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Neuropathy 101: Part 3 (Real Patients, Real Stories)

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Welcome to Part 3 of our blog, Neuropathy 101. We’ve discussed the signs and symptoms in Part 1, and advanced treatment options in Part 2.

And, of course, we saved the best part for last. If you or someone you love is suffering from neuropathy, the most important thing for you to know is that there is hope. You don’t have to suffer and let neuropathy take over your life.

Today, I want to share with you the stories of three patients who came to see us with different symptoms, frustrations and needs. And after treatment, they are all experiencing the improved quality of life they were hoping for. After practicing for more than 35 years, there is still nothing more rewarding to me than hearing patients come in and tell me how their life has changed for the better since treatment. Here are their stories.

Evelyn’s Story

Symptoms:

“When I came to see Dr. Anderson, I had so much numbness in my feet and it was so painful. My feet hurt so bad by the end of the day, I wasn’t able to wear shoes. I was ready to go stark raving mad. I could only wear sandals and I live in Wyoming. And in the winter, I will tell you I definitely did not want to be wearing sandals,” Evelyn says.

Treatment:

Evelyn had nerve decompression surgery on both legs. This is a 1-hour procedure where we go in surgically to open up the nerves that become compressed in the legs, and cause severe neuropathy symptoms.

Life Today:

Today, Evelyn says, “I have new shoes that I got a year ago and I can finally wear them all day. It was so funny because my husband thought I had gone shopping and bought all new shoes. But, I was just finally able to wear all my own shoes again! At night when I got to bed, I can actually feel the covers with my toes, which I haven’t been able to do in years. I have no pain. I can be so much more active now. I’m ready to go dancing! If you are having problems with your feet, come see him and get the help you need!”

John’s Story

Symptoms:

“Most of my symptoms were occurring on the bottom of my feet. I was having a hard time being active because it took me so long to recover. If I walked about a mile, the balls of my feet would be so sore, it would take a full day just for me to start feeling better,” John says.

Treatment:

John had the ESTIM & MLS Laser treatment we discussed in Part 2 of this blog. Because John’s symptoms were not as severe, our non-surgical treatment options were a good fit for him. The ESTIM treatment is an electrical stimulation therapy, and the laser treatment works on the cellular level. Both treatments work in harmony together to help repair and restore the damaged nerves.

Life Today:

Before he was finished with treatment, John was already reporting significant symptom improvement. “I would say I’m 70-80% better already, and that’s being conservative. I can now walk 2 miles a day, and my feet recover in about an hour. I’m very happy with my results,” John says.

Kelly’s Story

Symptoms:

“I was experiencing a lot of numbness in my feet and struggling with loss of balance. By the end of the day, I was just in excruciating pain. I am on my feet all day at work, and I tried every type of shoe and insole out there, and nothing worked. I don’t really like to take pills, so I didn’t want to get on medication for it, but I really was searching for relief,” Kelly says.

Treatment:

Kelly had nerve decompression surgery on both legs, just like our first patient Evelyn did. This is a great option for many people with severe neuropathy and pain because it’s a minimally-invasive procedure and there is very little down time. Most patients can be up and walking around the day after surgery.

Life Today:

“I don’t dread getting up in the morning anymore. Now I can get through work every day. My heel pain has resolved as well, and my balance is so much better. I feel confident in where I’m stepping and I have that “front to back” feeling of motion that I didn’t have before. I would do the surgery again, in a heartbeat,” Kelly says.

Don’t Give Up

Every day I see patients who come in and they are experiencing incredible results like these. They are back to work, to play and to the activities they love. My desire for you who are reading this is that you would be encouraged to not give up.

Come see us, we can help. To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Chronic Foot Pain: Why Am I Still in Pain?

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It’s never fun to suffer an injury of any kind. There is always the initial pain and limitations. But, what happens when the pain doesn’t go away even when the injury is “healed?”

Does it just need more time? Are you doing something wrong? In many cases, the injuries look completely healed on X-rays or MRI, but the pain continues. So what do you do next?

I’d like to tell you a story about a patient who had just this problem. We will call her Alice.

