Integrix Moorhead, MN • Serving Fargo, West Fargo & the Red River Valley
Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Moorhead, MN
Numbness, burning or tingling in your feet or hands? We look for both causes, the metabolic root and the pinched nerve, and treat them together. No drugs, no surgery, no injections.
Do these sound familiar?
Common Signs of Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy means the nerves in your hands, feet or legs are not sending signals the way they should. It often starts in the toes and moves up.
Numbness
Feet or hands feel dull, "asleep," or like you are wearing socks or gloves.
Burning or tingling
Pins and needles, electric jolts, or burning that is often worse at night.
Balance problems
Feeling unsteady in the dark, on stairs or on uneven ground. This raises fall risk.
Weakness
Tripping, trouble gripping, or a foot that slaps the floor.
Touch sensitivity
Bed sheets or socks hurt. Light touch feels too strong.
Cramps and restless legs
Muscle cramps, twitching or an urge to move your legs at night.
Two Problems, Not One: The Metabolic Root and the Pinch Point
Most neuropathy care stops at a pill that quiets the pain signal. That can help you sleep, but it does not ask why the nerve is struggling.
1. The metabolic root. High blood sugar, prediabetes, low vitamin B12, thyroid problems, alcohol and some medicines all starve nerves of what they need. Diabetes is the most common cause, and up to half of people with diabetes develop neuropathy.1 Long-term use of metformin can lower B12, which can cause or worsen nerve symptoms.2
2. The pinch point. A nerve that is already weak is easier to injure. Tight spots at the wrist (carpal tunnel), elbow (cubital tunnel), hip (piriformis) or inside the ankle (tarsal tunnel) can squeeze it further. Doctors call this the "double crush": a nerve stressed in one place becomes more sensitive to pressure in another.5
When both problems are present, fixing only one usually stalls. Our job is to find and work on both.
Common nerve pinch points we check
- Median nerve at the carpal tunnel and forearm: thumb-side hand numbness
- Ulnar nerve at the elbow and wrist: ring and little finger tingling
- Lumbar nerve roots at L4 to S1: leg and foot symptoms that start in the back
- Sciatic nerve at the piriformis: deep buttock pain down the leg
- Peroneal nerve at the outside of the knee: top-of-foot numbness, foot drop
- Tibial nerve at the tarsal tunnel: burning in the sole, often called "diabetic" when it is not only that
Your first visit
How We Evaluate Neuropathy at the Moorhead Clinic
1. Screen and history
A short neuropathy questionnaire based on the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument,6 plus your health history, medicines and symptom timeline.
2. Hands-on exam
Monofilament and tuning-fork sensation tests, reflexes, strength, and entrapment tests at the wrist, elbow, hip, knee and ankle.
3. Balance and movement scan
Kinetisense 3D motion scoring measures balance, gait and side-to-side differences, so we can track change with numbers.
4. Foot scan
A biomechanical foot assessment shows pressure points and arch collapse that load the tibial and peroneal nerves.
5. Labs when needed
A1c, fasting insulin, B12 with methylmalonic acid, folate, vitamin D, thyroid and inflammation markers, billed to insurance when medically needed.
6. Your plan
A written plan that names your main drivers, what we will do in the clinic, what you will do at home, and when we re-test.
Drug-free care
In-Clinic Neuropathy Treatment Options
No drugs, no surgery, no injections. We choose from these based on your exam, and we re-test to keep what works.
CCEP extremity adjusting
Gentle adjustments to the wrist, elbow, hip, knee, ankle and foot joints to take pressure off pinched nerves and restore normal joint motion.
Focused and radial shockwave
Sound-wave pulses aimed at tight, scarred tissue around a nerve. The goal is better blood flow and less pressure. Research in neuropathy is early.
Class 4 laser
High-power light therapy (photobiomodulation) used to calm pain and support tissue healing around irritated nerves.
Soft tissue work (IASTM)
Instrument-assisted work to free up tight bands of muscle and fascia along the nerve path.
Balance and nerve rehab
Step-by-step balance, foot and gait exercises to retrain your nervous system and lower fall risk. Exercise has been shown to improve neuropathy symptoms and nerve fiber health.3
Custom orthotics
Prescription foot orthotics when foot mechanics are loading the nerves in the ankle and sole.
