Neuropathy & Nerve Symptoms in Frisco, TX

Numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, or unusual sensations in the hands or feet are often described as “neuropathy.” But having these symptoms does not automatically mean you have peripheral neuropathy—and it does not automatically mean the problem is coming from your spine.

The first step is determining what may actually be causing the symptoms.

Peripheral neuropathy involves damage or dysfunction of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It can develop from diabetes and other metabolic conditions, nutritional deficiencies, certain medications or medical treatments, autoimmune conditions, infections, alcohol use, inherited disorders, and other medical causes.

But problems involving the spine and spinal nerve roots can sometimes produce remarkably similar symptoms. A herniated or bulging disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative changes, or irritation of a spinal nerve root may cause burning, tingling, numbness, radiating pain, or weakness extending into an arm, hand, leg, or foot.

At Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Frisco, Dr. Jason Venn has more than 25 years of clinical experience evaluating patients with spinal, disc, and nerve-related symptoms. His approach is not to assume that every numb or tingling sensation is neuropathy—or that every nerve symptom is coming from the spine. Instead, he looks at the patient’s history, the location and pattern of the symptoms, examination and neurological findings, and imaging or additional testing when appropriate to determine what may be contributing to the problem.

That distinction matters because the right treatment depends on where the symptoms are coming from.

When the findings indicate a spinal or mechanical component that may be appropriate for chiropractic care, spinal decompression, or rehabilitation, Dr. Venn can develop an individualized treatment recommendation. When the findings point toward peripheral neuropathy or another condition requiring medical evaluation, laboratory testing, advanced imaging, nerve testing, or another type of care, referral may be the appropriate next step.

What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when nerves outside the brain and spinal cord become damaged or dysfunctional. These peripheral nerves carry sensory information, control muscle movement, and help regulate certain automatic functions throughout the body.

Depending on which nerves are affected, symptoms may include:

• Numbness
• Tingling or “pins and needles”
• Burning or electric sensations
• Increased sensitivity to touch
• Muscle weakness
• Balance or coordination problems

The pattern can vary considerably from one person to another. Some peripheral neuropathies develop gradually and affect both feet or hands in a relatively symmetrical pattern, while others may affect specific nerves or produce a different distribution of symptoms.

The symptoms alone do not tell us what is causing them. Numbness, tingling, burning, and weakness can also occur when a spinal nerve root or another nerve is irritated or compressed, which is why the history, symptom pattern, examination findings, and appropriate testing need to be considered together.

What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is not one single disease with one single cause. It is a broad term describing dysfunction or damage involving peripheral nerves, and many different medical conditions or exposures can lead to it.

Common causes and contributing conditions include:

• Diabetes and other metabolic disorders
• Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin B12 deficiency
• Certain medications and medical treatments, including some chemotherapy drugs
• Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
• Infections
• Excessive alcohol use
• Kidney, thyroid, and other systemic disorders
• Traumatic injury to a peripheral nerve
• Inherited neurological disorders

Sometimes, even after appropriate medical evaluation, a specific cause is not identified. This is often referred to as idiopathic peripheral neuropathy.

This is an important distinction because the cause of the nerve dysfunction helps determine what type of treatment or medical management may be appropriate. A patient whose peripheral nerves are being affected by diabetes, for example, has a very different problem from someone whose foot numbness is being caused by irritation of a lumbar nerve root.

That’s one reason we don’t want to assume that every patient who describes burning, tingling, or numbness has the same condition—or needs the same type of care.

Not every burning, tingling or numb sensation is necessarily caused by peripheral neuropathy. See how localized nerve problems and peripheral neuropathy can produce similar symptoms—and how their patterns may differ.

Why Numbness, Tingling, or Burning Doesn’t Always Mean Peripheral Neuropathy

Numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, and nerve-like pain are symptoms—not diagnoses. They can occur with peripheral neuropathy, but they can also develop when a nerve is irritated or compressed somewhere along its path.

For example, irritation of a nerve root in the lower back can produce symptoms that travel into the buttock, leg, or foot. A problem involving a nerve root in the neck can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness extending into the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.

