Neurological Foot Problems in Michigan — When Your Feet Need Both a Podiatrist and a Neurologist

When Your Nervous System and Your Feet Are in Conflict

Numbness, burning, tingling, electric shocks, loss of balance, muscle weakness — when feet send distress signals through the nervous system, you need a team addressing both the neurological cause AND the foot-level effects. At Balance Foot & Ankle, we specialize in the podiatric management of neurologically-driven foot conditions and coordinate with neurologists across Michigan.

Neurological Conditions That Affect the Feet

Peripheral neuropathy (diabetic, idiopathic, chemotherapy-induced) — damage to peripheral nerves causing numbness, tingling, burning, and loss of protective sensation. Lumbar radiculopathy/sciatica — spinal nerve compression producing foot numbness, weakness, and foot drop. Tarsal tunnel syndrome — compression of the tibial nerve at the inner ankle, the foot’s equivalent of carpal tunnel. Morton’s neuroma — nerve compression between metatarsals causing burning and “walking on a marble” sensation. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, multiple sclerosis, CRPS — all have significant foot manifestations requiring podiatric management.

What Podiatry Provides for Neurological Foot Conditions

MLS laser therapy for nerve pain reduction and nerve regeneration support, EMTT for deep nerve stimulation and pain modulation, custom orthotics to protect insensate feet from pressure injury, proper footwear to prevent friction and trauma, wound prevention monitoring, and regular skin and nail integrity assessment.

For Neurologists in Michigan

When your patient has peripheral neuropathy or other neurological conditions affecting the feet, we provide the foot-level management while you manage the systemic cause. You handle the neurology; we protect the feet.

Call (810) 206-1402. Howell and Bloomfield Hills offices.

Neurological Foot Problems in Michigan: Podiatric Management of Nerve-Related Foot Conditions

Neurological foot conditions — those caused by damage, compression, or dysfunction of the peripheral nerves serving the foot and ankle — represent some of the most challenging and functionally impactful problems in podiatric medicine. The foot has more nerve endings per unit area than almost any other part of the body, making nerve pathology there particularly disruptive to daily function. The major categories of neurological foot problems treated at Balance Foot & Ankle in Michigan include: peripheral neuropathy (diffuse nerve damage from diabetes, chemotherapy, or idiopathic causes), nerve entrapment syndromes (tarsal tunnel syndrome, Baxter’s nerve entrapment, interdigital neuritis/Morton’s neuroma), post-traumatic nerve injury, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Each category requires a distinct diagnostic approach and management strategy.

The diagnostic workup for neurological foot problems at Balance Foot & Ankle includes clinical neurological examination (sensory testing with monofilament and tuning fork, reflexes, proprioception assessment), review of relevant prior nerve conduction studies, and when indicated, referral for electrodiagnostic testing (nerve conduction velocity and electromyography) to quantify nerve function. Treatment depends on the specific diagnosis: peripheral neuropathy responds to MLS laser therapy and EMTT in combination with nutritional optimization (alpha-lipoic acid, B12, benfotiamine); nerve entrapment syndromes respond to decompression surgery or targeted injection therapy; CRPS requires multidisciplinary management. Michigan patients with burning, tingling, numbness, or pain in their feet that has not responded to standard treatment should call Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 for a comprehensive neurological foot evaluation at our Howell or Bloomfield Hills office.

Michigan patients with neurological foot conditions benefit from a podiatrist who collaborates actively with neurologists rather than treating in isolation. Balance Foot & Ankle maintains referral relationships with neurological specialists in the Livingston and Oakland county areas for nerve conduction studies, EMG testing, neurology co-management of CRPS and RLS, and spinal imaging interpretation when radicular foot pain is suspected. Our collaborative approach ensures patients with complex neurological foot presentations receive the diagnostic workup their condition requires — rather than being managed for months with treatments appropriate for the wrong diagnosis. Call (810) 206-1402 to schedule a neurological foot evaluation at our Howell or Bloomfield Hills office, where we will establish a clear diagnosis and management plan tailored to your specific condition.

Related Treatment Guides

• Diabetic Foot Care & Neuropathy
• Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain Treatment
• Custom 3D Orthotics
• Sports Foot & Ankle Injury Treatment

Michigan patients experiencing these symptoms are encouraged to call Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 to schedule an evaluation at our Howell office at 4330 E Grand River or our Bloomfield Hills office at 43494 Woodward Ave #208. Same-week appointments are available for most conditions, and our clinical team brings the diagnostic expertise and treatment options needed to address complex foot and ankle presentations that have not responded to prior care. Don’t continue to defer treatment — early evaluation leads to earlier resolution and prevents the complications that years of untreated conditions can cause.

Medical References & Sources

• American Podiatric Medical Association — Patient Education
• American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society — Foot Conditions

Your Board-Certified Podiatrists

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Board-Certified · FACFAS

Dr. Carl Jay, DPM

Board-Certified Podiatrist

Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM

Podiatrist

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a double board-certified podiatrist and foot & ankle surgeon at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Southeast Michigan. With over a decade of clinical experience, he specializes in heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot care, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a member of the APMA and ACFAS, and his patient education content on MichiganFootDoctors.com and YouTube has reached over one million views.