Peripheral Neuropathy: Causes, Treatments, and What Works Best

When your peripheral neuropathy, damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord that causes pain, numbness, or weakness, often in the hands and feet. Also known as nerve damage, it doesn’t just feel annoying—it can make walking, holding a cup, or sleeping impossible. This isn’t just aging. It’s often tied to diabetes, chemotherapy, alcohol use, or even vitamin deficiencies. And if you’re dealing with it, you’ve probably tried everything from heat packs to over-the-counter painkillers—and still feel the burning, stabbing, or electric shocks in your limbs.

What most people don’t realize is that neuropathic pain, pain caused by damaged or malfunctioning nerves, distinct from ordinary pain like a cut or bruise doesn’t respond to regular pain meds. That’s why drugs like gabapentin, an anticonvulsant that calms overactive nerve signals, commonly used for nerve pain and amitriptyline, an older antidepressant that also blocks pain signals in the nervous system are frontline treatments. They don’t cure the damage, but they can turn down the noise in your nerves. Studies show about 40-50% of people get meaningful relief with these, especially when combined with physical therapy or mirror therapy for cases linked to amputation or trauma.

It’s not just about pills. The root cause matters. If diabetes is driving your neuropathy, controlling blood sugar can slow or even stop progression. If it’s from chemo, your oncologist might adjust your regimen. Alcohol-related nerve damage? Stopping drinking can lead to noticeable improvement in months. And don’t ignore vitamin B12—low levels are a silent culprit in many cases. You can’t fix nerve damage overnight, but you can stop it from getting worse, and that’s half the battle.

What you’ll find below are real, practical reviews on treatments that actually work for peripheral neuropathy. From how gabapentin compares to other nerve pain meds, to why amitriptyline is still used despite its side effects, to how mirror therapy helps people who’ve lost limbs. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and what your doctor might not tell you—because the truth is, most guidelines are written for populations, not your individual pain.