Book Now

Tag: diabetic neuropathy

Why You’re Not Hearing How Diabetic Neuropathy Can Be Reversed!

Posted on by admin

treatment for diabetic neuropathy

For many suffering from diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the information in this blog may be the most important you need to know when seeking treatment. We will discuss the basics of diabetic neuropathy and the conventional treatment options. However, you’ll learn how it’s reversible and we will contrast how centralized medicine continues with the same old dogma that you cannot reverse it. So, consider the other option I’ll be explaining. I will explain why I consider myself and my colleagues decentralized doctors, so you’ll better understand why centralized medicine keeps this information from you.  You’ll also get access to research to prove my claim.

Approximately 50-70 percent of those suffering from diabetes will develop neuropathy. The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy will be burning, tingling numbness, and sometimes weakness in the feet and may extend above the ankles into the lower legs. The challenge is that as you lose sensation it will put you at greater risk of an amputation, the most concerning complication of diabetes.

With the nerves that control sensation your ability to feel a sore, like a callous, will be diminished. That callous may become deep, breaking down the skin and resulting in an ulcer. Then an infection may start with infection getting into bone and an amputation of a toe or portion of the foot may be necessary. Because of this risk people with diabetes are more at risk of early death from this amputation risk. The autonomic nervous system may also be damaged with diabetes. This may affect the heart, bladder, sweat glands, and sexual function.

Types of diabetic neuropathy

  • Small fiber disease– This is a common type of neuropathy and this term is used to describe nerve damage to the small nerve fibers that lie right beneath the skin. By taking a biopsy of the skin, the number of nerve endings can be counted to see how many are dying. Small fiber disease will cause burning tingling and numbness as the nerve endings die.
  • Large fiber disease – This may also occur but is not frequently talked about. This is nerve damage from compression. The compression is coming from nerve tunnels that become too tight. Carpel tunnel syndrome would be an example of this.
  • Type one and type two diabetes – You’ll commonly hear these terms and it’s important to know what they mean. Type 2 diabetes is most common and affects people later in life. The pancreas still makes insulin but in smaller amounts. Type 1 diabetes refers to diabetes that starts at a young age and the pancreas does not produce insulin.

Conventional treatments for diabetic neuropathy

Treatments are the following

  • Control diabetes – It is thought that controlling your blood sugar levels will be less damaging to the nerves and therefore the progression of neuropathy may be reduced. By controlling risk factors such as too much sugar and carbohydrate intake glucose levels can be better controlled.
  • Medications– medications such as Lyrica and Gabapentin are commonly recommended to control the symptoms as they become more severe. These drugs may have a positive effect on the burning tingling and numbness symptoms. In rare instances, narcotics may also be prescribed.
  • Medications for controlling blood sugar levels – These can vary depending on the type of diabetes you have and by controlling sugar levels less damage to the nerves may take place.
  • Exercise – this may improve blood flow. Also, it may help the body’s metabolism to control high blood sugars and have a positive effect on the health of the nerves. The blood vessels that supply the nerves may be better able to keep the nerves healthy. It will also reduce risk factors such as weight and high blood pressure.

Here’s what you’re being told about your diabetic neuropathy.

It’s not reversible and if you have it it’s from metabolic issues. The high glucose levels are detrimental to the nerves so the primary solution is medication to help with the symptoms. This is the centralized medical recommendation. Most of healthcare has bought into this narrative. It begins in medical schools with training of doctors to prescribe these drugs and also with the millions of dollars spent by big pharma to promote to the public. Understand the centralized concept is that big pharma along with government agencies fund the research that we fund through our taxes and then promote to you and doctors. No wonder that’s all you’re hearing.

The other new option for diabetics with neuropathy

Surgical reversal of your diabetic neuropathy. Yes, surgery can reverse your diabetic neuropathy.

The basics of nerve decompression for diabetic neuropathy.

When your blood sugars are higher than normal, glucose is broken down by another metabolic pathway called the polyol pathway. In this process, a sugar molecule called sorbitol is created. The sorbitol molecule then gets into the peripheral nerves and attracts water to the nerves. As more water is absorbed into the nerve it will swell as much as forty percent. The swelling of the nerve then creates compression on the nerve as it travels through nerve tunnels. This is why carpal tunnel syndrome is much more common in diabetics. This argument has been around for over twenty years. This information is coming from decentralized doctors like me. No drug company has funded my research, it is there to be read by all doctors and the public.

Objective research to prove that diabetic neuropathy is reversible. Me and my team of doctors have published two papers providing objective evidence of diabetic neuropathy. Two attempts were made to present this at the national meeting of the American diabetic association, and we were turned down. I was innocent enough to think we would be accepted with open arms. Obviously, there is another agenda.

The basics of our research. Patients with severe diabetic neuropathy underwent nerve decompression surgery to remove pressure on the nerves in the lower extremity. Intraoperative EMG studies were done before and then immediately after the nerve tunnel had been opened and decompressed. To do the test needle electrodes were placed in the muscle that the nerve supplied to measure how much the nerve caused the muscle to contract before and after the nerve tunnel was opened. Some patients had up to 300 percent change in this number. Again, this is objected data supplied by a machine used to measure nerve function. So, it is indisputable evidence and helps with understanding the relation to finding the right treatment for diabetic neuropathy.  Here are the two studies.

