Neuropathy: Causes, Symptoms, and Real Ways to Manage Nerve Pain

When your nerves start sending wrong signals—tingling, burning, or numbness in your feet or hands—you’re not just imagining it. This is neuropathy, damage to the peripheral nerves that carry messages between your brain, spinal cord, and the rest of your body. Also known as peripheral neuropathy, it’s not a disease on its own but a symptom of something deeper, like uncontrolled diabetes, vitamin shortages, or even long-term alcohol use. In India, where diabetes is widespread, many people ignore early signs of neuropathy until walking becomes painful or they lose feeling in their toes. That’s when things get serious.

Neuropathy doesn’t just hurt—it disrupts everything. You might trip because you can’t feel the floor, or get a blister without noticing because your skin has gone numb. Some people feel like they’re walking on glass. Others say their hands feel like they’re wrapped in plastic. These aren’t exaggerations. Studies show over 50% of people with type 2 diabetes develop some form of nerve damage within 10 years. And it’s not just diabetics. Chemotherapy, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders like Guillain-Barré, and even certain antibiotics can trigger it too. diabetic neuropathy, the most common type, happens when high blood sugar slowly damages nerves over time. It’s preventable—but only if you catch it early.

What helps? Not just pills. Many think popping painkillers is the answer, but that’s like putting tape over a leaking pipe. You need to fix the source. Controlling blood sugar is step one for diabetics. Eating more B vitamins—especially B12—can help repair nerves. Walking daily, even 20 minutes, improves circulation and reduces pain. Topical creams with capsaicin or lidocaine give temporary relief. Some people find acupuncture useful. And yes, there are medications doctors actually prescribe—pregabalin, gabapentin, duloxetine—but they come with drowsiness and dizziness. The goal isn’t to mask pain, but to stop it from getting worse.

You won’t find magic cures here. But you will find what works in real life—based on what Indian patients and doctors are doing right now. From managing nerve pain without opioids to understanding why your feet go numb after sitting too long, the posts below cover practical steps, common mistakes, and hidden causes you might not know about. Whether you’re dealing with tingling fingers, burning heels, or just tired of being told "it’s just aging," this collection gives you clear, no-fluff answers.