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(718) 998-9899© 2025 Neuro Injury Specialists
We accept most insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare, checks, cash, credit cards, and Care Credit Financing.
(718) 998-9899© 2025 Neuro Injury Specialists
Table of contents
Small fiber peripheral neuropathy is one of the many subtypes of disorders in the peripheral nervous system. It’s also one of the most common. The nerve pain from the condition ranges from mild to extreme. Although it’s sometimes disabling, it’s not life-threatening.
A small fiber peripheral neuropathy affects only the small sensory nerves in the peripheral nervous system. These send information about temperature and pain to your brain, in the central nervous system (CNS). The larger nerves in the CNS have an insulating layer around them that smaller nerves lack. Neuropathy develops when damage occurs to the small nerves. The pain usually begins in the feet but can also develop in other parts of the body.
Small fiber peripheral neuropathy treatment is used to manage the symptoms. One of the most effective treatments is either peripheral nerve stimulation or spinal cord stimulation. The small fiber neuropathy specialists at Neuro Injury Specialists are the premiere peripheral neuropathy doctors serving the New York and New Jersey area. Ask Drs. Mark Cohen and Dmitriy Dvoskin about medications, injections, neurostimulation and nerve blocks.
The reasons people experience small fiber peripheral neuropathy vary from person to person. Older populations are more likely to develop the disorder.
The kinds of things that cause it include:
Of all the causes, the most common condition is diabetic neuropathy. If the reason for the symptoms is identified, it’s possible to reduce or eliminate the problem by treating the underlying condition. But in about a fourth of the cases, the cause is idiopathic, or unknown.
How Do I Know if I Have Small Fiber Peripheral Neuropathy?
People with small fiber neuropathy report a wide range of symptoms. The pain or sensation is commonly felt in the feet but may appear in hands and other parts of the body as well.
Common symptoms include:
Most people report that the sensation or pain worsens while sitting. Often the symptoms are most intense late in the day. On some occasions it can migrate or vary throughout the day.
Your doctor uses a variety of approaches when addressing your nerve pain. It’s important to give a detailed, accurate description of what you’re experiencing. You may even want to keep a written log to document the frequency and severity of your symptoms.
The doctor also needs to know when the symptoms started and if the frequency or intensity has changed since they began. Once you provide the doctor with the details of your nerve pain, several steps are taken to determine a course of action. These steps might include ordering additional tests, especially a nerve conduction test or an EMG.
Other tests include:
Your small fiber neuropathy specialist uses a combination of ways to verify the disorder. Some of the newest research explores other options to screen for small fiber neuropathy, such as skin biopsies or sensory testing.
Medications are typically used to alleviate nerve pain, but spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation are often the best treatments for small fiber neuropathy. New small fiber peripheral neuropathy treatments emerge every year, but how your doctor provides treatment for small fiber neuropathy depends on the underlying cause for the symptoms.
If the cause is treated, the neuropathy improves and the small fibers begin to regrow. One example is if you’re prediabetic. Once a new diet and exercise routine improves blood sugar, the symptoms are reduced or eliminated.
In cases where the cause is unknown, doctors typically use medications, such as:
Other treatments may include cognitive therapy or nerve stimulation. Some people find relief from non-medical therapies like massage or meditation. Often, a combination of treatments is required to effectively alleviate the neuropathy.
Your small fiber neuropathy specialists are experienced in managing your symptoms. The good news is that new treatments for small fiber peripheral neuropathy emerge every year. If you live in the New York or New Jersey areas, contact Neuro Injury Specialists. They have solutions for your nagging nerve pain.
