Neuropathy Specialists in Arizona

Where to Get Neuropathy Care in the Phoenix Area

Neurology Associates Neuroscience Center diagnoses and treats peripheral neuropathy at our clinics in Chandler and Mesa. If you're dealing with chronic burning, numbness, or tingling in your hands or feet and haven't gotten a clear answer yet, this page explains what we look for, how we test for it, and how we approach treatment.

What Is Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathic pain is what happens when the peripheral nervous system — the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord — is damaged or malfunctioning. Unlike pain that signals an injury, neuropathic pain comes from the nerves themselves sending faulty signals. It can feel like burning, electric shocks, or hypersensitivity to touch that shouldn't hurt at all.

It's also more common than most people realize. Research estimates that neuropathic pain affects somewhere between 3 and 17 percent of the general population, and many patients live with it for years before getting an accurate diagnosis.

Symptoms That Bring Patients to Us

Most patients who come to us for neuropathy describe some version of the same experience: something feels wrong with their feet, legs, or hands, but it's hard to describe and easy to dismiss. Common presentations include:

Burning or shooting pain that comes on without an obvious trigger. Tingling or a "pins and needles" sensation that doesn't go away. Electric shock-like sensations in the extremities. Numbness or reduced sensation — sometimes patients describe it as walking on cotton. Hypersensitivity to touch, where even light contact is painful. Muscle weakness or balance problems that have gotten worse over time.

If any of these sound familiar, it's worth getting evaluated. Neuropathy has more than 100 known causes, and identifying the right one changes the treatment plan entirely.

How We Diagnose Neuropathy

We start with a thorough neurological examination — assessing muscle strength, reflexes, sensory responses, coordination, and gait. This gives us a baseline picture before any testing begins.

From there, the diagnostic path depends on what we find. Most patients with suspected neuropathy go through nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG), which measure how well electrical signals travel through your nerves and muscles. These are the most direct way to confirm peripheral nerve damage and identify which nerves are affected. Standard NCS/EMG primarily evaluate large nerve fibers, however — so if results are normal but symptoms like burning pain or hypersensitivity to touch persist, we may recommend additional testing such as a skin punch biopsy to measure epidermal nerve fiber density, which can detect small-fiber neuropathy that standard testing misses.

We also run laboratory testing to look for underlying causes — blood sugar and diabetes screening, vitamin B12 levels, thyroid function, autoimmune markers, and inflammatory indicators. Many cases of neuropathy have a treatable root cause that shows up in labs.

When the clinical picture calls for it, we also use imaging. We have on-site MRI capability, which allows us to rule out spinal nerve root compression or structural lesions that can mimic peripheral neuropathy symptoms — particularly when radiculopathy or entrapment is part of the differential.

The goal of the diagnostic process is not just to confirm that neuropathy is present, but to understand why — because that answer drives everything that comes next.

How We Treat Neuropathy

Treatment at Neurology Associates starts with the underlying cause, not just the symptoms. When we can identify and address what's driving the nerve damage — whether that's uncontrolled diabetes, a vitamin deficiency, an autoimmune condition, or something else — we treat that first. Symptom management without addressing the root cause rarely holds long-term.

Depending on what we find, treatment may include medications to reduce neuropathic pain — anticonvulsants, certain antidepressants, and topical agents are commonly used and have a strong evidence base for neuropathic pain specifically. Physical and occupational therapy to rebuild strength, improve coordination, and help patients maintain function in daily life. Lifestyle modifications, particularly for diabetic neuropathy, where blood sugar control is the single most important factor in slowing progression. For patients with more severe or refractory pain, we may consider advanced options including nerve blocks or implantable devices.

We don't use a one-size protocol. What works for diabetic peripheral neuropathy is different from what works for an autoimmune neuropathy or a compression injury, and we treat accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of doctor should I see for neuropathy?

A neurologist is the appropriate specialist for diagnosing and managing peripheral neuropathy. Primary care physicians can identify that something is wrong and order initial labs, but a neurological evaluation — including nerve conduction studies and a full exam — is usually needed to confirm the diagnosis and identify the cause.

How is neuropathy diagnosed?

Diagnosis typically involves a neurological exam, nerve conduction studies, EMG, and bloodwork to look for underlying causes. In some cases imaging is also needed. There's no single test that confirms neuropathy on its own — the picture comes together from multiple sources.

Can neuropathy be reversed?

It depends on the cause. Some types — particularly those caused by B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism, or certain medications — can improve significantly when the underlying problem is treated. Established diabetic peripheral neuropathy is more difficult to reverse, though progression can often be slowed. Early diagnosis gives nerves the best opportunity to recover. We cover this in more depth in our post on whether neuropathy can be reversed.

Can stress cause neuropathy?

Stress isn't considered a direct cause of peripheral neuropathy, but it can worsen neuropathic pain and make underlying conditions like diabetes harder to manage. We go into more detail in our post on stress and neuropathy.

What does neuropathy feel like?

Most patients describe burning, tingling, numbness, or electric shock-like sensations — usually in the feet, legs, or hands. Some experience hypersensitivity to touch. Others notice muscle weakness or balance problems more than pain. Symptoms vary depending on which nerves are affected and what's causing the damage.

Neurology Associates Neuroscience Center treats peripheral neuropathy at our Chandler and Mesa clinics. Contact us to schedule an appointment.