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Is Sciatica Pain In Your Foot From Your Back? Wrong, Here’s Another Cause

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sciatica foot pain

Many have heard of sciatic foot pain a term that refers to pain caused by the sciatic nerve. It’s been assumed that if you have nerve pain that radiates down your upper leg down into your lower leg and into the foot it’s likely sciatic pain. These sciatic symptoms will consist of nerve pain such as burning, tingling, and numbness that extends down to the foot causing foot pain. In many situations this may be, however, the purpose of this blog is to challenge this long-standing assumption. Yes, there may be another cause so treatment of your back with the eventual possibility of back surgery needs to be reevaluated as it may not always be the primary cause. Before we dive into this let’s make sure you have some basic understanding of sciatic foot pain.

Sciatic Foot Pain – The Conventional Approach

The sciatic nerve is the primary nerve that originates from the lower back. The origin is from nerve branches that originate from lumbar 1 and 2 and also sacrum 1,2,3. These branches form the sciatic nerve. There may be a herniated disk at one or more of these levels that creates sciatic pain from the nerve damage. Others may also have spinal stenosis at one of these levels or bone spurs causing pressure on the nerves.

Therefore conventionally the primary cause has always been that sciatic pain comes from pressure on the sciatic nerve as it originates from these branches. Following the nerve down into the leg it then travels down the buttock area into the back of the upper leg in the hamstring area. Just above the knee, it splits into two branches one is called the tibial nerve which travels down the back of the lower leg and eventually supplies all the nerves for the bottom of the foot. The other nerve called the common peroneal nerve travels to the outside of the knee just below the knee joint. It eventually supplies the majority of the top of the foot.

As we already mentioned this is the primary nerve that supplies nerves to the top of the foot. It’s important to note that right after it splits off from the sciatic nerve just above the knee joint and travels around the outside of the knee it goes through a nerve tunnel. This nerve tunnel is referred to as the common peroneal nerve tunnel. It’s very similar to the ulnar nerve tunnel of the elbow which patients may be more familiar with. For over two decades, I have been doing decompression surgeries on this nerve tunnel to open it and relieve pressure on the common peroneal nerve.

sciatica nerve infographic foot pain

The common peroneal nerve can be implicated nerve conditions such as neuropathy, restless legs syndrome, and drop foot. I have been able to reverse each of these conditions by doing surgery on this nerve tunnel. Read my paper on Common Peroneal Nerve. We have also discovered that some of these patients suffering from neuropathy, restless legs, or drop foot may also be experiencing sciatica foot pain. They report nerve symptoms in the buttock area going down into the upper leg that disappear when we decompress the common peroneal nerve.

Double Crush Syndrome

A simple definition of double crush syndrome is when a peripheral nerve has one area of compression on the nerve, but another area of compression may also exist. Therefore we call it double crush . The interesting thing about this concept is that these two areas of compression affect each other. In other words, using sciatica as an example a bulging disc or bone spur may be creating compression on the peripheral nerves as they exit the spinal cord in the back and further down the leg at the location of the common peroneal nerve tunnel there is also compression sciatic pain can be reversed without back surgery. Why? By eliminating pressure on the common peroneal nerve at its tight nerve tunnel compression will still exist in the back but the sciatic nerve will be less sensitive to the compression and sciatic nerve pain will be reversed.

That is why in my many years of doing surgery on the common peroneal nerve we have noted that patients may have pain relief above the knee along the sciatic nerve into the back and also below the knee into the foot. Again there is still compression in the back that may be observed with an MRI however the nerve at the location is less sensitive and therefore the sciatic symptoms are not only relieved above the knee going into the back but also from the knee going down into the foot.

What is the significance of Double Crush and Common Peroneal Nerve Entrapment?

  • Avoiding back surgery – It could be that back surgery could be avoided as the common peroneal nerve is playing a larger role that was ever understood. Decompression of the common peroneal nerve would be less risky.
  • Failed back surgery – When back surgery has failed to eliminate sciatic pain or back pain decompression of the common peroneal nerve may be involved and offer another option rather than a repeated back surgery attempt.

