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

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is an undiagnosed condition caused by an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. The results of this bacteria overgrowth can be profound and lead to intestinal damage and nutritional deficiency. However, despite the far-reaching implications, many conventional practitioners miss the signs of SIBO. This is partly because the medical profession’s knowledge of the causes and treatment of SIBO is relatively new.

What Is Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth?

Bacteria play an important role in your large intestine, where they break down carbohydrates and help absorb nutrients. These processes produce a lot of gas, but the large intestine is designed to (mostly) accommodate gas production.

However, issues arise when gas-producing bacteria enter the small intestine, leading to bloating, diarrhea, and constipation – and sometimes, all three!

Generally speaking, there are three kinds of SIBO.

SIBO-D happens when bacteria produce hydrogen, leading to bloating and diarrhea.

SIBO-C is triggered by methane gas that slows down the transit time of waste products, leading to constipation.

Researchers are learning more about a third kind of SIBO, linked to excess levels of hydrogen sulfide, a gas you might recognize for its “rotten eggs” smell.

Many people experience a mix of the above, including alternating diarrhea and constipation.

Other symptoms of SIBO include:

Excessive burping
Acid reflux after meals
Bad-smelling gas
Gurgling noises in your stomach
Cramping and other discomforts

SIBO can also trigger seemingly unrelated symptoms such as joint pain, mood issues, food sensitivities, memory problems, and weight gain.

The impact of SIBO on your health

The symptoms of SIBO aren’t just annoying and uncomfortable – they can also impact your overall well-being. Bacteria in the small intestine can damage the intestinal walls and interfere with nutrient absorption. People with CIBO-D are at risk of low levels of essential nutrients like vitamin B12 and iron. And CIBO-C is often associated with weight gain.

What Causes SIBO?

Digestion is a complex process, and when something goes wrong, the effects can multiply in unexpected ways. SIBO is often the result of multiple factors and it’s not always possible to pinpoint a specific trigger.

Many medical conditions create the conditions that lead to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, including

Irritable bowel syndrome – by some estimates, almost 80% of people with IBS also have SIBO
Lyme Disease
Diabetes
Hypothyroidism
Scleroderma

One of the most common triggers for SIBO is bacterial gastroenteritis, more commonly referred to as food poisoning. Your body’s response to food poisoning can slow digestive motility, and in effect the movement of bacteria.

Stress is also a common contributor to SIBO, in part because stress can also affect motility and trigger digestive upset.

Diagnosing SIBO

Despite its complex possible causes, SIBO can be surprisingly easy to diagnose. The preferred diagnostic tool is a breath test that measures the hydrogen and methane gas in your breath. After following a specific diet or fasting for a day or two beforehand, you’ll drink a mix of glucose and water at regular intervals, breathing into tubes that measure gas levels after every drink.

Blood and stool tests to measure nutritional deficiencies and digestive function are sometimes also needed.

Treating SIBO

The best treatment for SIBO follows a three-pronged model designed to get to the root of the bacteria overgrowth and stop further growth. Be wary of any simple solution that merely masks the symptoms. Instead, focus on these steps.

1 – Start healing by reducing the symptoms through diet

To ease your symptoms and slow the continuing growth of bacteria, you want to eliminate the foods bacteria feed on: starches, sugars, and soluble fiber. Lean sources of protein and healthy fats can give your digestive tract a break. However, the best diet for SIBO patients can vary widely and depends on other factors such as food sensitivities and caloric needs, so it’s important to work with a healthcare practitioner.

2 – Reduce bacteria content in the small intestine

Again, this can vary a great deal by individual. Herbal antimicrobials can naturally reduce the bacteria without the side effects of antibiotics. Oil of oregano, berberine, and red thyme all have antimicrobial properties, but the exact treatment should be determined in consultation with a healthcare provider.

3 – Restore good bacteria

Our bodies require a certain amount of beneficial bacteria, so it’s important to repopulate! For many patients, this can be accomplished with probiotic supplements and a diet with plenty of fermented foods like sauerkraut and yogurt.

The symptoms of SIBO can be debilitating, but you don’t have to suffer. Because treatment is typically highly individual, it’s important to work closely with a healthcare practitioner. If you recognize the symptoms of SIBO and want to get started with treating it, don’t hesitate to call.

Sources

Ghoshal UC, Shukla R, Ghoshal U. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Bridge between Functional Organic Dichotomy. Gut Liver. 2017 Mar 15;11(2):196-208. doi: 10.5009/gnl16126. PMID: 28274108; PMCID: PMC5347643.

Wang SX, Wu WC. Effects of psychological stress on small intestinal motility and bacteria and mucosa in mice. World J Gastroenterol. 2005 Apr 7;11(13):2016-21. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i13.2016. PMID: 15800998; PMCID: PMC4305729.

Chedid V, Dhalla S, Clarke JO, Roland BC, Dunbar KB, Koh J, Justino E, Tomakin E, Mullin GE. Herbal therapy is equivalent to rifaximin for the treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Glob Adv Health Med. 2014 May;3(3):16-24. doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2014.019. PMID: 24891990; PMCID: PMC4030608.

Soifer LO, Peralta D, Dima G, Besasso H. Comparative clinical efficacy of a probiotic vs. an antibiotic in the treatment of patients with intestinal bacterial overgrowth and chronic abdominal functional distension: a pilot study. Acta Gastroenterol Latinoam. 2010 Dec;40(4):323-7. Spanish. PMID: 21381407.

The Facts On SIBO: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment