If you’ve been experiencing burning sensations in your feet, unexplained tingling in your hands, or numbness that just won’t go away, you know how frustrating and concerning these symptoms can be. You might have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy—damage to the peripheral nerves that carry signals from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body.
While peripheral neuropathy has many causes—diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, medications, and more—there’s one often-overlooked contributing factor that deserves attention: upper cervical misalignment.
At Desoto Upper Cervical in Southaven, Dr. David Hall and Dr. Troy Reistroffer have seen many patients whose neuropathy symptoms improved when their upper cervical spine was properly aligned. Let me be very clear upfront: upper cervical care is not a cure for peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes, chemotherapy, or other systemic conditions. However, upper cervical misalignment can contribute to or worsen neuropathy symptoms, and addressing this alignment issue can sometimes provide significant relief.
Let me explain how your upper cervical spine connects to nerve health and when upper cervical care might help.
Table of Contents
Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy
Your nervous system has two major parts: the central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system—the vast network of nerves that branch out from your spine to every part of your body, including your hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Peripheral neuropathy occurs when those peripheral nerves are damaged, compressed, or disrupted. When nerves can’t communicate properly, the signals they send get scrambled, creating symptoms like:
Sensory symptoms:
• Tingling or “pins and needles” sensations
• Burning or shooting pain
• Numbness or reduced ability to feel temperature or touch
• Extreme sensitivity to touch
Motor symptoms:
• Muscle weakness or cramping
• Loss of coordination or balance
• Difficulty walking or frequent tripping
Autonomic symptoms:
• Digestive issues
• Dizziness when standing
• Excessive or reduced sweating
• Changes in heart rate or blood pressure
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, more than 20 million Americans have some form of peripheral neuropathy.
Common Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy isn’t a single disease—it’s a symptom that can stem from many underlying conditions:
Diabetes is the most common cause. High blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels that supply nerves with oxygen and nutrients.
Nutritional deficiencies, especially B vitamins (B1, B6, B12) and vitamin E, which are essential for nerve health.
Autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome can cause the immune system to attack nerve tissue.
Medications and toxic exposure, particularly chemotherapy drugs, certain antibiotics, and heavy metals.
Infections including Lyme disease, shingles, HIV, and hepatitis.
Injury or trauma from accidents, falls, or repetitive strain.
And here’s one that’s often missed: spinal misalignment and nerve compression.
The Upper Cervical Connection to Neuropathy Symptoms
Your entire peripheral nervous system is rooted in your spine. Nerves that travel to your hands, arms, feet, and legs all originate from specific spinal levels. The upper cervical spine—specifically your atlas and axis—plays a critical role in nerve health through several mechanisms:
The brainstem connection. Your brainstem sits right at the level of your atlas and axis, and it controls your autonomic nervous system—the part that runs automatically without you thinking about it.
The autonomic nervous system regulates:
• Blood vessel dilation and constriction (affecting circulation to peripheral nerves)
• Blood pressure regulation
• Inflammation responses
• Tissue healing and regeneration
• Nerve sensitivity and pain perception
When your atlas or axis is misaligned, it can create interference with brainstem function, potentially affecting how well your autonomic nervous system regulates these functions. Poor circulation to peripheral nerves, for instance, can worsen neuropathy symptoms or prevent healing.
Cervical nerve root compression. The nerves that supply your arms and hands (the brachial plexus) originate from your cervical spine. Upper cervical misalignment can create abnormal forces throughout your cervical spine, potentially compressing nerve roots at various levels.
This compression can cause:
• Tingling or numbness in hands and arms
• Weakness in upper extremities
• Burning sensations in fingers
• Reduced sensation or coordination
These symptoms mimic or overlap with peripheral neuropathy symptoms, and in some cases, cervical nerve compression is misdiagnosed as neuropathy when it’s actually a structural issue.
Circulation and blood flow. Proper upper cervical alignment supports healthy blood flow throughout the body. Misalignment can affect vascular tone and circulation, potentially reducing blood flow to peripheral nerves that are already compromised by other conditions.
Peripheral nerves need adequate oxygen and nutrients to function and heal. If upper cervical misalignment is reducing circulation, it can make existing neuropathy worse or slow the healing of damaged nerves.
Nervous system stress and inflammation. Upper cervical misalignment creates chronic stress on your nervous system. This stress can increase systemic inflammation, potentially worsening inflammatory conditions that contribute to neuropathy.