Conditions that may produce these types of nerve-related symptoms include:

• Herniated or bulging discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Irritation or compression of a cervical or lumbar nerve root
• Sciatica
• Certain peripheral nerve entrapments

These conditions are not the same thing as peripheral neuropathy. But from the patient’s perspective, the sensations can sometimes feel very similar.

That’s why simply saying “my feet are numb,” “my hand is tingling,” or “I have burning in my leg” doesn’t tell us where the problem is coming from.

The location, distribution, timing, progression, and behavior of the symptoms can provide important clues. Those clues then need to be considered alongside the patient’s history, neurological and physical examination findings, and imaging or additional testing when appropriate.

Sometimes the pattern points more strongly toward peripheral neuropathy. Sometimes it suggests irritation of a specific nerve or spinal nerve root. And sometimes a patient may have more than one problem occurring at the same time.

The goal is not to label every nerve symptom as neuropathy or assume every symptom is coming from the spine. The goal is to determine which explanation best fits the overall clinical picture before deciding what type of care makes sense.

Why the Pattern of Your Symptoms Matters

When evaluating numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness, where the symptoms occur and how they are distributed can provide important clues about which nerves may be involved and where the problem may be coming from.

For example, some forms of peripheral neuropathy—particularly length-dependent neuropathies—often begin gradually in both feet and may progress upward over time. Symptoms can sometimes later involve the hands as well. Patients may describe this as a “stocking” or “stocking-and-glove” pattern.

A spinal nerve-root problem often looks different. Symptoms may travel from the lower back or buttock into one leg or foot, or from the neck into a shoulder, arm, hand, or particular fingers. The pattern may correspond with the area supplied by a particular spinal nerve root.

Other clues can include:

• Whether symptoms affect one side or both sides
• Whether they are relatively symmetrical or noticeably different from side to side
• Whether symptoms remain primarily in the feet or hands or travel from the neck or lower back into an extremity
• Whether certain spinal positions or movements change the symptoms
• Whether pain accompanies the numbness or tingling
• Whether there is measurable weakness, altered sensation, or changes in reflexes
• How the symptoms began and whether they are stable, improving, or progressing

These patterns are useful, but they are not absolute diagnostic rules. Peripheral neuropathy is not always symmetrical, and spinal nerve-root problems do not always follow a perfect textbook pattern. A person can also have peripheral neuropathy and a spinal nerve problem at the same time.

That is why Dr. Venn does not diagnose the source of nerve symptoms from one characteristic alone. The pattern becomes meaningful when it is considered together with the patient’s history, physical and neurological examination, and imaging or additional testing when appropriate.

If you’re trying to understand two of the most common distinctions patients ask us about, we’ve created more detailed guides explaining Sciatica vs. Neuropathy: How Can You Tell the Difference? and Pinched Nerve vs. Neuropathy: How Can You Tell the Difference?

How Spinal Nerve Irritation Can Produce Neuropathy-Like Symptoms

The nerves that travel into your arms and legs ultimately connect back to nerve roots that exit the spinal cord through openings in the spine. When one of these nerve roots becomes irritated or compressed, symptoms can be felt somewhere along the path of that nerve—not necessarily at the spine itself.

For example, a problem involving a nerve root in the lower back may cause pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in the buttock, leg, or foot. A cervical nerve-root problem can produce similar symptoms in the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.

Several spinal conditions can contribute to this type of nerve irritation, including:

• Herniated or bulging discs
• Degenerative disc changes
• Bone spurs and arthritic changes
• Spinal stenosis or narrowing around the areas where nerves travel
• Other structural or mechanical changes that may affect the space available to a nerve root

This is one reason someone may feel numbness or tingling in a hand or foot even though the problem isn’t originating in the hand or foot.

But finding degeneration, disc-space narrowing, or another structural change in the spine does not automatically prove that it is causing the patient’s symptoms. Structural changes are common, particularly as we age. The location of those findings has to make sense when compared with the patient’s symptoms and examination findings.

At Venn Chiropractic, Dr. Venn looks for that correlation: Does what we find in the spine reasonably match where the patient is experiencing symptoms and what we find during the examination?

When those pieces fit together, a spinal or mechanical source becomes more clinically meaningful. When they don’t, additional testing or evaluation for another cause may be necessary.

