Diabetic Neuropathy

High blood sugar damages nerves through two primary mechanisms: it disrupts the metabolic environment inside nerve cells, and it narrows the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that supply oxygen and nutrients to peripheral nerve fibers. The result is a gradual loss of nerve function that typically begins in the feet and works its way up — a pattern called 'stocking-and-glove' distribution because it mirrors wearing those garments.

Most people with diabetic neuropathy are told to control their blood sugar (correct but incomplete) and offered nerve pain medication to manage symptoms. What that conversation often skips is that the capillary damage to the peripheral nerves is addressable directly — not only through blood sugar control, but through therapies that target circulation and nerve fiber health itself. Red light therapy, for instance, has a well-documented mechanism of action for improving microcirculation to damaged nerves, which is exactly the problem in diabetic neuropathy.

Dr. Logan Swaim, MS, DC has worked extensively with diabetic neuropathy patients. The program begins with a 16-point sensory exam, circulation assessment, and balance testing to establish a clinical baseline. Progress is tracked objectively — not by symptom reports alone, but by measurable changes in sensation and circulation. Blood sugar management remains your primary care physician's domain; our lane is the nerve damage itself.