When your feet talk, listen

On Hilton Head, sandal season is almost a sport.

The sun comes out, Harbour Town starts buzzing, the beach fills up, and suddenly everyone is strolling around in flip-flops like they are 25 again. It is a beautiful thing. Until your feet decide to file a complaint.

That is the problem with sandal season. It reveals things. Not just pale toes, questionable tan lines and the occasional overdue pedicure. It also reveals when your feet have not been entirely happy for quite some time.

All winter, people can hide a lot in socks and sneakers. But once the sandals come out, so do the symptoms.

“My feet burn at night.”

“My toes feel numb.”

“Why does it feel like I am walking on marshmallows?”

“I am not dizzy, but I do feel a little wobbly.”

And, of course, the Hilton Head classic: “I figured it was just getting older.”

Maybe. But maybe not.

Sometimes those symptoms may be related to peripheral neuropathy, a condition involving damage or irritation to the nerves that often begins in the feet. It can show up as numbness, tingling, burning, pins-and-needles sensations, unusual sensitivity or trouble with balance. Some people say it feels like their socks are bunched up under their toes even when they are barefoot. Others say it feels like they are walking on hot coals, wet sand or mashed potatoes. None of those are official medical terms, but you get the idea.

Peripheral neuropathy is often associated with diabetes, blood sugar problems, circulation issues, certain medications, injuries and other underlying health concerns. The sneaky part is that it usually does not arrive with fireworks. It tends to creep in quietly, little by little, until one day you are walking through Harbour Town, stepping off a curb or heading down a beach boardwalk and thinking, “Why do I feel so off?”

That balance piece matters. Your feet are constantly sending signals to your brain about where your body is in space. When the nerves are not doing that job well, balance can suffer. That is why some people feel more unsteady in the dark or on uneven ground.

And let us be honest: most people are excellent at ignoring these things. They will play golf, walk the beach, shop all afternoon and smile through dinner while their feet are sending distress signals like tiny nervous smoke alarms.

But burning, tingling, numbness and balance problems are not things to casually blame on age, stress or “sleeping funny.” They are signs worth paying attention to.

The good news is that early action matters. Getting properly evaluated early can help identify what is going on and give you a better chance to respond before symptoms progress further.

So, as sandal season returns to the Lowcountry, listen to your feet. If you are noticing numbness, tingling, burning or balance issues, your feet may be trying to tell you something is not right. It may be time to get checked by a health care provider who can examine you for peripheral neuropathy so you can take action early instead of waiting for it to get worse.

Dr. Kenneth Horup, DC is a Chiropractic Physician at Discover Specific Chiropractic, Certified in Neuropathy.