How Dr. Venn Evaluates Numbness, Tingling, Burning & Weakness

When a patient comes to Venn Chiropractic with numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, or radiating nerve pain, the first question isn’t simply, “How do we treat the symptoms?”

It’s:

“What may actually be causing them?”

Dr. Venn begins with a detailed history. He wants to understand where the symptoms occur, when they began, whether they developed suddenly or gradually, what makes them better or worse, whether they are constant or intermittent, and whether they follow a particular pattern.

He also considers the patient’s medical history, previous injuries, known spinal conditions, medications, and other health factors that could be relevant. If a patient already has previous imaging, laboratory results, or nerve-testing results, those findings may also provide useful information when considered alongside the current examination.

The physical examination then helps Dr. Venn look for objective findings that may support—or challenge—what the symptom pattern initially suggests. Depending on the patient’s presentation, this may include evaluating:

• Sensation and areas of altered feeling
• Muscle strength and areas of weakness
• Reflexes
• Range of motion and how movement affects the symptoms
• Orthopedic and neurological findings
• The spine and surrounding structures
• Whether the findings correspond with the area in which the patient is experiencing symptoms

For example, numbness in a foot accompanied by findings that correspond with a particular lumbar nerve distribution may lead Dr. Venn to investigate a spinal source more closely. A very different pattern—such as gradually developing symptoms affecting both feet without findings that reasonably point toward a particular spinal nerve root—may raise greater concern for peripheral neuropathy or another systemic cause.

Neither pattern by itself makes the diagnosis.

The history, symptom distribution, examination findings, and any relevant imaging or testing have to make sense together.

This is particularly important with numbness and tingling and weakness in an arm or leg, because similar symptoms can arise from very different problems. If the findings suggest that the spine may be contributing, Dr. Venn can investigate that possibility further. If the clinical picture does not reasonably support a mechanical or spinal explanation, additional medical evaluation or testing may be more appropriate.

The goal is to determine whether there is a problem Dr. Venn can reasonably address—and just as importantly, to recognize when the patient’s symptoms may require a different type of evaluation or care.

What Digital X-Rays Can—and Cannot—Tell Us About Nerve Symptoms

When Dr. Venn suspects that the spine may be contributing to numbness, tingling, radiating pain, or weakness, digital X-rays may provide useful structural information.

Depending on the patient’s history and examination findings, X-rays can help evaluate things such as:

• Spinal alignment and structural changes
• Degenerative or arthritic changes
• Bone spurs
• Disc-space narrowing
• Changes in spinal curvature
• Other bony findings that may be relevant to the patient’s symptoms

But there is an important limitation:

An X-ray does not diagnose peripheral neuropathy, directly show the spinal nerves, or directly show most disc herniations.

It also isn’t enough to find degeneration, a narrowed disc space, or another structural abnormality and automatically conclude, “That’s what’s causing the numbness.”

Many structural changes can exist without producing symptoms. The question is whether what appears on the X-ray reasonably correlates with the patient’s history, symptom distribution, and examination findings.

For example, if a patient has symptoms following a particular nerve distribution and the examination suggests involvement of the same region of the spine, structural findings in that area may become more clinically relevant. If the symptoms and examination don’t correspond with the X-ray findings, Dr. Venn may need to consider another explanation.

And sometimes X-rays simply cannot answer the question that needs to be answered.

If additional information about discs, nerve roots, the spinal canal, or other soft tissues is needed, an MRI may be more appropriate. If the concern involves peripheral nerve function or a systemic cause of neuropathy, other testing may be needed instead.

The purpose of imaging is not simply to find abnormalities. It’s to gather information that can be interpreted alongside the rest of the clinical picture.

When MRI, Nerve Testing, Lab Work, or Referral May Be Appropriate

Not every patient with numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness needs advanced testing. In many cases, the history and examination provide enough information to determine the most appropriate next step.

But when the findings are unclear, symptoms are progressing, or Dr. Venn suspects a problem that cannot be adequately evaluated with a physical examination and X-rays alone, additional testing or referral may be appropriate.

Different tests answer different questions.

MRI

An MRI provides information that an X-ray cannot. It can show soft tissues such as spinal discs and provide a much better look at the spinal canal and the relationship between discs, nerve roots, and surrounding structures.