Acute Improvement in Intraoperative EMG Following Common Fibular Nerve Decompression in Patients with Symptomatic Diabetic Sensorimotor Peripheral Neuropathy: 1. EMG Results 

Acute Improvement in Intraoperative EMG During Common Fibular Nerve Decompression in Patients with Symptomatic Diabetic Sensorimotor Peripheral Neuropathy: EMG and Clinical Attribute interrelations 

Since those two studies were done there is even more research to show that patients undergoing these procedures for treatment of their diabetic neuropathy have significantly reduced the potential for an ampuation. A study by Dr. Zhang in china reports emg nerve testing before and after surgery. 1

Dr. Zhang and Dr. Anderson - Nerve Monitoring for the treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy
Dr. Zhang and Dr. Anderson – Nerve Monitoring for the treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy

Amputation costs to the healthcare system can be a minimum of 80,000 dollars. Besides the monetary price, there is the cost of human life as once a limb is amputated life span is significantly reduced.

So if the centralized medical dogma could be shifted fewer drugs would be sold, fewer patients would need to go to wound care centers where many centralized medical products are used. You’re not hearing the option because if you’re a diabetic patient that is conscientious about your diabetic condition you are consulting with your doctors who manage your condition. Yet they are slow to change and have continued with the medical dogma of centralized medicine. As a peripheral nerve surgeon myself and my colleagues have patients coming to us that refuse to accept the status quo. Sadly, for new concepts to get traction and be fully accepted by the masses it takes a lot of capital.

Doctors have to be monetized so that the services we offer have a positive effect on a company or industry that collaborates with us to move the new concept forward. They win, the doctors win and so do the patients. So this relationship does not exist for doctors that do what me and my colleagues do for the treatment for diabetic neuropathy. As of yet there is no such relationship with an industry with big pockets to promote and further research what we do.  Yes, for many the drugs that are used are helpful at reducing the symptoms. However they also allow for the deterioration of the nerves  to continue and the risk of amputations go up!  If you’d like to learn more about someone in your area who is trained as a peripheral nerve surgeon, please go the Association of Extremity Nerve surgeons website.

Call us today at our Fort Collins location (970) 484-4620, Broomfield location (720) 259-5053 or use our online scheduling system to book your appointment.

References

1 Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of multiple lower-extremity nerve decompression in diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Zhang W, Zhong W, Yang M, Shi J, Guowei L, Ma Q. Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of multiple lower-extremity nerve decompression in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Br J Neurosurg. 2013 Dec;27(6):795-9. doi: 10.3109/02688697.2013.798854. Epub 2013 May 29. PMID: 23713665.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23713665/

Does healthcare have it wrong when it comes to chronic nerve pain?

Posted on by admin

chronic-nerve-pain-apcOpiate Addiction

Chronic nerve pain is a very common problem and maybe dangerous because of the overuse of narcotics and the potential for opioid addiction. And as you may have heard in the news approximately 80,000 – 90,000 people have died from drug overdoses annually in recent years. Chronic pain is becoming a big health crisis in this country. The purpose of this blog is to help you challenge what you’ve been told about chronic nerve pain and look at a new approach that gives you hope for a permanent solution.

First, what is nerve pain?

Nerve pain is commonly referred to as neuropathic pain. The symptoms of neuropathic pain include burning, tingling, numbness, and sharp stabbing pain. These nerve pain symptoms may make activities difficult because of pain or lack of balance from numbness. Numbness can cause an additional risk as the pain signals that normally go to the brain from the foot may not warn of a sore or injury because of damage to the nerves. For many, sleeping may be difficult as even sheets touching your skin may be painful. The nervous system can be divided into two areas. The central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system which includes nerves traveling into the arms and legs. When talking about neuropathic pain, we’re referring to pain in the peripheral nervous system. In the lower extremity, this includes the nerves that extend from the spinal cord down into the legs and feet. Nerve pain can be from various causes. Neuropathy is one of the most common. Neuropathy can be caused by diabetes diabetic neuropathy, from unknown causes idiopathic neuropathy , or related to other causes such as alcoholism, toxins, chemotherapy, and autoimmune disease. Chronic nerve pain may also be caused by injuries such as a fracture, a severe sprain, or even surgery. This is commonly referred to as regional pain syndrome. But the symptoms for all of these can be very similar in terms of how they present.

The conventional approach

The medical advice many patients are hearing can be divided into two categories.

Live with your pain or take drugs – For many, the pain treatment includes taking pain medications such as Lyrica or Gabapentin. In severe cases, narcotics may be recommended. These medications may help with the symptoms but do nothing to get at the cause. Many patients are told they have no other choice. So, whether it’s called neuropathy or chronic regional pain the treatments may be similar. Lyrica and Gabapentin have side effects that include weight gain and narcotics have the risk of addiction or overdose. So, the options you’ll hear are to live with it or take the medication.

Treat your back to help the symptoms in your feet and legs – Other patients are told that the neuropathic pain is from the back. Treatments are then offered that may include chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, or injections in the back. For others, it may even include back surgery or placing a nerve stimulator in the back. Again, the healthcare community including neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors, physical therapists are all trained to look at the back. Very few are well trained in the evaluation of the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremity.