How do we know if the Common Peroneal Nerve is an Issue?

  • Clinical examination – Patients may have slight muscle weakness, drop foot, and loss of sensation along the distribution of the common peroneal nerve. Symptoms may be present on the top of the foot and the front of the leg.
  • Diagnostic ultrasound – Imaging by using ultrasound may show compression at the nerve tunnel.

  • Emg and nerve conduction studies – These studies can sometimes show the involvement of the common peroneal nerve but are not always highly accurate.
  • Diagnostic injections – a new technique called the Phoenix test can be used. This involves using a small amount of local anesthesia and placing it under the skin but above the common peroneal nerve. Ultrasound guidance is used for precise placement of the anesthesia. Within minutes patients will usually respond resulting in dramatic symptom relief which will help support that the common peroneal nerve tunnel may be the root cause of the symptoms.

So if you’re trying to get relief from your sciatic foot pain that is extending into your foot it is important the consider the possibility of the common peroneal nerve being an issue. Please understand that unless you are seen by a peripheral nerve surgeon this possibly may not be a consideration.

Schedule your appointment online or call our Fort Collins and Broomfield, Colorado locations to connect with a trusted foot doctor near you at our renowned foot and ankle clinic.

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

Maejima R, Aoyama M, Hara M, Miyachi S. Double Crush Syndrome of the Lower Limb in L5 Radiculopathy and Peroneal Neuropathy: A Case Report. NMC Case Rep J. 2021 Dec 22;8(1):851-855. doi: 10.2176/nmccrj.cr.2021-0169. PMID: 35079559; PMCID: PMC8769459.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8769459/

Deciphering Posterior Tibial Nerve Issues: Unraveling the Mystery of Foot Nerve Pain

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Posterior Tibial Nerve

Understanding the Role of the Posterior Tibial Nerve

Have you considered the posterior tibial nerve as the potential culprit behind the nerve pain in your foot? This blog delves into the functions of the posterior tibial nerve, exploring its impact on the bottom of your foot and the diverse symptoms it may trigger, including burning, tingling, numbness, and weakness.

Unveiling the Anatomy: The Tarsal Tunnel Connection

Before we explore the anatomy of the foot, let’s pinpoint the location of the posterior tibial nerve. This nerve traverses a crucial passage known as the tarsal tunnel, situated on the inside of your ankle. Similar to the carpal tunnel in your wrist, a tight tarsal tunnel can elicit symptoms mirroring carpal tunnel issues. The resulting burning, tingling, and numbness might necessitate tarsal tunnel surgery, paralleling the approach taken for carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand. Let’s embark on an anatomy lesson to deepen our understanding of the nerves supplying the bottom of your foot.

Three Potential Areas of Nerve Compression

Posterior Tibial Nerve-Issues Infographic Three Potential Areas of Nerve Compression

Before jumping into the intricacies, dispel the notion that nerve symptoms on the bottom of the foot solely originate from the back. We’ll explore three potential areas, starting above the knee.

Above the Knee: Nerve Branches and the Sciatic Nerve
Beginning in the lower back, nerve branches extend from the lumbosacral area to form the sciatic nerve. This nerve travels deep into the buttock muscles, also known as the gluteus muscles.

First Potential Site: Piriformis Syndrome
In this region, the piriformis muscle, a small but impactful muscle, can tighten and compress the sciatic nerve. While this is the first potential site for nerve compression, it is the least common and least likely to necessitate surgical intervention.

Second Potential Site: The Soleal Sling
The tibial nerve continues its journey towards the back of the knee, passing through the popliteal fossa. Here, the soleal sling, a fibrous band of tissue, may cause compression. This area is critical for supporting various foot muscles and can contribute to nerve pain.

The Journey of the Posterior Tibial Nerve

The tibial nerve, continuing down the leg, divides into multiple branches, eventually becoming the posterior tibial nerve. As it approaches the inside of the ankle, it undergoes a name change, becoming the tibialis posterior nerve.