Dr. Venn may recommend that a patient discuss MRI with an appropriate healthcare provider when the symptoms or examination findings suggest that additional information about a disc, nerve root, spinal canal, or another soft-tissue structure could affect the diagnosis or treatment decision.

MRI may also become more important when symptoms are severe or progressing, significant weakness is present, conservative care is not producing the expected response, or the examination raises concern for a condition requiring further evaluation.

EMG and Nerve-Conduction Studies

Electromyography (EMG) and nerve-conduction studies evaluate aspects of nerve and muscle function rather than simply showing anatomy.

Depending on the clinical question, these tests may help distinguish between certain types of peripheral nerve problems, nerve-root involvement, or other neuromuscular conditions.

Dr. Venn does not assume that every patient with tingling or numbness needs an EMG or nerve-conduction study. But when the source of the symptoms remains unclear, or when more information about nerve function could help clarify what is occurring, referral for nerve testing may be appropriate.

Laboratory Testing

When the symptom pattern raises concern for true peripheral neuropathy or another systemic problem, spinal imaging may not answer the most important question.

Medical evaluation and laboratory testing may be appropriate to investigate possible contributors such as blood-sugar abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid or metabolic disorders, or other medical conditions.

The specific tests needed depend on the patient’s history, symptoms, examination findings, medications, and other health factors. When this type of investigation is indicated, Dr. Venn may recommend that the patient follow up with their primary care physician or another appropriate healthcare provider.

Referral Is Sometimes the Right Next Step

The goal of the evaluation isn’t to find a reason for every patient to receive chiropractic treatment.

Sometimes the findings support a mechanical or spinal problem that may be appropriate for conservative care. Sometimes additional information is needed before making that decision. And sometimes the clinical picture points toward a condition that should be evaluated or managed by another healthcare provider.

Knowing when not to treat a problem as a spinal condition is an important part of evaluating nerve-related symptoms.

When Chiropractic, Spinal Decompression & Rehabilitation May Help

If Dr. Venn’s evaluation indicates that a patient’s numbness, tingling, radiating pain, or weakness may be related to a mechanical problem involving the spine or irritation of a spinal nerve root, conservative treatment may be appropriate.

The specific treatment depends on what the examination and imaging show. There is no single “neuropathy treatment” used for every patient.

Gonstead Chiropractic Care

When spinal joint dysfunction or a mechanical problem appears to correspond with the patient’s symptoms and examination findings, Dr. Venn may use Gonstead chiropractic care to address the involved area of the spine.

The Gonstead approach emphasizes a detailed examination and specific adjustments rather than routinely adjusting multiple areas of the spine. Dr. Venn uses the findings from the patient’s history, examination, and imaging when appropriate to determine where an adjustment may be indicated.

For a patient whose nerve-related symptoms appear to have a spinal component, the goal is to improve the mechanical function of the involved area and address factors that may be contributing to nerve irritation.

Spinal Decompression

For selected patients with disc-related problems, degenerative disc changes, or certain forms of spinal nerve-root irritation, spinal decompression may also be incorporated into the treatment plan.

Decompression applies controlled distraction to the spine with the goal of changing mechanical loading through the involved spinal segments and providing a treatment environment that may help reduce irritation associated with certain disc and nerve-root conditions.

It is not appropriate for every patient, and Dr. Venn determines whether decompression makes sense based on the patient’s examination, imaging, health history, and the suspected source of the symptoms.

Corrective Rehabilitation

As symptoms improve, spinal rehabilitation may be used to address strength, mobility, stability, posture, or movement patterns that are relevant to the patient’s condition.

Rehabilitation is individualized rather than assuming every patient with nerve symptoms needs the same exercises. The goal is to support better function and help the patient progress beyond simply reducing symptoms.

Treatment Depends on What Is Actually Being Treated

This distinction is especially important on a neuropathy page.

If a patient’s foot symptoms are being produced or aggravated by lumbar nerve-root irritation associated with a disc problem, for example, treating the mechanical spinal problem may help the symptoms associated with that nerve irritation.

That is very different from claiming that chiropractic care or spinal decompression treats peripheral nerve damage caused by diabetes, chemotherapy, a vitamin deficiency, an autoimmune disorder, or another systemic disease.