So, if it’s not metabolic and treated with medication or it’s not from the back and treatment is focused on the wrong source what’s another option?
The peripheral nervous system!

How do we treat neuropathic pain?

Treating the root cause of a problem, avoiding opioid addiction

The conventional medicine approach I just described could be considered as blowing on the smoke but not putting out the fire of nerve pain. As a peripheral nerve surgeon, I deal with patients that have chronic pain and various types of neuropathies and for many patients, the problem isn’t what we used to think it was. For some chronic pain can be from damage to nerves from trauma or from surgery. The pain from these nerves can be blocked by the removal of the damaged nerve branch in many cases. Surgery on the back, nerve stimulators in the back, and injections in the back can be avoided. This approach offers a better chance for permanent resolution. In the case of neuropathy, whether it’s diabetic or non-diabetic, it could be from tunnels that have become tight.

Research to support that diabetic neuropathy is reversible

We now know that the diabetic nerve will swell because of a sugar molecule that resides in the nerve tissues attracting water to the nerve. Because the nerve is swollen, it will now be subject to more pressure when it passes through nerve tunnel such a s the carpal tunnel in the hand. One study has shown this change of dimension in the similar tunnel in the foot, the tarsal tunnel.  [1] The research that I’ve done includes two studies that give objective evidence with EMG testing of the diabetic nerves before and after the nerve tunnels are opened in surgery that the nerves are now functioning better. Larger impulses from the stimulated nerve go into the muscles that the nerve supplies after surgery compared to before the tunnel was opened. For many, there is at least an 80 chance of reversal of diabetic neuropathy symptoms. [2] [3]
There are other studies to support this concept. [4] [5] [6] Therefore the neuropathy you’ve been suffering from may be from compression in multiple nerve tunnels in the lower extremity much like the carpal tunnel in the hand.
So, if you’ve been told that it’s irreversible because it’s metabolic this may not be true. Yes, diabetes does affect the health of the nerves as do other metabolic problems, but there can also be an issue with nerve compression in tight nerve tunnels that is the cause. Why haven’t you heard this? This information is being drowned out by marketing. As an example, $272 million dollars were spent in 2018 to market one drug alone, Lyrica. [7]

The new way of looking at Chronic nerve pain- A solution to opioid addiction

Because of this new approach, many are looking for a peripheral nerve surgeon as another option. The treatments may include other non-surgical treatments. However, the focus of the treatment is to deal with the area of compression or nerve injury and by doing so, we are much more likely to have a long-lasting and possibly permanent effect on the patient’s chronic pain. This is important to know because the opioid crisis is almost at an epidemic proportion.

This information should challenge what you’ve been told about your chronic nerve pain. Hopefully, you’ll look deeper at this novel approach and judge for yourself. Armed with this information maybe you or someone you know can be saved from the potential risk of medicating your nerve pain. If you’ve been hiding in the bushes waiting for another option, please give us a call.

References

[1] Dauphinee: www.aens.us/images/aens/Lee-Dauphinee-2005.pdf

[2] Anderson: NIM Study Published

[3] Anderson: https://ur.booksc.eu/book/82143501/aa3266

[4] Zhang: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0032-1320029

[5] Zhang: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=surgical+decompression+of+painful+diabetic+neuropathy+zhang+clinical+efficacy&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

[6] Dellon: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15566708/

[7] Fierce: https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/kantar-tallies-6-5-billion-for-pharma-ad-spending-2018-abbvie-humira-ranks-as-top

Diabetic Foot Care: Important Steps to Follow.

Posted on by admin

Do you have questions about diabetic foot care? Read this to know more!

Diabetes can be profoundly serious for your feet. In this blog, I will explain what you need to know about diabetic foot care. But before we get started on a list of things to keep in mind, it’s important to remember three basic principles about your feet. Understanding the following will give you better clarity regarding your diabetic feet and what’s important to consider.

Three ways diabetes affects your feet.

  1. The nervous system – If you have diabetes there is a 50-70 percent chance you will have neuropathy. Diabetes can cause nerve damage especially in the feet and lower extremity. This will result in the symptoms of burning tingling and numbness in the feet. Because of numbness problems such corns and calluses may not be felt. At first the idea of numbness in the feet may not seem that bad because it might prevent you from feeling pain but that’s where the problem lies. This prevents the warning signs of pain that can be associated with an ingrown nail, a cut or blister. Quite common and serious issues occur with callouses on the bottom of the foot. With no pain the callous may eventually break down the skin causing an ulcer. Once the skin has broken open from the ulcer an infection is likely, and this can eventually get into bone. Once this occurs an amputation is more likely,so without the nervous system giving a warning in the form of pain problems such as corns, calluses, blisters and ingrown nails become more serious.
  2. Circulatory system – It’s also known with diabetes that you have a higher propensity to have decreased blood flow to the lower extremity, especially the feet. When this happens, if there is any kind of cut or problem with the foot it may be harder to heal properly. It should also be emphasized that smoking combined with diabetes should be avoided. There is a many fold increase of circulatory complications with people who smoke. If a toe is injured with a cut and develops an ulceration, a dark area of the skin in this area could be an indication of gangrene and should be evaluated immediately.
  3. Foot Deformities – Any type of foot problems such as a bunion or a hammer toe can create any irritation where the bony prominence will rub against shoe gear. This too can cause a problem because this can lead to a breakdown in the skin in the form of a callous or a corn that can eventually cause a foot ulcer. Properly fitted shoes are especially important. If the deformity is severe and difficult to accommodate in shoe gear, surgical correction may be considered by the podiatrist after appropriate workup, to ensure adequate blood flow is present for healing. Better to correct earlier then later in some situations as the circulation could become compromised enough later in the life to where surgery would be too risky.