The postural cascade. Upper cervical misalignment often creates postural changes—forward head posture, shoulder rounding, spinal curvature. These postural changes can create compression or stretching of nerves throughout your body, including the brachial plexus in your shoulders and median nerve in your wrist (carpal tunnel), contributing to neuropathy-like symptoms in the upper extremities.
When Upper Cervical Care May Help Neuropathy Symptoms
Let me be very clear about realistic expectations. Upper cervical care at Desoto Upper Cervical does not directly treat peripheral neuropathy caused by systemic conditions like diabetes, autoimmune disease, or chemotherapy.
However, upper cervical care may be beneficial when neuropathy symptoms involve or are worsened by:
Cervical nerve root compression. If your neuropathy symptoms are primarily in your upper extremities (hands, arms) and are related to nerve compression in your neck, upper cervical care can address the alignment issues creating that compression.
Circulation issues. If poor circulation is contributing to your neuropathy or preventing healing, improving upper cervical alignment may support better vascular function and blood flow to peripheral nerves.
Autonomic dysfunction. If your neuropathy involves significant autonomic symptoms (blood pressure changes, circulation problems, sweating issues) that might be related to brainstem interference, upper cervical care can optimize brainstem function.
Combination factors. Many patients have neuropathy from one cause (like diabetes) but also have upper cervical misalignment that’s worsening their symptoms or preventing optimal healing. Addressing the upper cervical component while managing the primary condition can improve overall outcomes.
Misdiagnosed nerve compression. Some patients diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy actually have cervical radiculopathy (nerve compression in the neck) that creates similar symptoms. Upper cervical care can be highly effective for these cases.
How Upper Cervical Care at Desoto Upper Cervical Works
At our Southaven clinic, Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer use Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology techniques to precisely correct upper cervical misalignments. Here’s how this may help with neuropathy symptoms:
Reducing nerve compression. When your atlas and axis are properly aligned, abnormal forces throughout your cervical spine often reduce, decreasing compression on cervical nerve roots that supply your arms and hands.
Optimizing brainstem function. Proper upper cervical alignment removes interference with your brainstem, allowing your autonomic nervous system to regulate circulation, inflammation, and healing processes more effectively.
Improving circulation. Better upper cervical alignment often improves vascular function and blood flow, potentially delivering more oxygen and nutrients to compromised peripheral nerves.
Reducing systemic inflammation. When nervous system stress from upper cervical misalignment is removed, systemic inflammation often decreases, which may help with inflammatory components of neuropathy.
Improving posture. Proper upper cervical alignment allows better overall posture, reducing compression on nerves throughout your upper body.
Creating optimal healing conditions. While upper cervical care doesn’t directly repair damaged nerves, it can create the optimal neurological and circulatory conditions for your body’s natural healing processes to work most effectively.
The Gentle, Precise Approach
If you have neuropathy, you might be dealing with nerve pain, heightened sensitivity, or areas of numbness. The last thing you need is aggressive manipulation.
This is where the Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology techniques used at Desoto Upper Cervical are particularly valuable:
Incredibly gentle. These techniques involve no twisting, popping, or forceful manipulation. The corrections are so gentle that many patients are surprised, especially if they’re nervous about being adjusted when they’re already dealing with nerve pain.
Highly precise. Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer use specialized imaging to measure exactly where your atlas or axis is misaligned—down to millimeters and degrees. This precision ensures the correction addresses the specific misalignment contributing to nerve compression or circulatory issues.
Comfortable for sensitive patients. The gentle nature of these techniques makes them particularly appropriate for patients with neuropathy who may have heightened sensitivity or pain.
Being Very Honest About Expectations
This is critically important: upper cervical care is not a cure-all for peripheral neuropathy.
Upper cervical care will NOT cure neuropathy caused by:
• Diabetes (though it may help improve circulation and autonomic function that supports overall management)
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Severe vitamin deficiencies (though you should also address the deficiency)
• Autoimmune diseases attacking nerve tissue
• Advanced nerve damage that’s already occurred
Upper cervical care may provide significant benefit when neuropathy symptoms:
• Are primarily in the upper extremities (hands, arms)
• Involve or are worsened by cervical nerve root compression
• Include significant autonomic components
• Are related to or worsened by poor circulation
• Involve postural components from upper cervical misalignment
• Are actually cervical radiculopathy misdiagnosed as peripheral neuropathy
Upper cervical care works best as part of comprehensive management:
If you have diabetic neuropathy, for instance, proper blood sugar control is essential. Upper cervical care can optimize nervous system function and circulation, but it doesn’t replace medical management of diabetes.