The Ankle Fracture that “Healed”

Alice is a 32 year-old female patient. She came to see me for severe daily pain in her foot and ankle, which initially started after she fractured her ankle. Alice fell on her ankle and heard/felt a pop. She was evaluated in the ER and properly diagnosed, and subsequently had surgery to repair the fracture. The repair went as planned and after six weeks her X-rays showed a completely healed fracture.

She was then allowed to start walking on it again. That was when her pain really started. After surgery, she had experienced the normal post-op pain, but it wasn’t until she was out of a cast that she began having constant ankle and foot pain that was not relieved by much of anything. It hurt when she walked and it hurt when she didn’t walk. The pain woke her up and kept her awake.

Time to Put on My Detective Hat

Alice was at the end of her rope, and was even considering possible amputation if the pain could not be relieved. With any patient in this much pain, my first impulse was to throw the kitchen sink at her problem to try to find some way of getting her relief. However, in order to help these patients, I know I have to put on my detective hat, do a thorough review of their injury, treatment, and health history, and then put together a step-by-step plan to hone in on the primary cause of the pain.

A Painful Scar

Alice had pain throughout her foot and ankle, but the majority of the constant pain was along the inside of the ankle and down into the foot. This area was so sensitive that any light touch would send pain up and down her leg. She was especially sensitive along a surgical scar from her ankle fracture repair.

She had mentioned this to the surgeon who fixed her ankle and he assumed it was simply a painful scar and would improve with time but instead the pain grew steadily worse. An X-ray showed the screws and plates in the bones did not appear to be causing any problem and the scar itself did not appear thickened or contracted. However, the location of the incision was right over one of the main nerves in the leg, and I considered the possibility that the nerve had been damaged or cut during the fracture repair.

Testing the Theory

A simple way to test this theory was to perform a diagnostic nerve block of the nerve higher up the leg with a long-acting local anesthetic and a small amount of steroid. This will decrease inflammation and reduce sensitivity of the nerve for 2-3 days after the injection.

If the patient’s symptoms significantly improve for a few days after the injection, then it is a good bet that the nerve itself is the source of the pain and not just the messenger. If it only feels better while it is numb, then it’s time to head back to the drawing board. Alice had significant improvement for 3-4 days after the block before the pain returned. This is normal and expected because you can only use this injection for diagnosis, not treatment.

The Source of the Pain

Once we knew the nerve was the source of her pain, it was time for treatment. In this case, I recommended a procedure called a neurectomy of the nerve. This involves making a small incision over the nerve, farther up the leg than the damaged portion. I then locate the nerve, and cut it to shut off the pain signals. It’s kind of like throwing a breaker on an electrical outlet.

Although this might sound drastic, it is a much safer and effective option than other chronic pain management options (opiates or a spinal stimulator for example). For Alice, it worked very well. Once the nerve pain was eliminated, she was finally able to participate in physical therapy to address the other tendon pain and weakness that had developed from how she was compensating for the pain.

Finally, Pain Free

At Alice’s last follow up, she was pain free. She still had a bit of residual limp that will continue to improve with therapy. I present Alice’s story as an example of the complex diagnostic work-up often involved with post-traumatic chronic pain.

No two patients are the same and no two injuries are the same. What worked on one may not work on the other. As a doctor, when I see patients with chronic pain, I have two goals in mind.

1. Identify the primary problem.

2. Do not aggravate the pain any further with unnecessary treatments.

Once we identify the root of the issue, we can then proceed with the appropriate treatment to relieve the patient’s pain.

If you are experiencing chronic injuries or unresolved pain, please come see us! We can help. Come visit your podiatrist in Fort Collins or Broomfield for further consultation.

To learn more about our treatment options, click here.

Book your appointment here. 

Neuropathy 101: Part 2 (Treatment Options)

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In Part 1 of this blog series, we talked about the symptoms, locations and causes of neuropathy. Today, we will discuss the treatment options available. First, I would like to address the approach that many patients experience with conventional medicine. Next, we will talk specifically about our approach, and the treatment options we use that have shown to have a high success rate in patients suffering from neuropathy. Let’s jump in.