General guidelines to follow

Foot Care Steps for Diabetics

By following these tips, you can do a lot to take better care of your diabetic feet.

  • Be sure that you bathe your feet daily. Be careful to dry your feet especially between the toes after you are done.
  • It’s a good idea to inspect your feet every day. You may need to use a mirror to look throughout the foot on the top and on the bottom. Also in between the toes for any types of cracks or cuts that may be there.
  • Make sure to avoid walking barefoot. This is obviously a problem if you step on a foreign body or a cut.
  • Make sure that you test water with your hand before putting your foot in warm water such as a hot tub or a bath.
  • Use appropriate shoe gear and socks.
  • Make sure that you attributed nails and not dig in on the sides. Try to cut them somewhat straight across as if you don’t this could cause an ingrown nail.
  • Make sure that you control your diabetes well by controlling your blood sugar levels.
  • Make sure that you see your podiatrist on a regular basis. Some will recommend coming in every two to four months just for a general foot inspection.
  • With diabetes your feet may become drier, and this can cause cracking of the skin. So be sure to keep your skin moisturized.
  • Make sure that you have your foot checked by a professional, especially if you are getting a corn or a callus that could be problematic and painful.
  • Never treat corn and calluses yourself. Over the counter products that are sold frequently have acids in them that eat away at the corn or callus. This is too risky to use in the diabetic foot.
  • Wear socks to bed if your feet are cold at night.

Diet Tips

To stop or delay nerve damage avoid carbohydrates and sugars. Make sure to have a diet that includes vegetables, fruits and protein. Also, a diet that includes fat is important as nerves need fat for proper function. Make sure it’s healthy fat such as grass-fed butter. A daily habit I have is to add grass fed butter to my coffee along with cinnamon. This avoids unhealthy additions to the coffee such as sugar or artificial creamers. The fat also satisfies your hunger so that you’re less likely to want to eat. A great book to use as a reference is Sugar Crush written by a colleague of mine Dr. Richard Jacoby.

Following these general guidelines should help you protect your feet from a dangerous situation that could occur when you have diabetes. Educating yourself is key when you want to prevent any serious problems.

Three Ways Peripheral Neuropathy Can Affect Your Walking

Posted on by admin

peripheral neuropathy affect walking

For many, neuropathy becomes a common and difficult part of their life. It’s been estimated that 25-30% of people in the U.S will experience neuropathy at some point in their life. Peripheral neuropathy refers to the nervous system outside of the spinal cord and brain area. It is the nerves that go down into the foot & leg, or into the arms & hands. The symptoms of Peripheral neuropathy can include burning, tingling, numbness, and oftentimes weakness. It usually affects both feet, but not always – which is why peripheral neuropathy can affect walking. There are many nerve fibers directly underneath the skin called sensory nerves, and when these nerves start to die away it inhibits you from feeling pressure, resulting in not being able to feel your feet on the ground. People may also not be able to feel hot and cold on their feet.

Dibaetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy affects approximately 50-70% of those with diabetes, and when severe can result in ulcers and even amputation.It could start with something as simple as a callous that the patient cannot feel. This then creates an ulcer which can become infected. Oftentimes because there is a lack of feeling, the patient has no pain, and therefore no warning signs. If this results in an amputation, the situation can become life threatening. If you do not have diabetes, it is important to know that many people may be prediabetic, and the first signs can be symptoms of neuropathy in the feet. So if you have never been diagnosed with diabetes, but you’re getting neuropathy symptoms, there’s a chance that you could be pre-diabetic.

There are other types of neuropathy including chemotherapy induced neuropathy and alcoholic neuropathy. Aside from diabetic neuropathy, the most common diagnosis patients are given is idiopathic neuropathy – meaning neuropathy from an unknown cause.

What Are The Benefits Of Walking?

The benefits of walking are both mental and physical. Mentally, exercise has been shown to help people emotionally. Exercise can help increase dopamine levels in the brain (dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is associated with the feel good sensation you have after exercise).It is also thought that exercise can help you sleep better. The importance of sleep has become more apparent as it not only helps you feel better the next day, but can also help with high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. Walking may also help to keep your weight down, which can have a big impact on controlling your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and even joint arthritis.

So how does peripheral neuropathy affect your walking? To better understand, I’d like to clarify the three ways neuropathy can have an effect on walking.treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet

Number 1 – PAIN

If you are in a lot of pain from the burning and tingling in your feet, maybe you’ll feel uncomfortable to go on a walk. If the pain is mild, you can still go for a walk, but maybe just not as far as you could before. So if your  symptoms are not that painful, that’s even more of a reason to consider walking.

