The questions people ask. Answered.
Short answers from Dr. Stenzel.
32 answers. 20 with a video.
Meet the doctor. Learn the basics.
Who is Dr. Stenzel, and what does he do?Video
Dr. Jordan Stenzel is a chiropractor in Mankato and Mapleton, Minnesota.
His focus is peripheral neuropathy.
He looks at neuropathy as a whole-body problem that shows up in the feet. So the plan covers testing, metabolic support and in-clinic therapy, not one single treatment.
What is peripheral neuropathy?Video
It is the set of symptoms caused by damage to the nerves outside your brain and spinal cord.
It shows up in the hands and feet first. Those are farthest from the organs your body protects first.
It is not a foot problem. It is a whole-body problem that shows up in the feet.
What is the difference between the central and peripheral nervous system?
The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system is every nerve outside of those.
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to that second group.
What you feel, and what it means.
Why does neuropathy hurt, and why does it go numb later?Video
Pain is always switched on. Healthy tissue turns down how much of it you notice. Damaged tissue stops doing that.
Tingling and burning mean the nerves are still firing.
Numbness means the signal has started to break. That is a later stage, not a better one.
What are the early warning signs?
Tingling, numbness, or pins and needles in the hands and feet.
Later it can bring burning pain, balance problems and trouble with small tasks like buttons.
Some people notice more fatigue first.
What is often mistaken for peripheral neuropathy?Video
Radiculopathy. That is a pinched nerve root at the spine. Sciatica is the most common kind.
Neuropathy usually shows up on both sides of the body. A pinched nerve usually shows up on one side.
A careful exam tells the two apart.
Where it comes from.
How does diabetes cause nerve damage?Video
Extra glucose a cell cannot use turns into sorbitol.
Sorbitol gets into the coating around the nerve and the small vessels that feed it.
The nerve loses its insulation and its blood supply at the same time.
What causes neuropathy besides diabetes?Video
Diabetes is the most common cause. Chemotherapy is second.
Thyroid disease, long-term B12 deficiency, alcohol, some medications, surgery, vascular disease and spinal compression can all cause it too.
Knowing your cause decides what comes first in your plan.
My neuropathy is not from diabetes. Does this still apply to me?Video
In most cases, yes.
The daily plan is much the same across metabolic causes. What changes is the order and what gets tested first.
The exception is damage inside the brain or spinal cord, like after a stroke. That is not what Dr. Stenzel treats.
Can inflammation cause neuropathy pain?
Yes. Chronic inflammation can damage nerves and the tissue around them.
It also competes with repair. Calming it is part of clearing the road for the nerve.
What nerves need to recover.
What do damaged nerves need in order to heal?Video
Six things: the right food, oxygen, stimulation, healthy surrounding tissue, neurotrophic factors and working mitochondria.
Take away any one and the nerve cannot rebuild.
Most treatment covers one or two. That is why it stalls.
Can peripheral nerves recover?Video
Often, yes. Peripheral nerves can regrow.
How much depends on the cause, how long it has been going on, and what is happening in the body underneath.
Dr. Stenzel will tell you straight what he sees in yours.
How long does it take to heal nerve damage?Video
Nerves regrow about one millimeter a day in good conditions.
Real change usually starts at three to six months, once the cause and the basics are both being handled.
Full recovery, where it happens, often takes nine to eighteen months.
I have had neuropathy for years. Is it too late?
A long history makes a full recovery less likely. It does not rule out real improvement.
People with five to ten years of neuropathy can still see meaningful change when the cause and the foundation are addressed.
Why was I told my neuropathy is permanent?
"Permanent" often means there is no medication that fixes it.
That is true for most drugs. It is not the same as saying nerves cannot repair under different conditions.
What the clinic uses, and why.
What is red light therapy doing for my nerves?Video
Red light pushes up the output of your mitochondria, the engines inside each cell.
That extra energy is what pays for nerve repair.
It only works at the right wavelengths with enough power behind it. That is where most home devices fall short.
What is PEMF, and what is it for?Video
PEMF is pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.
It helps circulation and how cells work. That covers two of the six things a nerve needs: oxygen and healthy tissue.
It is used alongside the metabolic work, not instead of it.
What does electrical stimulation do?Video
It works directly on the nerve signal.