The Pharmaceutical Approach

In conventional medicine today, it has become very commonplace to treat neuropathy with medication. I call this the pharmaceutical approach. Medications that are typically prescribed can include Lyrica, Neurontin and Gabapentin.

While these can have some positive impact, the side effects are often what patients struggle with. They can start to feel spacey, and also gain weight. Although the average weight gain is between 10-15 pounds, I have seen some patients gain as much as 40-60 pounds taking these medications. In severe cases, sometimes patients resort to taking narcotics for pain relief, and then there is the risk of opiate addiction.

Is it Coming From Your Back?

The second approach I typically see is that patients have heard the primary cause of their symptoms is coming from their back. They come to us and are often confused. They say, “I went to one doctor and they said my nerves are diseased, and then I went to another doctor and they said it’s coming from my back.”

Many times these patients have been told all they can do is live with it or take medication. If they have been told it’s coming from their back, they might look into chiropractic care, physical therapy, injections, or even surgery.

Our Approach

Our approach is different. We look at the lower limb much like you would look at the upper limb. There are nerve tunnels in the lower extremity that can become compressed or damaged. And the good news is that this gives us the opportunity to reverse the symptoms of neuropathy. Depending on the patient’s exam results and symptoms, we have both surgical and non-surgical treatment options available.

Nerve Decompression Surgery

This is a minimally-invasive, 1-hour procedure. We go in surgically to open up nerve tunnels in the patient’s leg that have become compressed. When we release the pressure from the nerve, patients often see up to 90% improvement from their symptoms. Whether they have diabetic neuropathy, non-diabetic neuropathy, or even chemo-induced neuropathy, we typically see a high success rate with this treatment option. This is also most appropriate for patients with very severe neuropathy symptoms.

ESTIM Treatment

This is a non-surgical treatment option. ESTIM is an electrical stimulation treatment. We use this on the nerves, and send various pulse waves into the anatomy of the leg. This can stimulate the nerves to want to repair themselves. Studies have shown increased nerve repair, and demonstrated how small nerve endings come back to life after ESTIM treatment.

MLS Laser Treatment

This is also a non-surgical treatment option, and it works more on the cellular level. The mitochondria is the “energy-creating” part of your cells. The laser works by targeting the mitochondria specifically in the nerve cells to help repair the damaged nerve tissue.We often use ESTIM and MLS Laser treatment in combination because it can be very effective in providing relief to a patient suffering from nerve pain.

My goal in sharing these treatment options with you is ultimately to instill hope. I find that most patients suffering from severe neuropathy struggle to keep hope alive.

We see patients every day who are finding relief from their neuropathy and nerve pain after years of suffering. In Part 3 of this blog, I will share some of these patient success stories with you. Stay tuned! You don’t want to miss it.

To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here .

Part three of this blog post can be viewed at ‘Real Patient Real Stores‘.

To make an appointment, click here.

Vanessa’s Story: An Answer for RLS

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Vanessa had been suffering from severe Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for many years. Finally, the answer came.

The Diagnosis

“I have dealt with this for many, many years. They diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and put me on medication, including Gabapentin,” Vanessa says.

The medication helped a little, but it wasn’t enough.

“This is something that we see quite frequently,” says Dr. James Anderson, DPM. “Many patients have been put on medication for neuropathy and restless legs, and either it doesn’t help, or they are suffering from unwanted side effects. They come to us looking for hope.”

When You Can’t Fall Asleep

Vanessa’s symptoms were the worst at night. Like many patients struggling with RLS, as soon as she laid down to rest, the feeling of extreme anxiety in her legs and the constant need to get up and move would take over.

“I just couldn’t get to sleep,” Vanessa says. “My legs were tingling and numb, and just felt anxious, like I had to move them. It just didn’t feel right.”

After spending years being awake while everyone else was asleep, Vanessa was looking everywhere for a solution.

Finally, she saw a commercial with Dr. Anderson, DPM, talking about nerve decompression surgery for patients with RLS. “I said, “Yes, thank you!” Vanessa says, remembering the relief she felt.

The Answer

Vanessa came to see Dr. James Anderson, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery.

