What is peripheral neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves that run from the spine to the hands, feet and the rest of the body. It causes numbness, tingling, pins and needles, burning pain or weakness, most commonly in the feet and hands.
It is a sign of an underlying problem, not a disease on its own. A doctor finds the cause through your history, an examination and blood tests.
What causes it?
Diabetes is a common cause, and it is linked with high blood sugar over time. Our page on diabetic foot and balance covers that case.
Other causes include low vitamin B12, heavy alcohol use, some chemotherapy and other medicines, infections, thyroid or kidney problems, and nerve compression such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Some cases have no clear cause. Your doctor decides what to test and how to treat it.
How does it change daily life?
It can change simple things. Buttons and zips become fiddly, a cup slips from the hand, and you may not feel a hot pan or the floor tile. At night, burning feet may disturb sleep.
Walking changes too. If you cannot feel your feet well, you may look down while you walk, trip on the step into the house or feel unsteady in the dark. Some people begin to avoid going out, which weakens the legs further.
Who treats what?
Your doctor looks for and treats the cause, and may prescribe medicine for nerve pain. Keep taking your medicines as advised.
Physiotherapy deals with the effects on movement: balance, muscle weakness, stiff joints and how you walk. We also teach safety habits, so the numbness is less likely to cause an injury.
How does physiotherapy help?
We test your feeling, strength, balance and walking, then build a plan around them.
- Balance exercises that use vision and the joints of the legs instead of relying on feeling in the feet.
- Strength exercises for the ankle, calf and thigh, so the foot lifts and the knee holds.
- Walking practice, including turns, steps and uneven ground.
- Hand exercises and grip aids if the hands are affected.
- Advice on shoes with a good fit and grip, and on checking the feet every day.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends tailored exercise that challenges balance and improves strength, with regular progression, for older people in the community to prevent falls [1]. That applies directly here. See also our guide on neuropathy and balance with diabetes.
Which Ipoh situations need extra care?
Wet bathroom tiles, the doorstep after rain, steps at the wet market and walking in the dark are the usual trouble spots. A night light between the bedroom and bathroom helps, and so do grab rails and non-slip mats.
If your hands are numb, take care with hot pots, kettles and the wok. Use a trivet or oven gloves and test water temperature with a part of the body that has normal feeling. The home safety checklist helps you walk through the house.
When should you see a doctor first?
See a doctor if numbness or weakness is spreading, comes on quickly, affects both legs, or follows a new medicine. See a doctor the same day for a wound or blister you did not feel.
Go to the emergency department for sudden weakness, trouble speaking, severe back pain with numbness in the groin or trouble passing urine. See when to seek medical care.
What does a home visit look like?
The physiotherapist asks about your symptoms and tests feeling, strength and balance. We watch you walk on your own floors, steps and stairs, because that is where numbness matters.
You receive a short routine for balance and strength, and a list of home changes. We review it together at the next visit. See home physiotherapy in Ipoh.
Questions people ask
Send any other question on WhatsApp. Home visits are available now, and our Canning Garden centre is opening soon.