If you have nutritional deficiencies, supplementation is necessary. Upper cervical care can improve how your nervous system functions, but it can’t replace missing vitamins.
During your consultation at Desoto Upper Cervical, Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer will honestly assess whether upper cervical misalignment is contributing to your neuropathy symptoms and what realistic expectations are for your specific situation.
What Patients Experience
Patients with neuropathy symptoms who receive upper cervical care at our Church Rd W location in Southaven often notice:
• Improved circulation—hands and feet feel warmer
• Reduced intensity of burning or tingling sensations
• Better balance and coordination
• Decreased sensitivity to touch
• Improved sleep (less waking from pain or discomfort)
• Better overall energy (autonomic nervous system functioning more efficiently)
• Gradual reduction in pain medication needs
• Improved ability to do daily activities
These improvements typically develop progressively as the upper cervical spine stabilizes and nervous system function optimizes.
The Evaluation Process
If you have peripheral neuropathy and want to explore whether upper cervical misalignment is contributing, here’s what happens during your evaluation:
Comprehensive consultation. Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer will ask detailed questions about:
• Your neuropathy symptoms—where, when, how severe
• What diagnosis you’ve received and from whom
• What testing has been done (nerve conduction studies, bloodwork, imaging)
• What treatments you’ve tried
• Your neck health and any history of injuries
• Other health conditions that might be contributing
Neurological assessment. They’ll evaluate:
• Sensation in your extremities
• Reflexes and muscle strength
• Balance and coordination
• Areas of numbness or heightened sensitivity
• Whether symptoms match patterns of cervical nerve root involvement
Upper cervical examination. A thorough evaluation of your atlas and axis position and how your head sits on your neck.
Specialized imaging. If you’re a candidate for upper cervical care, precise imaging will measure exactly where your atlas or axis is misaligned.
Honest assessment. Your doctor will explain:
• Whether upper cervical misalignment is likely contributing to your symptoms
• What realistic expectations are for improvement
• Whether you should continue with other treatments or specialists
• How upper cervical care fits into your overall neuropathy management
If Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer don’t believe upper cervical care will help your specific neuropathy situation, they’ll tell you directly and help you find appropriate care.
Complementary Strategies
Upper cervical care for neuropathy works best when combined with appropriate medical management and lifestyle measures:
Blood sugar control if you have diabetes—this is absolutely essential and non-negotiable.
Nutritional support including B vitamins, alpha-lipoic acid, and other nutrients that support nerve health. Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer can provide guidance.
Regular movement to improve circulation and prevent muscle atrophy. Even gentle walking can help.
Stress management since stress affects autonomic nervous system function and can worsen symptoms.
Proper sleep position to avoid compressing nerves while you sleep and to protect your upper cervical alignment.
Medical follow-up with your primary care doctor, neurologist, or endocrinologist as appropriate for your underlying condition.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
While upper cervical care can be very helpful for certain neuropathy presentations, some symptoms require urgent medical evaluation:
• Sudden onset of severe neuropathy symptoms
• Rapid progression of weakness
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Severe pain not controlled by any measures
• Symptoms following significant trauma
• Signs of infection with neuropathy symptoms
These could indicate serious conditions requiring immediate medical intervention.
A Comprehensive Approach to Nerve Health
Living with peripheral neuropathy can feel isolating and discouraging, especially when treatments provide only partial relief. Understanding that upper cervical alignment might be contributing to your symptoms—or preventing optimal healing—opens up another avenue for potential improvement.
While upper cervical care is not a miracle cure for peripheral neuropathy, for patients whose symptoms involve cervical nerve compression, circulatory issues, or autonomic dysfunction related to upper cervical misalignment, it can provide meaningful relief and support overall nervous system health.
If you’re dealing with peripheral neuropathy symptoms and want to explore whether upper cervical misalignment is contributing, call Desoto Upper Cervical today at (662) 393-4848 to schedule your consultation with Dr. David Hall or Dr. Troy Reistroffer. We’re located at 1134 Church Rd W, Southaven, MS 38671. During your consultation, we’ll honestly assess whether upper cervical care is appropriate for your specific neuropathy situation and create a personalized plan that complements your other treatments. Our gentle, precise Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology techniques optimize nervous system function from the foundation—your upper cervical spine. Visit www.desotouppercervical.com to learn more about our comprehensive approach to nerve health and whole-body wellness.