“This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

He identified three nerve tunnels that were compressed in Vanessa’s legs, the superficial peroneal nerve, common peroneal nerve, and the soleal sling. In the operating room, he used a nerve monitor to verify that the nerve function was improving during her surgery.

Sleeping All Through The Night

Two weeks after surgery, Vanessa came back in for her follow-up appointment and she was all smiles. She didn’t report experiencing any pain after surgery. What she did experience, was the sleep she had been hoping for.

“I fall asleep, and sleep all through the night!” she says. “This has helped me tremendously. Dr. Anderson is awesome!”

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Neuropathy 101: Part 1 (Symptoms, Location, Causes)

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Do you think you or someone you love might have neuropathy? Perhaps you’ve just been diagnosed with it and you are looking for answers.

You’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to talk about neuropathy symptoms, locations, and causes of neuropathy. In Part 2 of this blog, we will talk specifically about treatment options, and share stories of patients who have found hope and relief from their symptoms. Let’s get started.

What are the symptoms?

Patients with neuropathy will usually experience:

  • Pain
  • Burning
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness

These symptoms don’t all need to be present. One person may have a lot of numbness and slight amounts of burning, while another may have numbness and weakness, but no tingling.

So the combination of these symptoms, and the amounts of different symptoms are widely varied. The symptoms may be periodic in the beginning, and then eventually occur 24 hours a day. They may be barely noticeable during the day, but then haunt you by at night by keeping you awake.

The symptoms may have been very mild for many years with very slow progression. Or, you may be experiencing a rapid progression of symptoms getting worse very quickly.

Where do the symptoms occur?

This is  one of the most important things to consider. Many times, I have seen patients who think they are getting neuropathy because they have numbness in one or two toes. Or, maybe it’s in a small area on the side of the foot.

A small location is not common with neuropathy symptoms. To qualify as true neuropathy, symptoms need to be found in a larger area. For example, the entire bottom or top of the foot. Or, in many cases, the top and bottom of the foot, including all the toes.

Symptoms may not be shared equally in both feet and legs. It can occur more in the lower legs than in the feet. In medical school, we were taught that neuropathy occurs in both feet equally. But, I will tell you from years of experience treating patients, this is not what I have seen day to day. What I have seen consistently, is that the symptoms are typically located in larger areas of the foot and leg, usually below the knee.

What causes neuropathy?

Diabetes may be a potential cause of neuropathy, and many people assume that you have to have diabetes to get neuropathy. This is not true. Although a high percentage of patients with diabetes do get neuropathy, we see many who do not have diabetes. Some patients have neuropathy that may have been caused by alcoholism or chemotherapy, and as a result, the nerves have become damaged. Whatever the cause, the locations and symptoms still apply.

Lastly, don’t be confused by the big words thrown around to diagnose neuropathy. You may have heard “peripheral idiopathic polyneuropathy.” Big words yes, but let’s break it down. “Peripheral” means that your symptoms are in the periphery, which means away from the midportion or trunk of your body. “Idiopathic” means from unknown cause. And finally, “polyneuropathy” means in multiple locations. So very simply, this term means that you have neuropathy symptoms away from your midsection, in multiple locations, and they don’t know what caused it.

Neuropathy can be very frustrating and debilitating. I see patients every day who are looking for answers, and the good news is that we can help!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series to learn about treatment, and hear stories of hope.

To learn more about how we treat neuropathy, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Hammertoes 101- Part 2

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Welcome to Hammertoes 101.

In the last blog, we learned all about what a hammertoe is, and about the different types that can occur. For a quick recap, a hammertoe is essentially a bent toe; it is when your toe bends or curls, instead of pointing forward.

There are two types of hammertoes: a mallet toe (when the toe is flexing downward only at the very end of the joint) and a claw toe (when the toe  flexes at both joints). There are also hammertoes that bend and rub against the neighboring toe. Though some hammertoes are worse than others, they all offer a certain degree of pain and discomfort.

Today, you’ll learn about prevention & treatment

Before we delve into preventative measures, it’s important to understand what causes hammertoes. A popular notion is that you can control whether you get a hammertoe or not. This may be true in some cases, which I’ll cover later, but in most situations there is relatively little that can be done.