If your pain is manageable while you walk, it’s a good idea to gradually increase the frequency and duration each time you walk. One principle to remember is that your body needs rest days. So rather than walking every day for 25 minutes five or six days per week, it may be better to walk four days for 35-45 minutes. Why? It’s thought that those extra minutes (for example, 35 minutes) tend to rev up your metabolism more for a longer period after the aerobic activity. This leads to more calories burned and better cardiac health. If walking is too painful, consider biking, swimming or pool exercises instead.

Number 2  – NUMBNESS

If your nerves are significantly damaged, you may experience numbness in your feet. This also serves as another factor that suppresses your desire to walk. Why? Because your ability to feel your feet on the ground has been reduced.

When your ability to feel your feet on the ground diminishes, you could feel unstable and possibly walk with a wider gait. In some cases you may even shuffle due to the lack of feeling. This can be a challenge, and it might make you even more susceptible to falling. For this scenario it is best to walk on flat surfaces and avoid walking or hiking on irregular terrain.

Number 3 –  WEAKNESS

Another symptom caused by peripheral neuropathy is weakness. This ranges from mild to severe in the case of drop foot, which is when it’s difficult to pull your foot or toes upwards. You could also be experiencing what I call “weakfoot”, meaning it’s difficult to push your foot off the ground. Again, it is most important to avoid irregular terrain, so it is important to consider or experiment with other forms of exercise.

If you have weakness or numbness that is not too severe, and you’re able to walk for exercise, then make sure your shoe selection is good. Generally, a shoe with more support (which is called a motion control shoe) should be used. Additionally, keep an eye on your shoes and make sure you do not overwear them to the point that they start to break down.

These are the ways that neuropathy can affect your walking. Please understand that it is important to seek treatment if you’re experiencing neuropathy. Contrary to what conventional medicine says, you do not have to live with it or take medications. At Anderson Center for Neuropathy and Chronic Pain, we can reverse the symptoms of neuropathies with surgical or non-surgical means.

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for your mental and physical well-being. We hope this blog gives you a better understanding of peripheral neuropathy affect walking and how it impacts exercise regimen.

Treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet Broomfield and Fort Collins. Call or email us today.

Exercises to Improve Walking for People 50+ with Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy can make walking more challenging due to loss of sensation, muscle weakness, and balance issues. However, staying active with gentle, low-impact exercises can improve mobility, reduce discomfort, and enhance overall stability.

Safety Tips Before You Start

  • Choose a stable surface – Perform exercises near a chair, wall, or countertop for support.
  • Wear proper footwear – Supportive, non-slip shoes reduce the risk of falls.
  • Go slow and listen to your body – If you feel pain, dizziness, or weakness, stop and rest.
  • Exercise at the right time – If neuropathy worsens at certain times of the day (e.g., after long periods of standing), adjust your routine accordingly.
  • Stay hydrated and take breaks – Dehydration and fatigue can increase fall risks.

1. Gentle Stretching for Flexibility

As we age, muscles naturally become tighter, increasing the risk of falls. Stretching helps keep the legs flexible and reduces stiffness.

Seated Calf Stretch (Safer Alternative)

  • Sit in a sturdy chair, extend one leg, and gently pull your toes toward you using a towel or band.
  •  Hold for 20-30 seconds per leg.

Ankle Circles (Improves foot mobility)

  • While seated, lift one foot and slowly rotate your ankle in circles to increase flexibility.
  •  Do 5-10 circles in each direction.

2. Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise for Better Circulation

Aerobic activities increase blood flow and nerve function, helping slow neuropathy progression. Safe options for older adults include:

  • Seated Marching – Sit tall in a chair, lift one knee at a time in a marching motion. (Great alternative to walking!)
  • Slow, short walks indoors – Use a walker or cane for added support if needed.
  • Water aerobics or pool walking – The water provides natural support, reducing strain on joints.
  • Stationary cycling (with back support) – Helps strengthen legs without impact on the feet.

3. Calf Raises for Strength and Stability

Weak calf muscles can make it harder to lift the heels and maintain balance while walking.

  • How to do it: Stand near a chair or counter for support. Slowly rise onto your toes, hold for a few seconds, and lower back down.
  • Modifications: If standing is difficult, try a seated version by pressing the toes down while lifting the heels off the floor.
  • Reps: Aim for 10-15 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

4. Leg Raises to Prevent Falls

As neuropathy weakens the hips and legs, walking can feel unsteady. Strengthening these muscles can improve control and confidence.

  • Seated Leg Raises (Easiest Version) – Sit in a sturdy chair, straighten one leg, hold for 5-10 seconds, then switch sides.
  • Standing Side Leg Raises – Holding onto a chair, lift one leg to the side, keeping your torso straight. Lower slowly and repeat 10 times per leg.
  • Modification: If standing is too difficult, try side leg lifts while seated.

Final Tips for Success

  • Start with shorter sessions (5-10 minutes) and increase gradually.
  • Focus on posture – Keep your chest lifted and shoulders relaxed while exercising.
  • Consider a balance aid – If you feel unsteady, use a cane or walker when doing standing exercises.
  • Try chair exercises – If standing is difficult, most exercises can be done while seated for safety.