Third Potential Site: Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Approaching the inside of the ankle, beneath the laciniate ligament or flexor retinaculum, the nerve transforms into the posterior tibial nerve. Here, it divides into three main branches supplying the sole of the foot. Let’s unravel this intricate network, detailing the nerves and muscles involved.

Examining the Nerves in Detail

  • Medial Calcaneal Nerve: Supplies the bottom of the heel.
  • Medial Plantar Nerve: Provides sensation to the skin on the bottom of the first, second, and half of the third toes. Also, supports intrinsic foot muscles.
  • Lateral Plantar Nerve: Supplies the skin on the lateral half of the foot and various muscles, assisting in foot movement.

The Author’s Perspective

From the viewpoint of the author, a board-certified peripheral nerve surgeon recognized with the Jules Tinel award, three potential locations for nerve compression—piriformis muscle, soleal sling, and tarsal tunnel—must be considered when experiencing bottom-of-the-foot nerve symptoms.

Challenging Conventional Medicine

Challenging the conventional approach, the author contests the idea that back-related issues are the primary cause of foot nerve symptoms. Additionally, the blog questions the common narrative of neuropathy and suggests alternative approaches.

Our Approach to the Problem

The author advocates for an in-depth evaluation, emphasizing muscle strength testing and diagnostic ultrasound to identify nerve compression. Sensation testing and a holistic approach, considering supplements and lifestyle changes, are also highlighted.

Treatment Options

The blog outlines conservative treatments such as lifestyle changes, supplements, and ETIM and Laser treatments. For those requiring surgical intervention, procedures like piriformis surgery, soleal sling surgery, and tarsal tunnel surgery are discussed. Notably, the importance of recognizing the potential role of the soleal sling, often overlooked, in tarsal tunnel symptoms is emphasized.

Whether considering conservative or surgical options, the author encourages readers to seek a comprehensive evaluation and challenge conventional perspectives on foot nerve pain.

Plantar Nerve Entrapment: Causes, Symptoms and Effective Treatment

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Plantar Nerve Entrapment

Heel pain is one of the most common foot complaints a foot specialist treats. For many, the term plantar fasciitis comes to mind when their heels start to hurt. Yes, plantar fasciitis is very common but other problems can be the cause of your heel pain. If your heel pain persists after months or years of self-treatment or treatment by your doctor, this blog is for you. You may be misdiagnosed and going down a dead-end pathway, you should consider if it is plantar nerve entrapment among other possible factors.

The Basics

The term plantar means bottom of the foot and the fascia is that strong connective tissue that runs from the ball of the foot to the bottom of the heel where it attaches. As your arch flattens, the fascia is pulled and pain can begin at the insertion on the bottom of your heel. However, it’s important to know that there are nerve branches in this same area that may be contributing to your pain.

The Tarsal Tunnel – The tarsal tunnel, much like the carpal tunnel in the hand, is an area where the nerve branches that have traveled down your leg go through to supply the bottom of your foot. The main nerve (See Diagram) is called the posterior tibial nerve.

plantar-nerve entrapment inforgraphic of nerve layout

As the posterior tibial nerve passes through the tarsal tunnel (which is composed of soft tissue structure) there can be excessive pressure on this nerve branch from those structures. We call this compression or a plantar nerve entrapment site. Following the posterior tibial nerve, it divides into three branches; one goes to the bottom of the heel and is called the medial calcaneal nerve. The other two are called the medial and lateral plantar nerve and supply the bottom of the foot. The medial branch supplies the bottom of the first and second, and a part of the third toe. The lateral plantar nerve supplies the fourth, fifth, and part of the third toe. Both of these nerves travel beneath a muscle called the abductor muscle. The tight fascial sheath beneath this muscle can compress (entrap) each of these two branches. If we follow the lateral plantar right after it goes beneath the abductor muscle, it sends a branch towards the bottom of the heel. This very small branch can be entrapped by the fascia of the quadratus plantae muscle. The branch is called the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve or Baxter’s nerve.