There are several causes of hammertoes:

  • An imbalance between the tendons that pull the toes up (extensor tendons) and the tendons that pull the toes down (the flexor tendons) can cause the deformity.
  • Neurological conditions such as neuropathy can cause muscle weakness, which in turn may lead to hammertoes.
  • If one toe is abnormally long, a tight fitting shoe may cause it to buckle.
  • Genetics plays a big part. If you have a less than ideal bone structure for the foot type you were born with, you may be predisposed to hammertoes. A very high arched foot may contribute to this problem and the opposite, a very flat foot, may do the same.

Alright, now for the good part.

What can you do to help prevent this pesky ailment?

When the second toe is longer than the first, shoe gear is a consideration. Make sure you fit the shoe to the second toe. It may feel like the shoe is a little loose or big, but it’s much better than scrunching the toe in there, and winding up with a painful hammertoe.

Other than in this instance, shoes can do little to prevent hammertoes, so please don’t feel guilty if you have one, as it’s usually not your fault. As I tell patients, it’s more a function of the parents you chose and the foot you inherited.

But, there’s good news.

How do you treat hammertoes?

Hammertoes, though frustrating and sometimes very painful, can be treated.

If there is a corn present, trimming done professionally (to prevent cutting too deep or injuring the toe) can provide relief especially in the earlier stages.

Hammertoe correction surgery may be necessary to correct the more severe deformities. This is a relatively simple procedure and most patients typically walk the day of surgery in a stiff soled postoperative shoe.

If you are suffering from one or even multiple hammertoes, there is no need to suffer any longer. Come see us and get back to the activities you enjoy and the shoes you’ve missed!

Make an appointment here. 

Hammertoes 101- Part 1

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What are hammertoes?

Hammertoes are the often painful deformities on toes that occur when your toe bends or curls instead of pointing forward and so it rubs against your shoes. You may not realize it, but there are different types of hammertoes. A hammertoe is really just a bent toe. This sounds simple enough, but there is a more to it than this.

There are two types of hammertoes:

  1. If the toe flexes downward only at the very end joint (the joint closest to the toenail) it is called a mallet toe. In a mallet toe, the toe overall is straight. But, the joint closest to the toenail flexes downward causing you to walk on the tip of the toe. This becomes uncomfortable because each toe has a fat pad on the bottom. The toe rests on the fat pad, sort of like the rear end you’re sitting on as you read this. When the toe bends down too much, the tip of the toe is pressed upon, where there is no padding, just skin and bone. This type of hammertoe is the rarest, though it is just as correctable.
  2. If it flexes at both joints in the toe it is called a claw toe. When a claw toe rubs against the shoe, a corn forms on the top of the toe, which often becomes painful.

What causes a hammertoe?

Hammertoes can occur when a toe crowds its neighbor. When you think of a hammertoe, you may envision a toe that is bent and sticks up rubbing against the shoe. However, in many situations, the toe may be deviated towards its neighboring toe. Typically, any of the smaller toes are more likely to drift towards the big toe rather than away from it. When this occurs, frequently not only is the toe hammered, but it is also angulated towards the neighboring toe. One toe rubbing against its neighbor may cause all kinds of problems, such as a blister, open sore, or corns between toes rather than just on the tops of them.

The fifth toe likes to cause problems:

Though all toes can become a hammertoe, the fifth toe is most common. This may be the smallest toe, but it causes the most frequent problems. It can have a hammertoe, with a downward flexion in the joints. But, it can also be twisted so that it rubs against the next toe. This may lead to a corn or sore area on that side of the toe, giving toe number four a sore also. Or, the pain can be on the outside where the knuckle may rub against the shoe. In these situations, with toe number five, surgery is the most common treatment to correct the problem.

So, now you are armed with knowledge about all the different “ins and outs” of hammertoes. What can you do to help prevent and treat them? Stay tuned for part two of this post to find out!

If you have a hammertoe and would like to make an appointment, click here. 

Debra’s Story: Relief from Chronic Pain

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Every patient we see is unique, but unfortunately, many of them come in telling a similar story. They are suffering from chronic pain and are searching for answers. They want to avoid the medications, the spinal injections, and the spinal stimulators that are commonly used for the treatment of chronic pain problems.

