Helping Your Body Heal: The Vizuri Way

Part 01 / Nerve Health

Burning, Tingling, or Numb Feet? What Your Nerves May Be Telling You

Maybe your toes feel as though they have fallen asleep, even when you have been moving around. Perhaps your feet burn when you settle into bed, or you find yourself watching the ground more carefully because you do not feel quite as steady as you used to.

These changes can be easy to explain away. A long day. Uncomfortable shoes. Getting older.

At Vizuri Health Center, we encourage you to pay attention when something feels different. Persistent numbness, tingling, burning, or changes in balance deserve a closer look. Understanding what is happening is the first step toward making informed decisions about your care.

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Your peripheral nerves connect your brain and spinal cord with the rest of your body. Some help you feel touch, temperature, and pressure. Others help your muscles move. When peripheral nerves become damaged or stop working properly, the resulting condition is called peripheral neuropathy.¹

That term describes a problem with nerve function; it does not, by itself, tell us why the problem developed. This distinction matters. Two people can both describe burning feet and need very different care.

We believe a helpful conversation begins with more than naming the symptom. We also need to consider its pattern, its effect on your daily life, and the possible conditions behind it.

Neuropathy does not always feel like pain

Burning and electrical sensations often get people's attention. Reduced sensation can be quieter. You may feel as though you are walking on padding, notice that your socks seem bunched up when they are not, or struggle to tell exactly where your feet are positioned.

Symptoms can include tingling, numbness, unusual sensitivity to light touch, weakness, and difficulty with balance. The combination depends on which nerves are affected.¹ Something that feels strange rather than painful can still be worth evaluating.

Think about how these changes influence your choices. Are you avoiding uneven trails? Holding the railing more tightly? Cutting a shopping trip short? Those details help communicate the real impact of your symptoms, even when a pain score does not capture it.

Why finding the cause matters

Diabetes is a common cause of peripheral nerve damage, but neuropathy also occurs in people who do not have diabetes. Possible contributors include certain vitamin deficiencies, medication effects, heavy alcohol use, autoimmune conditions, kidney disease, and injuries or pressure affecting nerves. Sometimes, a cause remains unknown despite investigation.²

This is why we do not recommend choosing a treatment based on a symptom checklist alone. A person with a nutritional deficiency needs that deficiency addressed. Someone with a medication-related problem needs a discussion with the prescribing clinician. Other findings may call for specialist evaluation.

At Vizuri, our interest in whole-person health means taking the broader story seriously. We want to understand what may be contributing and where our care can fit within the support you need.

Could the problem be coming from somewhere else?

Tingling does not automatically mean a widespread neuropathy. A compressed nerve near the spine can also cause radiating pain, numbness, or weakness. For example, cervical radiculopathy involves a nerve root in the neck and may produce symptoms into an arm or hand.³

The location and distribution of symptoms provide clues, but they do not establish a diagnosis on their own. Whether symptoms affect one side or both, follow a particular path, or change with position can help guide the examination.

Bring a simple description to your visit: where symptoms begin, when they occur, how long they last, and what makes them better or worse. You do not need perfect medical language. Your observations are useful.

What an evaluation can help clarify

An assessment typically includes a health history and examination. Depending on the findings, additional testing or referral may be appropriate. Blood tests, nerve conduction studies, and other investigations answer different questions; no single test explains every case.^{1, 2}

We also encourage you to bring a medication and supplement list, along with any previous test results. Tell us about changes in walking, sleep, work, and the activities you enjoy. Together, these pieces help build a clearer picture.

A meaningful next step should leave you understanding what is known, what still needs clarification, and what options make sense for you.

When to act sooner

Sudden one-sided numbness or weakness, especially with facial drooping or trouble speaking, calls for dialing 911 immediately.⁵ Rapidly worsening weakness also needs urgent medical attention. If you have reduced feeling in your feet, a new wound or signs of infection should be assessed promptly.^{2, 4}

For ongoing symptoms, you do not need to wait until they become severe to start the conversation.