A nerve that is never asked to fire has no reason to rebuild. Stimulation asks it.
It is one input of six, not a treatment on its own.
What is shockwave therapy, and when is it used?Video
Shockwave uses sound pressure waves to restart healing in tissue that has stopped repairing.
It brings blood flow in and helps new vessels grow around the nerve.
It is used where circulation is the limit, often in the lower leg and foot.
Which supplements help nerve repair?Video
The ones with the clearest reasons are L-arginine, B12, omega-3s, vitamin D and superoxide dismutase.
Which ones matter for you depends on your labs.
Treat them as a starting point to discuss with a provider.
What supports the immune side of this?Video
Chronic inflammation and a strained immune system make nerve repair harder. Many people with neuropathy have both.
Supporting that side is what lets the nerve work land.
What is NAD+, and why does it keep coming up?Video
NAD+ helps your cells repair DNA, process glucose and run the mitochondria. Those three fail together in neuropathy.
Levels drop sharply after about 55.
The molecule cannot get into the cell on its own, so people take a precursor like NMN or NR.
What is the best treatment for neuropathy without medication?
It depends on the cause.
The foundation is the same: nerve nutrition, mitochondria and NAD+, plus the specific driver, like glucose, B12 or inflammation.
Medication can help with symptoms. It does not fix the cause of the injury.
Can chiropractic care help peripheral neuropathy?Video
Yes, as part of a bigger plan.
Chiropractic handles the mechanical side. Nutrition, metabolic and mitochondrial support handle the rest.
Together they give a foundation-first approach that puts the cause before the prescription pad.
I am on gabapentin. How do I come off it?
Do not stop gabapentin on your own.
Talk with the provider who prescribed it. Dr. Stenzel can help you know what to ask.
Day to day.
Is walking good for neuropathy?Video
Yes. Movement brings food, oxygen and stimulation to your nerves.
If balance is a worry, a recumbent bike, swimming or seated exercise gives the same benefit with less fall risk.
What is the life expectancy of someone with neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy itself does not shorten life when it is well managed.
The risks come from complications like foot wounds, infections and falls.
Catching it early and caring for your feet every day makes the difference.
How is peripheral neuropathy confirmed?
A full health history and an exam of sensation, strength and reflexes.
Nerve conduction studies and EMG can confirm nerve damage.
Blood work looks for causes like diabetes, vitamin levels and thyroid.
What will a neurologist do for peripheral neuropathy?
Confirm the diagnosis with an exam and nerve tests.
Look for the cause with blood work and your history.
Then treat the root condition and manage symptoms.
Your first steps with Dr. Stenzel.
How do I get tested if I do not live near you?
The best first test is intracellular NAD+.
It ships to your home. It is a simple finger prick.
Knowing your baseline is what turns guessing into a real plan.
What happens at my first visit?
The first job is finding which type of neuropathy you have. That decides everything after.
Dr. Stenzel will tell you straight whether his approach is a fit for you.
Program length and cost depend on your plan. The clinic will walk you through both.
Who is this approach not for?Video
Neuropathy from damage inside the brain or spinal cord, like after a stroke or from a tumor.
Dr. Stenzel will be clear with you if that is what he sees.
Full articles from Dr. Stenzel.
- Can Peripheral Neuropathy Be Reversed?→
- Can Neuropathy Go Away?→
- What Is the Life Expectancy of Someone with Neuropathy?→
- What Is the Most Common Cause of Peripheral Neuropathy?→
- Understanding the Causes and Risk Factors of Peripheral Neuropathy→
- What Is the Most Successful Treatment for Neuropathy?→
- What Can Be Done for Peripheral Neuropathy?→
- 5 Things You Can Do at Home for Peripheral Neuropathy→
- The Do’s and Don’ts of Peripheral Neuropathy→
- 5 Questions to Ask Before You Start Any Neuropathy Program→
- Beyond Gabapentin: The Cellular Root Cause of Peripheral Neuropathy→
- The Silent Starvation: GLP-1s and Your Nerves→
- From NAD⁺ Crisis to Neuropathy: GLP-1 Agonists→
Not sure where you stand?
Take the Nerve Check. It takes a few minutes.
Or talk 1:1 with Dr. Stenzel from home.