Neuropathy can affect sensation, movement, balance, sleep, comfort, and confidence. This program gives you a practical framework for protecting yourself, managing common challenges, supporting overall health, and tracking what matters.
A diagnosis tells you what you have. It does not always tell you what to do every day.
These 10 layers focus on the parts of neuropathy care you can work on, monitor, discuss with your healthcare team, and build into everyday life.
This program is educational and supportive. It does not diagnose neuropathy or replace individualized medical care.
Every layer is labeled so you can see what kind of guidance it is.
This page is not an emergency service. Please seek medical evaluation for any of these:
If you have a new, severe, or rapidly worsening symptom, seek appropriate medical attention rather than relying on this self-care tool.
Neuropathy has many possible causes, and much of the exercise research is in diabetic neuropathy. Each layer notes which sources it draws on.
Neuropathy can affect people very differently. Before focusing on improvement, it helps to understand how it is affecting you today.
Clinical evaluation of peripheral neuropathy considers symptom history, pattern, functional impact, neurological findings, and possible causes. The purpose of this self-care layer is not diagnosis. It is to establish a practical personal baseline.
This is not a diagnostic test. Answer six quick questions about how neuropathy affects your everyday life.
Which symptoms affect you most?
Choose all that apply.
Where are symptoms most noticeable?
How much do symptoms interfere with your normal day?
How much do they affect walking or balance confidence?
How much do they affect sleep?
What matters most to improve?
Peripheral neuropathy has many possible causes. Even after diagnosis, it is important that potentially treatable contributors are not overlooked.
Evaluation may include review of glucose status, vitamin B12, thyroid function, metabolic health, medications, alcohol and toxin exposure, family history, and other factors depending on the clinical picture.
This is not a diagnostic tool. Mark whether each area has been reviewed with your healthcare professional.
For each area, choose Reviewed, Not sure, or Not yet. This identifies discussion points only.
If diabetes or prediabetes is part of your health picture, metabolic management is an important part of neuropathy care. If it is not, blood sugar should not automatically become the explanation for your neuropathy.
The 2026 ADA Standards recommend optimizing glucose management to prevent or delay diabetic neuropathy, and it may modestly slow progression in type 2 diabetes. Blood pressure, lipids, and weight management can also help reduce neuropathy risk and progression in diabetes.
Start with one question. If diabetes or prediabetes applies to you, you will answer seven short items about daily habits.
Is diabetes or prediabetes part of your health history?
Think about recent weeks. Choose what is true most of the time.
When protective sensation is reduced, injuries can happen without being noticed. Foot protection is one of the most practical parts of neuropathy self-care.
The ADA recommends comprehensive foot assessment for people with diabetes and identifies loss of protective sensation as a major risk factor for foot ulceration. NIDDK also emphasizes daily foot checks and prompt attention to problems.
A quick check of daily foot habits. Be honest. The goal is to find your next small change.
Which of these are true for you right now?
Check every statement that is true.
Do you currently have any of these?
Leave blank if none apply.
Peripheral neuropathy can affect sensation, balance, gait, and strength. Physical activity can support function, but the right activity depends on your symptoms, foot condition, balance, and overall health.
The 2026 ADA Standards report that exercise interventions may improve diabetic neuropathy symptoms, balance, and functional measures, although the strength of the evidence is low. Recent systematic reviews support potential benefits of exercise and physical rehabilitation for balance and function in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Most of this research comes from people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It may not apply the same way to every cause of neuropathy, so use it as a starting point for a conversation with your healthcare team.
Answer seven questions and get a gentle plan for today that matches how you feel.
Current energy
Balance
Walking ability
Do you have a current foot problem, such as a wound or open sore?
Activity level
Available time
Goal
Burning, tingling, electric sensations, numbness, and neuropathic pain can interfere with sleep, movement, and quality of life.
Neuropathic pain has evidence based treatment options, particularly in painful diabetic neuropathy. Current AAN guidance supports several medication classes, with treatment decisions based on effectiveness, side effects, other health conditions, cost, and patient preferences.
This page does not prescribe medication. This layer helps you learn what to track and what to discuss with your clinician.
Choose what you notice, rate it, and get a short list of questions to bring to your healthcare provider.
Which sensations are you noticing?
Choose all that apply. A rating box appears for each one.
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
Intensity
How often
What time of day is usually hardest?
How much do these sensations limit what you do? (functional impact)
Nutritional deficiencies can contribute to peripheral neuropathy, but taking more supplements is not automatically better.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a recognized, potentially treatable contributor to neuropathy. Excess vitamin B6 from supplements can itself cause sensory neuropathy.
This layer does not offer a supplement protocol or doses. Its purpose is nutrition adequacy, deficiency awareness, and supplement safety.
This looks at overlap and label habits only. It never suggests doses and does not recommend products.
Do you take any of these?
Check everything that applies.
How many of your products contain B vitamins?
Do you know your total daily vitamin B6 intake from supplements?
Do you review labels for duplicate ingredients?
Neuropathic symptoms can be worse at night and may interfere with sleep. Poor sleep can then make daily pain, fatigue, and function harder to manage.
NINDS notes that neuropathic pain can be worse at night and disrupt sleep. The AAN guideline for painful diabetic neuropathy also recommends assessment of concurrent sleep and mood disorders.
Tell us when you wake, how long you want to sleep, and what gets in the way. We will build an evening timeline.
When do you wake, and when do you usually go to bed?
Target sleep duration
What most disrupts your sleep?
How often?
Loss of sensation, weakness, or reduced balance can increase fall risk and make everyday environments more challenging.
NIDDK and NINDS identify balance problems, falls, and walking difficulty as important complications of peripheral neuropathy.
A quick look at your home and your body to find the safest next step.
Home: check what is true
Body: check what is true
Symptoms that deserve review
Check any that you are experiencing. Leave blank if none.
Neuropathy can change slowly. Looking at one difficult day can make it difficult to see the larger pattern.
Tracking symptoms and function can help you recognize trends and communicate clearly with your healthcare team.
Track seven areas on five checkpoint days. Your entries stay in this browser on this device.
For every area, 0 is the best and 10 is the most difficult. Save Day 1 today, then return on Day 7, 14, 21, and 30.
Set your Day 1 baseline
Neuropathy care is not about changing everything overnight. Protect your feet. Move safely. Manage the symptoms that affect you most. Support your health. Track what changes.
And when you want to go deeper, learn more about Peripheral Neuropathy and Dr. McKinney’s approach through the webinar or bring your questions to the Weekly Q&A.