By practicing these exercises regularly, adults 50+ can improve strength, reduce fall risks, and regain confidence in walking despite peripheral neuropathy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is peripheral neuropathy, and how does it impact mobility?

Peripheral neuropathy involves damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, often leading to sensations like burning, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the feet and legs. This nerve damage can hinder your ability to sense the ground, making walking challenging and increasing the risk of instability and falls.

How prevalent is diabetic neuropathy, and what are the potential dangers?

Diabetic neuropathy affects 50-70% of individuals with diabetes, potentially leading to severe complications such as ulcers and amputations. Symptoms often start with numbness, which can mask injuries, allowing them to become serious. Even without a diabetes diagnosis, neuropathy symptoms may indicate pre-diabetes, necessitating early intervention.

What advantages does walking offer for those with neuropathy?

Walking provides numerous benefits, including improved mood, better sleep quality, weight management, and enhanced heart health. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk of complications like high blood pressure and joint issues. Walking can be a safe and effective exercise with proper precautions.

How can pain from peripheral neuropathy affect walking?

Pain from neuropathy can deter walking, but managing the pain and gradually increasing walking duration can be beneficial. When walking becomes too painful, alternatives such as cycling, swimming, or water aerobics can provide similar health benefits without exacerbating the pain.

What steps should be taken if neuropathy causes numbness or weakness?

Numbness and weakness can compromise balance and safety. It is crucial to walk on smooth, even surfaces and wear supportive shoes to prevent falls. For severe symptoms, consider low-impact activities like swimming or stationary biking to maintain fitness without risking injury. Regular monitoring and appropriate footwear are key to managing these challenges.

Does Chronic Pain Affect Your Personality?

Posted on by admin

The term chronic pain syndrome is used quite a bit nowadays since so many people experience it. In many cases, people even end up with drug addictions because of it. Here, we will discuss what qualifies as chronic pain and the various ways it affects you physically and mentally.

chronic pain syndromeWhat is Chronic Pain?

The most common notion is that chronic pain is caused from nerve damage, possibly by trauma or from surgery. You may be in a car accident and suffer whiplash or a fractured ankle, and right after your surgery to repair the fracture chronic pain will ensue. The trauma of surgery or an injury can trigger chronic pain. This may be surprising, but something as simple as an ankle sprain may create a state of chronic pain.

The medical terms you may have heard for these conditions are Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, abbreviated as CRPS, and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, abbreviated as RSD. RSD was the term used to describe the pain patients thought they were consigned to and had to learn to live with.  In 1993, the terminology was changed to CRPS, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, but some still will use the original terminology. When you hear that someone is going to a pain clinic for treatment, this is most commonly what they have been diagnosed with.

Neuropathy and Restless Legs Syndrome

Problems such as neuropathy and restless legs syndrome can also be included in the chronic pain group. The symptoms of neuropathy can include burning, tingling, numbness, and pain, and is more common in the lower extremity than the upper. Neuropathy is often associated with diabetes, but can also be called idiopathic neuropathy, meaning it’s from an unknown cause. Restless legs syndrome can also be considered a chronic pain problem when it is severe. The symptoms associated with it are a nervous or restless type feeling in the legs that makes it difficult to sit still. Sufferers are often awoken by this feeling in the night and must get out of bed to relieve the symptoms. Other symptoms include a creepy crawly sensation, cramping and jerking in the legs. All these symptoms make it difficult to have uninterrupted sleep and ultimately affect your personality.

chronic-pain-personality-change-picChronic Pain and Your Personality

With chronic pain syndrome, the body goes into a fight or flight mode. This changes the chemistry within the brain; creating emotional issues where people want to isolate themselves – all resulting in depression. When a great part of your time is spent thinking about and focusing on your pain it can become very difficult to focus on other things or people. This feeling of isolation can lead to a depressive state.

Chronic pain can also cause significant anxiety – the feeling of hopelessness that a problem may never get resolved. Patients may also feel a loss of control, not knowing what to do and are desperate for help or improvement. In this case of restless leg syndrome, there can be severe sleep deprivation which also causes depression and anxiety in the inevitable terrible night of bad sleep.

A study reports that people with chronic pain may tend to worry more, which causes them to be less inclined to participate in novel activities. The desire of wanting to go out and explore the world goes away, ultimately minimizing the pleasures of life.

There’s also evidence that chronic pain can cause an alteration of how communication between brain cells takes place, thereby reducing your ability to effectively process your own human emotions. Without the ability to monitor your emotions, people experience a lack of control or misinterpretation of what is happening. The main way to treat this problem is to find the cause of the issue.

Weight Gain and Depression

Weight gain that comes with lack of activity and lack of sleep can also cause personality changes. When sleeping becomes difficult and your focus is on your chronic pain,  it reduces one’s self-esteem. The combination of lack of sleep, the emotional stress of the pain and potential side effects of the medication taken for these disorders make it difficult to get up each day,  let alone be active. 

This lack of activity can commonly lead to weight gain. Why is this so important? We know that lack of exercise has a negative effect on the biochemistry of your brain, and the potential for weight gain can also have an effect on one’s self esteem. The relationship between one’s physical and mental self is very important, and if you are not being greeted by the great looking self you once saw yourself as you can experience hardship.