When the problem is mechanical, we treat the mechanical problem. When the findings point toward a systemic peripheral neuropathy, that underlying condition requires the appropriate medical evaluation and management.

And sometimes a patient has both.

A person can have peripheral neuropathy and a spinal condition affecting a nerve root at the same time. In those situations, the question becomes which symptoms may reasonably be related to the spinal problem, which may be related to the peripheral neuropathy, and what role—if any—conservative spinal care should play.

Can You Have Peripheral Neuropathy and a Spinal Nerve Problem at the Same Time?

Yes. These conditions are not mutually exclusive.

A patient may have peripheral neuropathy from diabetes, a nutritional deficiency, medication effects, or another systemic cause while also having a disc problem, spinal stenosis, degenerative changes, or another condition affecting a spinal nerve root.

This can make the symptoms more complicated to interpret.

For example, someone with peripheral neuropathy may already experience numbness or burning in both feet. If that person also develops irritation of a lumbar nerve root, they may begin experiencing additional pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in a different distribution.

The presence of diagnosed peripheral neuropathy does not automatically mean that every new nerve-related symptom is coming from the neuropathy. In the same way, finding a spinal abnormality does not mean that every symptom is coming from the spine.

That is why Dr. Venn looks at whether the symptom pattern, neurological findings, physical examination, and imaging reasonably correspond with one another.

When there appears to be a separate mechanical or spinal component, treatment such as Gonstead chiropractic care or spinal decompression may be appropriate for that component of the patient’s condition.

The distinction matters:

Treating a spinal problem in someone who also has peripheral neuropathy is not the same as claiming to treat the underlying peripheral neuropathy itself.

Sometimes the most accurate answer isn’t “neuropathy or a spinal problem.” A patient may have both, and each problem may require a different approach.

A Real Patient Example: When Arm Symptoms Were Coming From the Neck

One reason it’s important to evaluate where nerve-related symptoms may be coming from is that the area where a patient feels the problem is not always where the problem originates.

In one case at Venn Chiropractic, a patient came to our office with severe shoulder pain that extended down the arm into the hand. She also had numbness and tingling in the arm and fingers and had begun noticing weakness in the affected arm.

At first glance, those symptoms could easily focus attention on the shoulder or arm. But Dr. Venn’s examination found that moving her neck reproduced the pain into her shoulder and arm. Her neurological examination also showed changes in sensation and strength that followed a pattern consistent with involvement of a cervical nerve root.

Digital X-rays provided additional structural information about her cervical spine, and the overall findings led Dr. Venn to focus treatment on the cervical problem rather than treating the shoulder as the primary source of her symptoms.

Her care included specific Gonstead chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and rehabilitation. As care progressed, her arm pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness improved along with the neck-related findings.

This case does not mean that everyone with arm tingling or weakness has a problem coming from the neck, nor does one patient’s response predict another patient’s outcome. It illustrates why the location of a symptom alone isn’t enough to determine its source.

You can read the complete case here: Shoulder Pain or a Neck Problem? How a Pinched Nerve Caused Arm Pain, Numbness & Weakness

When Numbness, Tingling or Weakness Needs Medical Attention

Most numbness, tingling, or nerve-related symptoms are not medical emergencies. However, certain symptoms can indicate a more serious neurological or spinal problem and should not simply be treated as routine neuropathy or a pinched nerve.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Urgent or emergency evaluation may be appropriate if numbness, weakness, or other neurological symptoms are accompanied by:

• Sudden weakness or numbness affecting one side of the body
• Facial drooping, difficulty speaking, confusion, or other possible signs of a stroke
• Sudden loss of coordination or inability to walk normally
• New loss of bladder or bowel control
• Numbness in the groin, inner thighs, or “saddle” area
• Rapidly developing paralysis or severe, rapidly progressing weakness
• Neurological symptoms following a significant traumatic injury

Symptoms such as new bowel or bladder dysfunction, saddle-area numbness, and significant leg weakness can occur with severe compression of the nerves in the lower spinal canal and require immediate medical evaluation.

