Peripheral Neuropathy Causes in Seniors: What to Know

Why Are Your Hands and Feet Tingling? Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy

It might start with a little numbness in your toes. Maybe a burning feeling in the soles of your feet at night. Or perhaps you’ve noticed your hands feel clumsy when buttoning a shirt. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and you’re not imagining it.

Peripheral neuropathy causes real, life-disrupting symptoms for an estimated 20 million Americans, and adults over 60 are far more likely to be affected. In fact, research published in the journal Neurology suggests that nearly 10% of people over age 55 experience some form of peripheral neuropathy, with rates climbing even higher after 70.

The good news? Once you understand what’s behind your symptoms, you and your doctor can take meaningful steps to slow, manage, or even reverse the damage. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common peripheral neuropathy causes in seniors, the warning signs to watch for, and practical tips to protect your nerve health starting today.

What Is Peripheral Neuropathy, Exactly?

Let’s keep it simple. Your peripheral nerves are the network of communication lines running from your brain and spinal cord out to every other part of your body — your hands, feet, legs, arms, and organs. When these nerves become damaged or stop working properly, that’s peripheral neuropathy.

Think of it like a phone line with a frayed wire. The signal gets disrupted. Messages between your brain and body become garbled, delayed, or lost entirely. That’s why you might feel tingling, numbness, sharp pain, muscle weakness, or a loss of coordination.

Peripheral neuropathy can affect three types of nerves:

• Sensory nerves — which control what you feel (pain, temperature, touch)
• Motor nerves — which control your muscles and movement
• Autonomic nerves — which control involuntary functions like blood pressure, digestion, and bladder control

Depending on which nerves are involved, your symptoms can vary widely. That’s also why nailing down the cause is so important.

The Top 6 Peripheral Neuropathy Causes in Seniors

While there are over 100 known causes of peripheral neuropathy, certain culprits show up again and again in adults 60 and older. Let’s break down the most common ones.

1. Diabetes (the #1 Cause)

Diabetes is responsible for roughly 60% of all peripheral neuropathy cases. High blood sugar over time damages the small blood vessels that feed your nerves, especially in the feet and legs. This condition, called diabetic neuropathy, affects up to 50% of people with diabetes.

2. Vitamin Deficiencies

Your nerves need specific vitamins to stay healthy. The biggest offenders include Vitamin B12 (essential for nerve function — up to 20% of adults over 60 are deficient), Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and folate. A simple blood test can reveal whether a deficiency is contributing to your symptoms.

3. Medications and Treatments

Chemotherapy drugs are among the most well-known causes of neuropathy, affecting 30–40% of cancer patients. Other medications that may contribute include certain antibiotics, statin drugs, heart and blood pressure medications, and some anti-seizure drugs. Never stop a prescribed medication on your own — talk to your doctor about alternatives.

4. Kidney Disease and Chronic Conditions

When kidneys aren’t filtering waste properly, toxins damage nerves. Other chronic conditions linked to neuropathy include hypothyroidism, autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and liver disease.

5. Alcohol Use

Long-term heavy alcohol consumption is toxic to nerves and affects an estimated 25–66% of chronic alcohol users. Alcohol also interferes with B vitamin absorption, compounding the nerve damage.

6. Idiopathic Neuropathy (Unknown Cause)

In roughly 30% of cases, doctors can’t identify a specific cause — especially common in adults over 60. Regardless of the label, symptoms are real and treatment options are available.

Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

See your doctor if you notice: persistent tingling or numbness in hands or feet, burning or stabbing pain especially at night, unusual sensitivity to touch, muscle weakness or frequent tripping, loss of balance, feeling like you’re wearing gloves or socks when you’re not, or digestive/bladder changes.

Practical Steps to Protect Your Nerve Health

Manage blood sugar carefully, eat a nerve-friendly diet rich in B vitamins, stay physically active, review your medications with your doctor, limit alcohol, take care of your feet daily, and don’t skip regular checkups. Many preventive tests are covered under Medicare’s preventive services.

How Is Peripheral Neuropathy Treated?

Treatment depends on the underlying cause: treating the root cause, pain management with medications like gabapentin or pregabalin, physical therapy to improve balance, and complementary approaches like acupuncture or TENS therapy.

Understanding your Medicare coverage for these treatments matters. Download our free Medicare checklist to navigate your benefits with confidence.