acquired peripheral neuropathies:

  • Diabetic peripheral neuropathy - diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy in the U.S. About ⅔ of people with diabetes have mild to severe nerve problems that can cause numbness, tingling, or burning feet
  • Low Back issues (ie, scoliosis, arthritis, herniated disc, sciatica)
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Alcoholism
  • Chemotherapy-induced
  • Exposure to chemicals (ie, agent orange)
  • Autoimmune diseases (ie, Multiple Sclerosis)
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • Trauma-induced nerve damage
  • Inherited Peripheral Neuropathies (ie, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease)
  • Idiopathic neuropathy - essentially, the cause of the neuropathy could not be identified

How to Diagnose Peripheral Neuropathy

  • Medical History - your podiatrist will ask questions about your symptoms, social habits, family history, medical history, and more
  • Physical Exam - evaluation of touch, vibration and temperature sensation
  • Nerve conduction studies - electromyography and nerve conduction studies to evaluate how well nerves and muscles are functioning
  • Small Nerve Fiber Biopsy - to examine quantity of nerve fiber endings
Continue Reading Read Less

Why Choose Newbury?

What Makes Us Different
  • Convenient Locations
    Available to treat you at three different locations with flexible appointment times.
  • Excellent Results
    We strive to give you the best results possible & get you back to your active life.
  • Board Certified Physicians
    Our physicians are licensed by the State of California Medical Board and certified by the American Board of Foot & Ankle surgery
  • Cutting Edge Practice
    We use the latest in technologies and treatments to help you heal better and faster.

Helping People Is our Passion & Purpose

Hear from Our Happy Patients
  • "Can't thank her enough"
    Dr. Gifford was very knowledgeable with explaining the cause of my heel pain and gave me a painless injection. She was very friendly and took her time with answering all my questions. Can't thank her enough because I'm back to my normal workout routine without any pain!
    - Ryan G.
  • "This is what medical care should be!"
    Excellent customer service, and thorough care. Dr. Patel was down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and skilled (my kind of doc). The office was clean, and well-run. Billing was smooth as well without any of the hiccups you get at other offices. This is what medical care should be!
    - Ashutosh S.
  • "I highly recommend this place!"
    The process was smooth and efficient from the start. After filling out "contact us" form on their website, I received a call within 30 minutes to set up my appointment. The staff was incredibly helpful and welcoming. When I arrived, I handed them the printed form, and I was seen almost immediately. Dr. Patel was fantastic—he took the time to listen to all my concerns, identified the cause of my issue, and provided a clear solution. He even showed me at-home remedies and offered tips on how to prevent the problem in the future, without making me feel pressured to buy any treatment products. He went above and beyond in his care. Overall, a great experience!
    - Emma
  • "I highly recommend!"
    Dr. Patel and his staff were absolutely incredible! I was having issues with my foot for about 5 years and I had been to numerous doctors without success. Then I met Dr. Patel and I’m happy to report that my issue is now solved! So thankful and could not be happier. Everyone here is super nice, down to earth and they genuinely care about you, the patient, which was super important to me. I was very impressed with how they go about their business and I highly recommend!
    - Matthew D.
  • "Dr Gifford and her team are communicative, caring and highly capable."
    Dr. Gifford and her team are amazing and I recommend Dr. Gifford without hesitation. She provided me with multiple options to address Achilles issues. I ultimately needed surgery and the results have allowed me to walk without pain and return to activities I had been missing. My incision site is imperceptible. Dr Gifford and her team are communicative, caring and highly capable.
    - Carrie D.
  • "They do excellent work and care about their patients."
    Going to performance foot and ankle. It's like going to your salon or Barber. Once you find a good stylus, you won't leave them. Doctor Patel and his staff are like that. My dad has been going to them for years he's 102 years old. They do excellent work and care about their patients.
    - Verby N.