At Anderson Podiatry we provide many options, including working with peripheral nerve disorders, that can get to the root of these problems rather than treating the symptoms with medications. We like to describe this method as “putting out the fire” rather than simply dealing with the smoke. So, if you’re questioning if you have mood or personality disorders from your chronic pain, please come visit us. Do not lose hope as we’ve been able to help many get back to feeling like themselves.

Judy’s Story: Finally, Relief from Neuropathy

Posted on by admin

Judy Schmidt was at the end of her rope. After more than 20 years of debilitating neuropathy, countless doctors’ appointments, and pain that just wouldn’t let up, she was ready to quit. Finally, she found hope for her neuropathic pain.

Life Before Neuropathy

Judy was a woman with a life. She had run a successful business for more than 30 years, and had no plans to stop. She was a wife and a mother, and had a very active social life. She walked five miles every night, and loved to dance with her husband. Life was good as she experienced no symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

A Devastating Diagnosis

Suddenly, Judy started to feel burning in her feet. “It just kept getting worse and worse. I went to the doctor, and he said I had neuropathy, or tarsal tunnel syndrome,” Judy says.

“The pain was getting so bad that I couldn’t sleep at night, and I had to go on narcotics. I eventually had to end my career five years earlier than I wanted to because the pain was so severe.”

In a Wheelchair

“I ended up in a wheelchair because I just couldn’t walk any more. I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t go to the store. And, I couldn’t feel my feet anymore, yet I was in excruciating pain 24/7,” Judy says.

She tried everything. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, medication. “They recommended that to reduce the pain we put a pain pump in my stomach to release medicine constantly in my system, and I refused,” says Judy.

She was ready to travel across the country for treatment. “I tried to get into several major hospitals, but they said there was nothing they could do for me.”

Ready to Give Up

“I became a recluse,” Judy recalls, “I didn’t go out with friends anymore, because I couldn’t walk and keep up with the social activities.”

After two nervous breakdowns from being in nonstop pain, and a diminished quality of life, Judy was ready to give up on her nervous system and peripheral nerves. “I’m not that kind of person, I always try to stay very positive and think there’s someone out there who has it worse than me. But, the pain wears you down mentally, and I just got to the point I didn’t want to live anymore.”

A Daughter Steps In

Judy’s daughter Tammy saw that her mom was on a downward spiral. “I felt that I was losing my mom and it was time to do something,” Tammy says. As a nurse who had spent 20+ years in the medical field, Tammy was determined to find a solution.

She went online, did her research, found Dr. Anderson, and made an appointment.

Finally, Joy

Both of Judy’s daughters made the trip from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins to take Judy to see Dr. Anderson, and they finally felt like they had a solution. “They believed in him immediately, and they were dancing in the exam room,” Judy says.

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, says “Judy was suffering from severe neuropathy and nerve pain, and was a great candidate for nerve decompression surgery in both legs.”

Nerve decompression surgery takes less than an hour, patients can walk the next day, and most patients experience little to no pain during recovery.

Judy’s Life Today

Just a few weeks after surgery, Judy came back to see Dr. Anderson, and this time, she was crying tears of joy.

“I moved my toes for the first time in twenty years. I felt the pedal of the car, and carpet under my toes, and I can walk!”

Judy is back to living: walking, driving, grocery shopping, and of course, spending time with her daughters. She is building up her strength again after so many years of not being able to stand and walk.

“To me, this is a miracle,” Judy says, “ I feel like I have my life back, and I am so grateful to Dr. Anderson. My husband and I are going to be dancing again by the end of the year.”

—————————————————————

Don’t wait any longer to see if we can help you make your Neuropathy a thing of the past!

Book Now

Winning the Jules Tinel Award: My Journey

Posted on by admin

The Patient Who Started It All

14 years ago, I made a bold decision to do something conventional medicine wasn’t doing. Little did I know it would change my professional life forever. Back then, I never thought that one day I would work to reverse the symptoms of neuropathy (the burning, tingling, numbness and pain many diabetic and non-diabetics suffer with).

That all changed one day when I met this patient. He was diabetic, and hadn’t felt the bottom of his feet in 20 years. I was training under a John Hopkins plastic surgeon, Dr. Lee Dellon, and he had performed surgery on the patient four days earlier. Now here he was for his follow-up appointment. The surgeon stroked the bottom of the patient’s foot, and this man who came in so stoic began to laugh like a child and then the tears started flowing down his face. That moment started my journey. I knew right then and there that I wanted to prove to the medical world that the symptoms of neuropathy could be reversed, and that patients didn’t have to suffer and live on medication.

How the Research Started

It was a slow process to adopt Dr. Dellon’s ideas into my practice. Soon after my training, I helped form an organization with other colleagues called the Association of Extremity Surgeons. In this process, my passion grew for what I was doing and how it was transforming people’s lives. The drive to do research came to me out of frustration. I was frustrated because I wanted patients and doctors to know neuropathy can be reversible, and I had to prove it.

Gradually, research became a part of the practice. I was warned that research is very hard, and I soon discovered that it was. I had to form a team to support the vision. The process to do this started several years ago and the research continued to grow.