Plus the metabolic side
Your labs guide food, blood sugar, sleep and targeted supplement support, such as B12 when it is low. If you live outside the area or want the deeper functional medicine work, see Functional Medicine for Neuropathy.
Neuropathy Care for Fargo, ND Patients
The clinic is just across the Red River in downtown Moorhead, a 5 to 10 minute drive from most of Fargo. Dr. Bekkum holds licenses in both North Dakota and Minnesota, so Fargo and West Fargo patients can continue follow-up virtually between in-person visits.
We also see patients from Dilworth, Glyndon, Hawley, Horace, Casselton and the wider Red River Valley.
When to Call Your Doctor Right Away
Neuropathy usually comes on slowly. Get medical care the same day if you have:
- Weakness that gets worse over days, or a foot that suddenly drops
- Numbness that spreads quickly up the legs or arms
- New trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in the groin
- A foot sore, blister or color change that is not healing
- Symptoms on one side of the face or body, trouble speaking, or confusion (call 911)
If we find something that needs a medical doctor or specialist, we refer you and share our findings.
The Moorhead Clinic
Integrix Health, LLC
22 6th St N
Moorhead, MN 56560
Serving Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo, Dilworth and the Red River Valley
Phone: 701-347-1968
Hours: Mon to Fri 9:00 to 12:00 and 1:30 to 5:00 (Wed to 6:00)
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a neuropathy specialist near Fargo, ND?
Dr. Paul M. Bekkum, DC, CCEP sees neuropathy patients at 22 6th St N in Moorhead, MN, a 5 to 10 minute drive from most of Fargo and West Fargo. He is licensed in both Minnesota and North Dakota and has 34 years of clinical experience. His CCEP (Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner) training focuses on the arms, legs, hands and feet, which is where most nerve entrapment happens.
Can peripheral neuropathy be treated without medication?
Often, yes, as long as the cause is found. Many people have two problems at once: nerves that are already stressed by blood sugar, low B12 or other metabolic issues, and nerves that are pinched at the wrist, elbow, hip or ankle. We look for both. Care is drug-free, with no surgery and no injections. If you already take medicine for nerve pain, keep taking it and talk to your prescribing doctor before making changes.
What happens at the first neuropathy visit?
We take a full history, then test sensation with a monofilament and a tuning fork, check reflexes, strength and balance, and test common entrapment points like the carpal tunnel and tarsal tunnel. A Kinetisense 3D scan measures your balance and movement. If labs are needed, we order them, and many are covered by insurance when medically needed.
Does insurance cover neuropathy care in Moorhead?
In-clinic exams and many lab tests are billed to insurance when they are medically needed. Coverage depends on your plan. Some services, like certain shockwave or laser sessions, may be self-pay. We go over your options before care starts.
Is shockwave or laser therapy proven for neuropathy?
The research is early but promising. Small studies of shockwave therapy and photobiomodulation (laser) report less pain and better nerve function, but larger trials are still needed. That is why we use them as one part of the plan, alongside joint work, balance training and metabolic support, and we re-test to see if they are helping you.
How long before I notice a change?
It depends on how long the nerves have been irritated and what is driving it. Pinched-nerve symptoms can ease within a few weeks. Nerves damaged by blood sugar or low B12 heal slowly, often over months. We re-check your sensation, balance and symptom scores on a set schedule so you can see the trend.
References
- Pop-Busui R, et al. Diabetic Neuropathy: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(1):136-154. PubMed
- Aroda VR, et al. Long-term Metformin Use and Vitamin B12 Deficiency in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(4):1754-1761. PubMed
- Kluding PM, et al. The effect of exercise on neuropathic symptoms, nerve function, and cutaneous innervation in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. J Diabetes Complications. 2012;26(5):424-429. PubMed
- Upton AR, McComas AJ. The double crush in nerve entrapment syndromes. Lancet. 1973;2(7825):359-362. PubMed
- Feldman EL, et al. A practical two-step quantitative clinical and electrophysiological assessment for the diagnosis and staging of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes Care. 1994;17(11):1281-1289. PubMed
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paul M. Bekkum, DC, CCEP. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.