Start with understanding

At Vizuri Health Center in Williston, we offer a neuropathy program and believe education is an essential part of care. We want you to feel comfortable asking questions and clear about your next steps.

If burning, tingling, or numbness is changing how you live, contact our team to schedule an evaluation. We can help you explore whether our neuropathy services are appropriate or whether another type of evaluation should come first.

In the next article, we will look at the question many people ask next: Can damaged nerves heal, and what should a thoughtful treatment plan include?

Sources & further reading

National Library of Medicine. Peripheral Nerve Disorders. Read source
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Peripheral Neuropathy. Read source
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched Nerve). Read source
NIDDK. Diabetes & Foot Problems. Read source
CDC. Signs and Symptoms of Stroke. Read source

A bit of anatomy is helpful to understand a disc injury and how to heal it. You have discs between each vertebra from the upper part of your neck to the bottom of your spine – 23 total. The discs separate each vertebra and allow slight movement between each vertebra above and below and act as “shock absorbers”. There are two parts to each disc, a soft inner gel and tough outer fibers (nucleus pulposus and annular fibrosus). The outer fibers both contain the soft gel and attach to the bones above and below.

spinal disc image with vertebrae, spinal cord, nerve, annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus, and intervertebral foramen labeled.

A torn disc means that the outer fibers of the disc have torn and the inner, softer nucleus is pushing through the tear. This is caused by one of two forces, or as you’ll, see a combination:

“Shearing” force. This occurs when one vertebra is forced forward or backward on the vertebra below, creating a shear and tearing the disc. For instance, bending forward and lifting creates a shear force on a disc and may cause the outer disc fibers to fail.
Vertical compression – a force either from above (such as lifting a heavy object) or below (landing hard on your feet or seat). This vertical or axial force compresses the disc beyond its capacity and the outer disc layers fail.
Adding twisting to a shear and axial force is often the “straw” that tears a disc. This occurs when you bend, twist and lift.

How do discs heal?

Discs do not have any direct blood supply and this impacts how they heal. The only way discs receive oxygen and nutrients is by “imbibing” (drinking) fluid from the bones above and below, and this drinking only happens when the disc is moved. In a healthy disc, this works just fine to keeping the disc happy. With an injured disc (as with any injured tissue) there is an increased demand for oxygen and nutrients. As you can imagine, this drinking is not very efficient especially if you can’t move because of pain and spasm. There are three very specific techniques we use to accelerate the healing process of a torn disc:

How spinal decompression helps heal disc injuries

Spinal decompression is a non-surgical treatment option that can be used to treat various conditions that affect the spine, including disc tears. Spinal decompression therapy involves the use of a traction to gently stretch the spine and relieve pressure on the affected discs. Here are some ways that spinal decompression therapy may help with a disc tear:

Relieve pressure: Spinal decompression therapy can help to relieve pressure on the affected nerve and disc, which may help to reduce pain and inflammation.

Promote healing: By reducing pressure on the affected disc, spinal decompression therapy may promote healing by allowing nutrients and oxygen to flow more freely into the affected area.

Improve mobility: Spinal decompression therapy can help to improve spinal mobility, which can be beneficial for individuals with limited mobility due to pain and discomfort caused by a disc tear.

Non-invasive: Spinal decompression therapy is a non-invasive treatment option that does not involve surgery, which can be a more attractive option for some individuals with disc tears.

It is important to note that spinal decompression therapy is not appropriate for all individuals with disc tears, and it may not be effective in all cases. A specially trained chiropractor can evaluate your individual situation and determine if spinal decompression therapy is a suitable treatment option for your condition. If you are suffering from a disc injury, contact Vizuri Health Center today for a consultation to get you back to health and out of pain.

How Does Spinal Decompression Help a Disc Tear?