Why Women Are Often Undiagnosed: Gender Gaps in Neuropathy Detection

Why Women Are Often Undiagnosed: Gender Gaps in Neuropathy Detection

Peripheral neuropathy doesn’t discriminate by gender but diagnosis often does. Women with neuropathy symptoms are frequently overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed, especially in the early stages of the condition.

In the direct-pay setting, this is your chance to lead with clinical accuracy and compassionate care two things many female patients have been denied elsewhere.

The Problem: Gender Bias in Diagnosis

Women experiencing nerve-related symptoms are often told:

• “It’s probably just poor circulation.”

• “You’re stressed, it could be anxiety.”

• “We didn’t see anything on the EMG.”

Meanwhile, they may be living with:

• Burning, tingling, or numbness in the feet or hands

• Hypersensitivity to temperature

• Leg restlessness or nighttime discomfort

• Vague pain that migrates and defies explanation

Because small fiber neuropathy is frequently missed on standard tests, these women are often misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia, anxiety, or even somatic disorders.

What You Can Do as an Independent Physician

The freedom of your direct-pay model gives you the tools and time to correct this pattern.

Steps to Bridge the Diagnostic Gap:

• Screen early in women with autoimmune disease, thyroid issues, or B-vitamin deficiencies

• Listen without assumption, validate symptoms and dig deeper

• Use monofilament, temperature, and vibration tests in women reporting vague discomfort

• Order labs that go beyond the basics: B12, MMA, homocysteine, ANA, thyroid antibodies, fasting insulin

• Recognize the patterns of small fiber neuropathy, especially in women with otherwise “normal” labs

Women are biologically more prone to autoimmune triggers, hormonal shifts, and nutrient depletions, all of which affect nerve health. They deserve nuanced care.

Want to Offer a Safe Haven for Women with Overlooked Nerve Pain?

Reach out for Strategy Session with John Hayes Jr., MD and learn how to implement protocols that uncover, explain, and treat peripheral neuropathy in women without rushing to medication or dismissal.