At Anderson Center for Nerve Pain, we focus on treating patients with chronic pain or numbness throughout the body due to diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy treatments, trauma or surgery. If your pain or numbness is due to injury or entrapment or compression of one or more peripheral nerves, there is a very high chance that we can help. We utilize one or more of several successful treatment methods, depending on each patient’s needs:

Here’s Debra’s story. Our hope is that if you are suffering today, this will encourage you to not give up.

Everything Looked Good

Debra came to our Fort Collins office from Denver. She had a complex injury to her foot due to a fractured heel. With this type of injury, it is not uncommon for surgery to be indicated to put the heel back in the proper position. This injury will typically present with not one, but multiple fractures. Her X-rays showed screws and plates in the heel bone, and everything looked good.

But She Was Not So Good

Debra was suffering from chronic pain. She had severe burning, tingling, numbness, and throbbing in her foot and into her leg.  She had been referred to a pain clinic and was on narcotics, which were causing her to fall asleep at work. Because the fatigue was so extreme, she was going to bed at 7:00pm, and she felt it was dangerous for her to even drive her children around. The next step for her was to consider a spinal implant for electrical stimulation to help with her pain. Drugs and the implant are common conventional methods to help these patients. She came to me to explore her other options.

New Hope

After examining Debra, it was apparent that a nerve had been damaged from the surgery she had. The surgery was a success in terms of repairing the broken heel, but she was now left with residual pain. A small nerve called the sural nerve that lies on the outside of the ankle became entangled in the scar tissue from the surgery. On her first visit I injected a small amount of local anesthetic with cortisone above the area of nerve damage. She returned several days later and said, “The pain is coming back, but for three days, it was almost completely gone!”

Because of her chronic pain, the doctor had warned her not to contemplate any kind of surgery in the foot or leg, so we did another injection. She came back again and again, and with the same response each time! Eventually after two or three injections to calm this injured nerve, she had faith in what I was suggesting that we do.

The Source of the Pain

So what did we do? Because of the severe amount of damage to the nerve, we made a small incision in her lower leg just above the ankle. Through this incision, we cut the nerve and buried the tip in the muscle. Why the removal? The nerve was the pain generator. Why did we bury the tip in the muscle? This is commonly done to minimize the possibility of the tip of the nerve causing pain. When a nerve is cut, it wants to recreate more nerve tissue and we call this an amputation, or stump neuroma. By burying the nerve in the muscle, it reduces the chance of the area being sensitive to touch.

It is very important to note two things:

  1. The nerve removed does not supply any muscles that could result in weakness. In fact, she should become stronger as she can now use her pain-free leg even more!
  2. The numbness tends to go away as the other remaining nerves will sprout new branches and make up for her numbness. Months later, most patients report minimal numbness.

What We Believe

My message to you is this. If you or someone you love is suffering from chronic pain, please do not give up hope. Maybe you are on medications and struggling with the side effects. Maybe you are suffering from the stress or depression caused by chronic pain.

We believe that the time has come to change the game regarding the approach to helping people suffering from chronic pain. We may be able to address the source of your pain just like we did for Debra.

Don’t wait. Come see us. Click here to make an appointment.

Neuropathy: The Nerve Monitor Epiphany

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I’m sure you’ve had epiphanies in your life. Today, I would like to share one of mine with you. I’ve had those miracle moments with the birth of a child and meeting my wife. But, this was an epiphany for the doctor in me. Something that has truly changed the way I treat patients and how I can see treatment impacting their quality of life in a powerful way.

Nerve Decompression

For several years, I had been performing nerve decompression procedures on patients suffering from neuropathy (burning, tingling, numbness and pain). We believe these symptoms occur because there is too much pressure on the nerve tunnels. We go in surgically and relieve the pressure on these nerves, and many patients report up to 90% symptom relief either immediately, or just days after surgery. This procedure is very similar to those performed on the hand for carpal tunnel syndrome, but no one was really doing this for patients with neuropathy in their legs and feet.