Research On Diabetic Neuropathy

Too many people are suffering from the symptoms of neuropathy, and too many diabetics have amputations and are at risk of dying because of the loss of their limbs. Because of this belief, we completed a study on intraoperative nerve monitoring in diabetics with severe neuropathy. No one had ever recorded and published a paper to prove that nerve function can rapidly be improved when tight nerve tunnels in diabetics are opened (decompressed).

The study objectively proves what I watched the patient I mentioned earlier experience. Our testing shows that the nerve function improves up to 300 percent within minutes during surgery. And this defies the conventional medicine approach. This study was ground breaking, and my hope is that along with other studies that have been and will be published, the thoughts of the medical world and the public will begin to shift.

Winning The Jules Tinel Award

Recently, I attended the annual meeting for the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. This organization includes: podiatrists, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons who all share a common goal of reversing nerve pain in the extremities. At the meeting, I was honored to receive the Jules Tinel award for the scientific advancement of knowledge regarding the human peripheral nervous system. Other doctors to have received this award are: Dr. Lee Dellon from John Hopkins who introduced the concept of nerve decompression for neuropathy, Dr. Maria Seminow from the Cleveland Clinic, the first American doctor to do a face transplant, and Dr. Ivan Ducic of Georgetown Medical School, the first doctor to surgically reverse severe headaches.

We all appreciate recognition, but it’s very special when it’s coming from your peers. I’m grateful to have received this award, and grateful for all the support given to me by my colleagues and the team that helps me, and my wife who has always understood and supported me.

And I’m especially grateful to all the patients who have trusted in me and taught me to be grateful for the ability to offer hope where there once was none.

——————————————————————————————

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

To make an appointment, click here.

Peripheral Neuropathy: Don’t Just “Live With It”

Posted on by admin

Peripheral neuropathy is a very common issue that affects patient’s legs and feet. Yet for something so common, we have a long way to go to help manage this painful and potentially debilitating problem. For most people, the symptoms start slowly and gradually worsen over time.

This slow onset can delay the onset of diagnosis and treatment for months, or even years. The symptoms are often different from person to person making it difficult for a doctor to easily recognize the problem early. Furthermore, there are multiple potential causes for the chronic nerve damage and multiple potential treatments depending on the cause. Long story short…peripheral neuropathy can be a tough row to hoe. But, there is good news.

Only Two Choices?

Too often in my experience, patients with peripheral neuropathy hear that they have only two choices:

1) Take pain medications to mask the symptoms

2) Live with it until the nerves die off and no longer cause pain

For years, doctors have searched for other options that would relieve or cure the symptoms regardless of the cause or severity of the nerve damage. They have tried many treatments, medications, and therapies that have only lead to disappointment. But, there is good news.

The Good News: ESTIM Treatment

Now, here’s the good part. Recently, one treatment (often referred to as ESTIM therapy) has shown quite a lot of promise in relieving, and even eliminating the pain from peripheral neuropathy. A company called NEUROGENX developed this therapy.

ESTIM combines a commonly used local anesthetic with a new type of electrical signals generated by a computer. Together, they can gradually heal nerve tissue by addressing the primary underlying cause of most nerve damage, lack of blood flow and oxygen to the nerves. Over the last four years, we have been using the NEUROGENX ESTIM treatment at our clinics to help patients suffering with different types of neuropathy. And we have seen dramatic results, especially when compared to other available treatments.

How ESTIM Works

For patients with peripheral neuropathy, limited blood flow and oxygen delivery can cause slow nerve healing. Whatever is causing damage to the nerve also can damage the small blood vessels that feed the nerve.

The ESTIM treatment combines both electrical and chemical treatment to stimulate increased blood flow and increased nerve healing. The injections use a local anesthetic called “marcaine” which opens and dilates the blood vessels feeding the nerves. Once the blood vessels are open, the electrical impulse goes through the nerve to “jump start” it and stimulate healing. The computer generates an electric signal that changes constantly. This means that the nerve does not “get used to” the signal, which would reduce the effectiveness.

So with each ESTIM treatment, the nerve receives both the nutrients it needs and the electrical signals telling it what to do. With this, the nerve is able to repair and heal the damage. With each subsequent treatment, more and more damaged nerve tissue repairs itself.

The Patient Experience

The most important thing to us is that we see patients have a dramatic improvement in their quality of life. When they come back to see us and report 85, 95, and sometimes even 100% improvement, that is the most rewarding part of what we do as doctors. I would like to end this blog with a quote from a patient named Zelda.

“Now after treatment, I can walk again. I’m back to my normal activities, and I don’t have any pain. I’m sleeping through the night, and the jittery feeling in my legs is gone. Just make an appointment because there is no one else out there doing this. Even if it only helps 75%, it’s worth it. To be able to live your daily life again, it makes all the difference in the world.”

If you would like to learn more about ESTIM treatment, please call us and make an appointment. We would be happy to answer your questions or schedule an evaluation to see if this therapy is right for you.

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

To make an appointment, click here.

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

Posted on by admin

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.

Neuropathy 101: Part 2 (Treatment Options)

Posted on by admin

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.