Other Symptoms That Should Be Evaluated Promptly

Medical evaluation may also be appropriate for:

• New or progressively worsening muscle weakness
• Numbness or tingling that is rapidly spreading or worsening
• Increasing difficulty with balance, walking, or coordination
• Unexplained symptoms affecting multiple areas of the body
• Nerve symptoms accompanied by fever, unexplained weight loss, or significant systemic illness
• Symptoms that don’t fit a clear mechanical pattern or raise concern for an underlying medical or neurological condition

Progressive weakness deserves particular attention. Pain and tingling are important symptoms, but a measurable loss of strength can indicate that motor nerve function is being affected and may change how quickly additional testing or referral is needed.

When Dr. Venn’s examination raises concern for a condition outside the appropriate scope of conservative chiropractic care, the priority is getting the patient to the appropriate medical provider or level of care.

What to Expect at Venn Chiropractic

Your first visit begins with a detailed conversation about what you’re experiencing. Dr. Venn will want to understand when the symptoms began, where you feel them, how they have changed over time, and whether certain positions, movements, or activities make them better or worse.

He’ll also review relevant health history, previous injuries, known medical conditions, and any previous imaging, laboratory results, or nerve-testing results you may have.

Next, Dr. Venn performs a physical and neurological examination based on your symptoms. The goal is to look for findings that may help determine whether your numbness, tingling, burning, pain, or weakness appears to have a mechanical or spinal component—or whether another type of evaluation may be needed.

When appropriate, digital X-rays may be taken to evaluate the structure of the spine and look for findings such as degeneration, disc-space narrowing, bone spurs, alignment changes, or other structural factors that may be relevant. As explained above, X-rays are only one part of the evaluation and do not directly diagnose peripheral neuropathy or show the spinal nerves themselves.

After reviewing the findings, Dr. Venn will explain what he believes may be contributing to your symptoms and what he recommends next.

If the findings support a spinal or mechanical problem that is appropriate for conservative care, your recommendations may include Gonstead chiropractic care, spinal decompression, spinal rehabilitation, or a combination based on your individual condition.

If the findings don’t adequately explain the symptoms—or suggest that additional medical evaluation, MRI, laboratory testing, nerve testing, or another type of care may be appropriate—Dr. Venn will discuss that with you as well.

The goal of the first visit isn’t to fit every patient into the same treatment plan. It’s to gather enough information to determine the most appropriate next step.

The Role of Whole Body Vibration in Nerve-Related Care

Dr. Venn may also incorporate Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Therapy as a supportive part of care for patients with neuropathy, sciatica, or other nerve-related symptoms.

During WBV, the patient simply stands on a specialized vibration platform for a prescribed amount of time. There are no exercises performed on the platform. Dr. Venn can adjust the vibration frequency based on the patient, their tolerance, and the goals for using the therapy.

The mechanical vibration provides repeated sensory and muscular stimulation through the lower extremities. Some patients also find the rhythmic vibration relaxing and report that they simply feel better after using it.

For patients with true peripheral neuropathy, however, it’s important to understand what WBV does not do.

Whole Body Vibration does not correct diabetes, a nutritional deficiency, medication toxicity, an autoimmune disorder, or another systemic condition responsible for peripheral nerve damage. Its use as a supportive therapy does not replace appropriate medical evaluation or management of the underlying cause.

When Dr. Venn incorporates WBV, its role is determined by the individual patient’s condition and treatment goals rather than assuming the vibration platform itself is treating the cause of the neuropathy.

Patients interested in learning more about how we use the therapy can visit our Whole Body Vibration Therapy page.

Why Patients Choose Venn Chiropractic

Patients with numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, or radiating nerve pain often come to Venn Chiropractic because they want more than a one-size-fits-all approach to their symptoms.

Dr. Jason Venn has more than 25 years of clinical experience caring for patients with spinal, disc, and nerve-related problems in Frisco. His approach begins with determining whether the findings actually support a mechanical or spinal component before recommending treatment.

A Careful Diagnostic Approach

Similar nerve symptoms can come from very different problems. Dr. Venn considers the patient’s history, symptom pattern, neurological and physical examination findings, and imaging or additional testing when appropriate before deciding what may be contributing to the symptoms.

Specific Gonstead Chiropractic Care

When chiropractic care is appropriate, Dr. Venn uses Gonstead chiropractic to identify and specifically address the areas of spinal dysfunction that correspond with the patient’s examination and clinical findings.

