Neuropathy and Balance Issues

Nerve damage, or neuropathy, disrupts the messaging between your feet and brain. This can lead to unpleasant changes, including abnormal sensations, and it can also directly impact your balance. 

Our team at Capital Podiatry Associates in Alexandria, Virginia, can help you understand how nerve health and foot health connect. If you have neuropathy and have also noticed changes in your balance, Leland Gilmore, DPM, and Shalin Panchigar, DPM, can meet with you to explore treatment options. Here, we explain how you maintain balance, the effects of nerve damage, and what you can do to protect your mobility.

Balance: the connection between your feet and brain

Maintaining balance relies on a constant flow of information between your feet and brain. 

Your feet pick up sensory data as you walk or run. That information travels immediately to your brain, which processes it and signals the muscles in your feet to adjust their movements. Think about walking across rocks in a river or stream: Your body and brain work together seamlessly to help you maintain balance as you move across shifting stones and slippery surfaces. 

If neuropathy disrupts that communication, you can begin to experience balance issues.

Recognizing signs of neuropathy in the feet

Neuropathy develops when your nerve tissue is damaged. When this occurs in your hands or feet, it’s known as peripheral neuropathy because your extremities sit furthest away from your central nervous system — your spinal cord and brain.

Many things can lead to peripheral neuropathy in the feet, including injury, autoimmune conditions, infections, type 2 diabetes, and tumors. Each can damage the nerves that send messages between your brain and feet. 

Signs that you might have neuropathy in one or both feet include:

• Pain
• Tingling
• Pins-and-needles sensations
• Numbness

Many people assume they’re just clumsy when nerve damage is the culprit. 

Neuropathy and the loss of sensation

For many people with neuropathy, the loss of sensation poses the most serious problem. Your peripheral nerves act as your real-time emergency notification system, letting you know as soon as you step on something sharp, rub a blister, or let your feet get too close to a campfire. 

When damaged nerves in your feet and lower legs stop delivering these alerts, you may not notice an injury when it happens. That can allow injuries to worsen, making even a small scrape or cut on your foot quickly turn into a serious medical problem. Among people with diabetes who commonly have poor circulation, the risk is even greater. That’s why diabetic foot care is essential. 

Getting help for balance problems

If you have trouble with your balance, neuropathy may be causing these shifts. Come see us for a comprehensive evaluation. 

Our team at Capital Podiatry Associates is here to help. We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to assess how well the nerves in your feet and ankles function. If you have neuropathy, there are treatment options that can help you regain your balance and bolster your independence. 

Call our office during business hours or book your appointment online. We’ll work with you to improve your mobility and quality of life.