Common Questions About Upper Cervical Care and Peripheral Neuropathy
Can upper cervical care cure my diabetic neuropathy?
No, upper cervical care cannot cure diabetic neuropathy. The nerve damage from diabetes is caused by high blood sugar damaging blood vessels that supply nerves. Proper blood sugar control is the essential treatment. However, upper cervical care can optimize autonomic nervous system function and circulation, which may support your overall management of diabetic neuropathy and potentially improve some symptoms. Think of it as addressing one contributing factor while your medical doctor manages the primary cause. Always maintain your diabetes treatment and work closely with your endocrinologist or primary care doctor.
My neuropathy is from chemotherapy. Can upper cervical care help?
Upper cervical care cannot reverse nerve damage caused by chemotherapy drugs. However, if you also have upper cervical misalignment contributing to nerve compression, circulation issues, or autonomic dysfunction, addressing that alignment may provide some symptom relief or support optimal healing conditions for your nervous system. Be very clear with Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer about your chemotherapy history during your consultation so they can give you realistic expectations. In some cases, upper cervical care can help, but it’s not a primary treatment for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
How is upper cervical neuropathy different from peripheral neuropathy?
These aren’t mutually exclusive conditions—they can overlap. Upper cervical issues can cause nerve compression in the neck that creates symptoms in your arms and hands (sometimes called cervical radiculopathy). Peripheral neuropathy is a broader term for nerve damage anywhere in the peripheral nervous system from any cause. Some people diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy actually have cervical nerve root compression from upper cervical misalignment—which upper cervical care can address very effectively. Others have true systemic peripheral neuropathy (like from diabetes) but also have upper cervical misalignment that’s worsening their symptoms.
My doctor says my imaging is normal but I have neuropathy symptoms. Could it be my upper cervical spine?
Possibly. Standard medical imaging (MRI, CT scans) looks for disc herniations, tumors, and other obvious pathology, but it doesn’t measure the precise alignment of your atlas and axis. You could have what looks like a “normal” spine on standard imaging while having an upper cervical misalignment creating nerve compression or circulatory issues. The specialized upper cervical imaging at Desoto Upper Cervical measures alignment with precision that standard medical imaging doesn’t provide. If your symptoms are primarily in your upper extremities and your medical workup is negative, upper cervical evaluation is definitely worth considering.
How long does it take to see improvement in neuropathy symptoms?
This varies tremendously based on the cause and severity of your neuropathy, how long you’ve had it, and how much of your symptoms are related to upper cervical misalignment versus other factors. Some patients notice improved circulation and reduced tingling within a few weeks. Others need several months as their nervous system function optimizes. Nerve healing is slow—nerves regenerate at roughly 1 millimeter per day under ideal conditions. Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer will give you realistic expectations during your consultation at our Southaven clinic based on your specific situation.
Should I stop my neuropathy medications if I start upper cervical care?
Never stop medications without consulting the prescribing doctor. Upper cervical care may reduce your need for medications over time as symptoms improve, but medication changes should be made gradually and under medical supervision. What often happens is that as your upper cervical alignment optimizes and symptoms improve, you and your doctor can work together to potentially reduce medication doses or frequency. Always keep your medical doctor informed about all treatments you’re receiving.
Can upper cervical care prevent my neuropathy from getting worse?
If upper cervical misalignment is contributing to your neuropathy through nerve compression, poor circulation, or autonomic dysfunction, then maintaining proper alignment can certainly help prevent those contributing factors from worsening your condition. However, if your neuropathy is primarily from an underlying condition like diabetes or vitamin deficiency, upper cervical care alone won’t prevent progression—you must address the root cause. The best approach is comprehensive: manage the underlying cause medically while optimizing nervous system function through proper upper cervical alignment.
I have neuropathy in my feet. How can adjusting my neck help my feet?
Great question. Upper cervical care doesn’t directly treat your feet. However, your brainstem (which sits at the level of your atlas and axis) controls your autonomic nervous system, which regulates circulation throughout your entire body—including to your feet. Better autonomic function can mean better circulation to peripheral nerves in your feet. Additionally, if you have systemic neuropathy plus cervical nerve compression creating upper extremity symptoms, addressing the cervical component can reduce your overall symptom burden even if it doesn’t directly fix the foot symptoms. Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer will be honest during your consultation about what they can realistically help with versus what requires other treatment. Call (662) 393-4848 to discuss your specific situation.