Up until this point, I could see that patients would often have immediate relief of their neuropathy symptoms, but all we had to go on was their experience. They would say, “My numbness is gone, I can feel my feet again, I don’t need my medication anymore.” But, we doctors like to see the proof. And so I was dreaming about a way to show objectively how the nerve function was actually being improved.

And Then It Happened

I was invited to California along with four other doctors, who were also nerve surgeons, to learn about this nerve testing device. This doctor was showing how you could stimulate the nerve before opening up the tunnel and measure how much the muscles contract. Then, you repeat the test after all the pressure on the nerve had been relieved and you can actually see numbers that measure the difference. Wow!

This was confirming what patients had been telling me all along. It finally armed me with a tool to reach more patients suffering from neuropathy.

Proof in the OR

So what does this mean to you as the patient? This is exciting because the surgeon now has a way to monitor the progress of the surgery as it’s happening. Many of you may have a healthy fear of surgery and that’s ok. What the nerve monitor does is provide you with more confidence that the surgeon can optimize your improvement during surgery.

Now every week when I measure the nerve function on a patient before and after surgery, I can see a 20, 30, 70, up to even a 300% improvement! This is so exciting because it validates scientifically that these nerve decompression procedures are truly reversing the nerve damage that has caused the patient to suffer from the symptoms of neuropathy and restless leg syndrome. Also, if the nerve is very unhealthy, we can elect to continuously stimulate the nerve for a couple of minutes, as this may be able to therapeutically repair the nerve.

What It Means For You

Perhaps you are diabetic and suffering from neuropathy. Maybe you have had restless leg syndrome your whole life, and you have never found a solution. You may have had cancer, and been treated with chemotherapy, and now have neuropathy as a result. Maybe you have been perfectly healthy but as you have gotten older, you started to lose feeling in your feet, and began to lose your balance. Maybe you are on medications, and the side effects are bothering you tremendously. Whatever your experience, here are a few benefits that can occur as a result of nerve decompression treatment:

  • Better, more peaceful sleep
  • Elimination or reduction of medication
  • Increased activity levels
  • Improved balance
  • Reduction of falls
  • Reduction of amputation risk
  • Weight reduction
  • Reduction of emotional stress and depression

The intraoperative nerve monitoring concept can give you the confidence to hope for all of the above.

Fast Forward

It takes time for a vision to take shape. Now several years later, with lots of work (and frustration), the first of three research papers has been published. Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel to China and speak to a gathering of 500 international foot and ankle surgeons about my recently published paper on intraoperative nerve monitoring. The paper reports that in diabetic patients with neuropathy, we can measure improvement of nerve function within minutes during surgery.

Flying home, I began to reflect on all of this, and here is what I want you to know. I so appreciate the trust that my patients have given me. My wish is that if you are suffering from restless legs or neuropathy, this would be the one thing that you need to give you a glimmer of hope.

To see patients share their stories of hope, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Reconstructive Foot Surgery: Part 1

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What is reconstructive foot surgery?

“Reconstructive surgery” is a term you may have heard from time to time. This can mean very different things depending on what we are “reconstructing” and why. Reconstructive surgery can correct a condition you were born with like clubfoot or cleft palate. Or, it can correct something that developed due to an injury or chronic condition. Examples of this are arthritis or a deformity caused by injury, neurological condition, etc. These conditions can range in severity from “mild but annoying” to “severe and debilitating” and everywhere in between.

Examples of reconstructive surgery could be something as simple as a correction of a bunion deformity or a hammertoe deformity. In other cases, it could be a more severe deformity, such as a flat foot deformity that may need to be addressed surgically both in the child or in the adult. For others, it could be addressing an arthritic joint surgically. In many situations the option of reconstructive surgery occurs when conservative measures fail and if the symptoms are severe enough to affect a patient’s activity of daily living. One should be properly educated about the potential risks of surgery and consequences of delayed surgery.

It’s important that you as the patient understand why you are going to have the procedure done and what other options are available to you. When treating patients with these issues, our goal is get maximum improvement without needing surgery. when surgery is needed, we’ll advise you and consult with you about the various treatment options that we offer.

If you have questions, please schedule an appointment and come see us for an evaluation. We would love to help you get back on your feet.