Multiple Conservative Treatment Options

Depending on the condition, care may include chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, spinal rehabilitation, Whole Body Vibration, or an individualized combination of therapies rather than giving every patient the same treatment plan.

Knowing When Another Type of Care Is Needed

Not every case of numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness is a chiropractic problem.

If Dr. Venn’s findings suggest true peripheral neuropathy, another systemic condition, or a problem requiring additional medical evaluation, advanced imaging, laboratory testing, nerve testing, or another healthcare provider, he will recommend the appropriate next step.

More Than 25 Years Serving Frisco

Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center has served the Frisco community since 2000. Over that time, Dr. Venn has evaluated patients with everything from straightforward back and neck problems to more complicated cases involving discs, degeneration, radiating pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.

The goal isn’t to make every nerve symptom fit a chiropractic diagnosis. It’s to determine what the findings support and help the patient take the appropriate next step.

Frequently Asked Questions About Neuropathy

Can chiropractic care cure peripheral neuropathy?

No. Peripheral neuropathy can result from diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, medications, autoimmune conditions, and many other systemic causes. Chiropractic care does not correct those underlying medical conditions or reverse peripheral nerve damage caused by them.

However, some people who believe they have “neuropathy” actually have symptoms caused or influenced by irritation of a spinal nerve root. If the examination indicates that a mechanical or spinal problem is contributing to the symptoms, Gonstead chiropractic care, spinal decompression, or rehabilitation may be appropriate for that component of the condition.

Can a pinched nerve feel like neuropathy?

Yes. A pinched or irritated nerve can cause numbness, tingling, burning, pain, or weakness that may feel similar to peripheral neuropathy.

The difference often becomes clearer by looking at where the symptoms occur, how they are distributed, what changes them, and what is found during the neurological and physical examination. Our guide to Pinched Nerve vs. Neuropathy: How Can You Tell the Difference? explains these differences in greater detail.

Does neuropathy always affect both feet?

No. Peripheral neuropathy can occur in different patterns depending on the nerves involved and the underlying cause.

Some common forms of peripheral neuropathy develop gradually in both feet in a relatively symmetrical pattern, but that is not an absolute rule. This is why symptom distribution can provide useful clues but should not be used by itself to diagnose the source of numbness or tingling.

Can sciatica and peripheral neuropathy occur at the same time?

Yes. A person can have peripheral neuropathy and also develop sciatica from irritation of a lumbar nerve root.

For example, someone may already have relatively symmetrical burning or numbness in both feet from peripheral neuropathy and later develop pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness traveling through one leg because of a separate lumbar nerve problem.

Our guide to Sciatica vs. Neuropathy: How Can You Tell the Difference? explains how these conditions can differ and why the pattern of symptoms matters.

Can spinal decompression help neuropathy symptoms?

It depends on what is producing the symptoms.

Spinal decompression is not a treatment for systemic causes of peripheral neuropathy such as diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, medication toxicity, or autoimmune disease.

However, if the patient’s symptoms are being caused or aggravated by a disc problem or another mechanical condition affecting a spinal nerve root, decompression may be considered as part of treatment for that spinal condition.

This is why determining the likely source of the symptoms comes before deciding whether decompression is appropriate.

When should I see a medical doctor for numbness, tingling, or weakness?

Numbness or tingling that is unexplained, worsening, spreading, or accompanied by progressive weakness should be evaluated.

Seek immediate medical attention for sudden one-sided weakness or numbness, facial drooping or difficulty speaking, new loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the saddle area, rapidly progressing severe weakness, or other sudden neurological changes.

If Dr. Venn’s examination suggests that your symptoms may require laboratory testing, advanced imaging, nerve testing, or evaluation by another healthcare provider, he will recommend the appropriate next step.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Venn
This page was reviewed by Dr. Jason Venn, chiropractor and founder of Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Frisco, Texas. Dr. Venn has been in practice since 2000 and has more than 25 years of clinical experience evaluating and caring for patients with spinal, disc, and nerve-related conditions.

Neuropathy & Nerve Symptoms Frisco TX | Venn Chiropractic and Wellness Center | (972) 668-9200