Understanding and Treating Foot Numbness
Are you experiencing a tingling sensation, loss of feeling, or numbness in your feet? This common condition can significantly impact your quality of life and may indicate an underlying health issue that requires professional attention. At Anderson Podiatry Center, our board-certified podiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating foot numbness, helping patients throughout Colorado regain comfort and mobility.
What is Foot Numbness?
Foot numbness manifests as a partial or complete loss of sensation in one or both feet. You might experience this as a pins-and-needles feeling, tingling, burning sensations, or complete loss of sensation. While occasional numbness from sitting in one position too long is normal, persistent or recurring numbness requires medical evaluation.
The sensation often begins gradually in the toes and can progress to affect the entire foot and even extend up the leg. Many patients describe feeling like they’re “walking on cotton” or that their shoes are filled with pebbles even when they’re not.
Common Causes of Foot Numbness
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Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy, a condition affecting the peripheral nervous system, is one of the most common causes of foot numbness. This condition damages the nerves that transmit signals between your extremities and central nervous system, leading to numbness, pain, and weakness. Diabetic neuropathy, a specific type affecting individuals with diabetes, requires particular attention and specialized care.
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Morton’s Neuroma
This painful condition involves thickening of the tissue around the nerves leading to your toes, typically between the third and fourth toes. Morton’s neuroma often causes burning pain, tingling, and numbness that worsens with activity or wearing tight shoes.
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Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist, tarsal tunnel syndrome occurs when the posterior tibial nerve is compressed as it travels through the tarsal tunnel, a narrow passageway inside your ankle. This compression leads to numbness, tingling, and pain along the inside of the ankle and into the foot.
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Other Common Causes:
- Pinched Nerves: Compression of nerves in your lower back, ankle, or foot
- Poor Circulation: Reduced blood flow to the feet, often related to peripheral artery disease
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Essential for nerve function and health
- Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of spaces within your spine, putting pressure on nerves
- Autoimmune Disorders: Conditions like multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Chemotherapy: Certain cancer treatments can damage peripheral nerves
- Alcoholism: Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to nutritional deficiencies affecting nerve health
- Infections: Lyme disease, shingles, or HIV can cause nerve damage and numbness
Diagnosing Foot Numbness at Anderson Podiatry Center
Our approach to diagnosing foot numbness is thorough and multifaceted. During your initial consultation, our podiatrists will:
- Conduct a Comprehensive Medical History Review: Understanding your overall health, medications, and any existing conditions helps identify potential underlying causes.
- Perform a Physical Examination: This includes assessing your foot structure, checking reflexes, and evaluating your walking pattern.
- Neurological Testing: Simple tests to measure nerve function and response.
- Advanced Diagnostic Imaging: When necessary, we may recommend X-rays, MRI scans, or ultrasound to visualize internal structures.
- Nerve Conduction Studies: These specialized tests measure how quickly electrical impulses move through your nerves, helping identify damage or compression.
- Blood Tests: To check for diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, or other systemic conditions that might contribute to numbness.
Advanced Treatment Options for Foot Numbness
At Anderson Podiatry Center, we offer a wide range of treatment options tailored to the specific cause of your foot numbness:
Conservative Treatments
- Custom Orthotics: Specially designed shoe inserts that redistribute pressure and provide proper support
- Physical Therapy: Targeted exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and circulation
- Medication Management: Prescriptions to address pain, inflammation, or underlying conditions
- Lifestyle Modifications: Dietary changes, activity adjustments, and ergonomic recommendations
- Vitamin Supplementation: Particularly B vitamins when deficiencies are identified
Cutting-Edge Interventions
- Laser Therapy: Advanced low-level MLS laser treatments to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
- Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation: Minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to interrupt pain signals.
- Corticosteroid Injections: Targeted anti-inflammatory treatments for acute symptom relief.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: Utilizing your body’s natural healing factors to repair damaged tissues using regenerative medicine.
Surgical Options
- Nerve Decompression Surgery: Releasing pressure on trapped nerves.
- Neuroma Excision: Surgical removal of a painful neuroma.
- Tarsal Tunnel Release: Similar to carpal tunnel release but for the ankle.
Why Choose Anderson Podiatry Center for Foot Numbness Treatment?
- Board-Certified Specialists: Our podiatrists have advanced training in neurological conditions affecting the feet
- Multidisciplinary Approach: We collaborate with neurologists, endocrinologists, and vascular specialists when needed
- Comprehensive Care: From diagnosis through treatment and rehabilitation
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: Access to the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies
- Personalized Treatment Plans: Recognizing that each patient’s situation is unique
- Proven Results: Thousands of satisfied patients who have regained foot comfort and function
Take the First Step Toward Relief
Don’t let foot numbness limit your mobility or quality of life. The experienced team at Anderson Podiatry Center is dedicated to helping you find the cause of your symptoms and developing an effective treatment plan.
Anderson Podiatry Center provides specialized treatment for foot numbness, peripheral neuropathy, tarsal tunnel syndrome, Morton’s neuroma, and other conditions causing tingling or loss of sensation in the feet. Our board-certified podiatrists serve patients tri-state area of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming with comprehensive diagnostic and treatment options.