How do you know if you have entrapment of this plantar nerve which is a small branch of the lateral plantar nerve?

There will be subtle differences. This branch may cause more burning pain, tingling or numbness. The pain may be more dispersed in a larger area and not just where the plantar fascia attaches on the bottom of the heel. You may notice periodic tingling or numbness radiating towards your fourth or fifth toes. If you tap on the nerves in the tarsal tunnel area you may get a sensation like a funny bone sensation going down to your toes. This is called a tinel’s sign, and suggests the nerve in this area may be damaged from compression on the nerve.

What will your podiatrist do to test for plantar nerve entrapment?

Diagnostic Ultrasound – with every patient we see at Anderson Podiatry Center we evaluate your heel with ultrasound. This allows us to evaluate the soft tissue structures in this area including the nerve branches and the plantar fascia. If the fascia appears normal from this exam this will lead us to suspect that your heel pain may be more related to the nerves. It’s very important to know that there is no rule that says you only get one diagnosis. So, if we are treating plantar fasciitis because your ultrasound confirms it is damaged but you’re not progressing with our plantar fasciitis treatment, then this will raise our suspicions of another problem, potentially a plantar nerve.

What are the treatment options?

For The Patient – icing the area and taking autoinflammatory may help in the early stages and if the pain is mild. Make sure you’re wearing supportive shoes and you may consider trying over the counter arch supports. You may consider taking anti-inflammatory medication.

What will your foot specialist do?

Treatments may include using custom made arch supports, and orthotics. Additionally:

  • Laser Treatments – Our MLS laser system has been shown to be highly effective for treatment of nerve conditions.
  • Physical Therapy – ultrasound may have some benefit.
  • Cortisone Injections – A series of cortisone injections, 2 or possible 3 injections may be helpful. This is done with ultrasound guidance so the nerve can be located, and the injection delivered in the exact location.
  • Surgery – If the conservative options fail then surgery to release the pressure on the nerve from the soft tissue structures may be considered.

So, if you’re having heel pain, you may need to consider that it’s plantar nerve entrapment. Finally, you need to know that there are many well-meaning healthcare people whether it’s a physical therapist, family doctor, or people in the shoe industry that commonly assume if the bottom of your heel hurts then it’s plantar fasciitis. Understand that what you hear may be wrong and that is why the problem is persisting. Please consider revisiting your heel pain issue if you’re getting nowhere in your present course of treatment.

This Nerve Treatment Finally Fixed Her Heel Pain

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.

Judy’s Story: Finally, Relief from Neuropathy

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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.”

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

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Sherrie’s Anderson Podiatry Center Experience with Dropfoot

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Sherrie’s experience with Anderson Podiatry was wonderful from the moment she placed her call to the second she was in the chair talking to Dr. Anderson. Sherrie was treated for a condition called drop toot, which is a general term for difficulty lifting the front part off the foot. It is caused by weakness of the muscles that lift the front part of the foot. Sherrie’s drop foot was in her left leg and caused by neuropathy, which made her ankle tilt forward and diluted her strength.

When strength is an issue, walking is obviously effected. You may not be able to push of the ground with your feet as well or lift your feet off the ground if you are experiencing drop foot. In fact, falls also become more probable which puts people’s safety at great risk.

Dr. Anderson performed surgery on three spots and untangled the nerves in her leg- and to Sherrie’s delight, the surgery corrected her problem! The best aspect of the outcome of Sherrie’s surgery is that her drop foot is gone; she can walk normally and has regained great strength and stability. Allowing her to live her life normally again without having to consider the risk of falling.

Sherrie would absolutely recommend her friends and family to Anderson Podiatry Center. She found that the Anderson Podiatry crew worked as a team to help each other, with the goal of putting patients first. Anderson Podiatry’s compassionate, friendly doctors are skilled at finding the root of foot, ankle, and lower leg problems.

Winning the Jules Tinel Award: My Journey

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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.

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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”

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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)

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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.

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.

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.