Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Bellevue

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves that carry signals between your feet and your brain. Because those nerves handle sensation, the feet are often where it shows up first, as numbness, tingling, or pain. Catching it early protects both your comfort and the long-term health of your feet. If you need to be seen quickly, we offer same-day and urgent care appointments.

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy

Symptoms usually start in the toes and feet and build over time. Common signs are:

• Numbness or a reduced ability to feel touch, temperature, or pain.
• Tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling.
• Burning pain, often worse at night.
• Sharp, stabbing, or electric-like jolts.
• A sensation of wearing socks when your feet are bare.
• Loss of balance, or wounds and blisters you never felt form.

What causes peripheral neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy has many possible causes, and finding the cause guides treatment. Common ones include:

• Diabetes, by far the most common cause.
• A vitamin deficiency, especially vitamin B12.
• Heavy or long-term alcohol use.
• A pinched or injured nerve.
• Certain medications, including some chemotherapy drugs.
• Thyroid disease, infections, and other conditions; sometimes no cause is found.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Over time, high blood sugar damages the small nerves in the feet and legs, which is why the feet are often the first place it appears. Some people notice numbness, tingling, or burning, while others lose sensation so gradually that they do not realize how much feeling is gone.

The greater danger is that reduced sensation hides everyday injuries. A blister, cut, or pressure sore can go unnoticed and progress to a serious wound or infection before it is felt. For this reason, people with diabetes benefit from regular foot exams and prompt attention to any wound, and managing diabetic neuropathy works alongside ongoing diabetic foot care to prevent these complications.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is compression of the posterior tibial nerve where it passes through a narrow space on the inside of the ankle, called the tarsal tunnel. It is a form of nerve entrapment, and it causes the same kinds of symptoms as neuropathy, usually in one foot: burning, tingling, or numbness in the sole and toes, often worse with standing, activity, or at night.

Unlike neuropathy from a body-wide cause such as diabetes, tarsal tunnel syndrome is usually limited to one foot and has a mechanical cause that can be treated, most often flat feet or overpronation, an old injury, swelling, or a cyst pressing on the nerve. Treatment works to relieve the pressure, with orthotics to correct overpronation, care for the underlying cause, and injections when needed. Surgery is reserved for cases that do not respond.

Our approach at CarePlus

Treatment depends on what is causing the nerve damage, so Dr. Lee starts by identifying the cause. From there, the focus is on relieving your symptoms and protecting your feet: fitting supportive footwear and custom orthotics that reduce pressure and prevent injury, and monitoring closely for cuts and sores that can go unnoticed when sensation is reduced. If the cause points to a wider health issue, Dr. Lee coordinates with your primary care provider or specialist.

Why choose CarePlus for neuropathy

Nerve damage is easier to stay ahead of than to reverse, so early detection and regular foot checks matter. Dr. Hubert Lee is a board-certified, fellowship-trained podiatrist with more than 15 years of experience, and he emphasizes finding and managing problems early, before they become serious. Patients across Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Sammamish, and the greater Seattle area come to CarePlus for that level of care.

Frequently Asked Questions About Peripheral Neuropathy

Why are my feet numb or tingling?

Numbness and tingling in the feet usually point to peripheral neuropathy. Diabetes is the most common cause, but it can also come from a vitamin deficiency, a pinched nerve, alcohol use, certain medications, and other conditions.

Can peripheral neuropathy be reversed?

It depends on the cause. When the cause can be treated, such as a vitamin B12 deficiency, the neuropathy often improves. Nerve damage from long-standing diabetes usually cannot be reversed, but symptoms can be managed and further damage slowed with the right care.

Why is neuropathy in the feet dangerous?

When you cannot feel your feet, a blister, cut, or sore can go unnoticed and grow into a deep wound or infection. That risk, especially with diabetes, is why protecting the feet matters as much as easing the symptoms.

When should I see a podiatrist about numbness in my feet?

See a podiatrist if you have ongoing numbness, tingling, or burning, any loss of feeling, or a wound that is slow to heal. Early evaluation is the best way to keep a small problem from becoming a serious one.

What happens at a neuropathy foot exam?

Dr. Lee reviews your symptoms, then tests how well you can feel your feet, often with a thin monofilament, and checks circulation, reflexes, and your skin for early pressure spots. It is quick and painless, and it shows how much protective feeling you have.