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Vanessa’s Story: An Answer for RLS

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

The Diagnosis

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

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

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

When You Can’t Fall Asleep

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

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

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

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

The Answer

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

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

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

Sleeping All Through The Night

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

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

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

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

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

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

What are the symptoms?

Patients with neuropathy will usually experience:

  • Pain
  • Burning
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness

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

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

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

Where do the symptoms occur?

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

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

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

What causes neuropathy?

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

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

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

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

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

To make an appointment, click here.

Lisa’s Story: Restless Legs and Neuropathy

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Lisa Nelson had been suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) for years. After what seemed to be an endless search for a solution, she is finally back to sleep. Read her story here.

The Symptoms

“I had been struggling with RLS for 8-10 years,” says Lisa. “I also had neuropathy that was getting progressively worse, and edema and swelling in my feet and ankles.”

“If I got three hours of a sleep a night, that was normal. I had to stop hiking and exercising because I didn’t have any energy and I wasn’t confident in my balance.”

The Searching

“Over the years, I went to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, general practitioner, and a neurologist,” Lisa says. “No one could offer me a solution other than going on medication, which I really did not want to do.”

“There’s nothing worse than feeling like you just are not being heard,” Lisa says. “I knew that all my symptoms were somehow connected and I just wanted someone to take the time to listen to me.”

“I was constantly searching for a solution because it was not getting better. It was just getting worse. Finally, I was referred here by a friend who also had restless legs and dropfoot. He was very insistent that I come see Dr. Anderson and I’m very grateful that I did.”

The Solution

Lisa came to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and he recommended nerve decompression surgery. “This procedure takes about an hour, and we go in surgically to open up tight nerve tunnels in the lower leg that are causing the symptoms of RLS,” says Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Anderson performed surgery on Lisa’s left leg first. “She had so much improvement in her symptoms that she came back and we operated on her right leg just one week later,” Dr. Anderson says.

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

“Before we open the tunnels, we stimulate the nerve and send messages into the muscles to get a baseline number. In Lisa’s case, one of those tunnels measured at 6,800,” Dr. Anderson explains. “Then, we test again after the tunnels are open and the pressure has been released.”

“The final number on this tunnel for Lisa was 8,600. So we knew right there in the operating room that we had a very good chance of resolving her RLS symptoms.”

Finally, the Sleep

Lisa was able to walk right away after the surgery and didn’t experience any post-operative pain. Within one week of having the surgery, she was already reporting 90% improvement in her RLS symptoms.

“Now, I sleep!” Lisa says, “I’m off all my medications, and I sleep an average of seven hours a night.”

Life Today

Lisa is planning a trip to Alaska with her friend Wade, who recommended she see Dr. Anderson. They are both very excited to be able to hike again.

To learn more about how we treat restless leg syndrome.

To make an appointment, click here.

Neuropathy: The Nerve Monitor Epiphany

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

Nerve Decompression

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

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

And Then It Happened

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

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

Proof in the OR

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

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

What It Means For You

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

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

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

Fast Forward

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

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

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

To make an appointment, click here.

Don’l’s Story: A Solution for Restless Legs

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It had been decades since Don’l Butler had slept through the night. “I have had restless legs all my life, ever since childhood,” Don’l says. For most of her life, doctors were not able to provide Don’l with a clear diagnosis. “It was only a few years ago that I finally learned I had restless leg syndrome,” she says.

Here’s her story, and the treatment that finally brought her relief.

Decades of Desperation

Night time comes, and it’s time to settle into bed, relax, and drift off into sleep. But for Don’l, that sleep never came. “I had creepy-crawly sensation in my legs. They would jump at night as soon as I laid down,” she says.

“Steadily, the symptoms became worse and worse. My legs starting jumping and moving during the day as well,” Don’l explains.

Sleeping on the Sofa

Don’l would move into the living room and try to sleep on the sofa because it was keeping her husband up at night as well. “I was kicking him, and it was affecting his sleep too,” she says.

Most nights, Don’l never went to sleep at all. “After awhile, I developed insomnia and then you can’t relax and sleep. It just doesn’t happen. You are awake all night long.”

“I took every kind of medication I could find. I tried patches, everything. Maybe some things would work, but never for very long. The restless legs completely monopolized my life.”

Don’l remembers occasionally dozing off for 5-10 minutes, and then waking right back up again. “The last two months before my surgery, I barely slept at all,” Don’l recalls.

From Oklahoma to Colorado

“My husband was searching and searching. He is the kind of person that once a problem comes up, he doesn’t stop until he finds a solution,” Don’l says. Finally, after searching online, he found Anderson Podiatry Center.

Don’l and her husband live near Tulsa, Oklahoma, approximately an 11 hour drive to Fort Collins. Dr. James Anderson, DPM, spoke with Don’l over the phone about her symptoms, and she decided to make the trip for an evaluation.

Dr. Anderson says, “Having restless leg syndrome is a very devastating thing. It is so hard for people to function during the day when they don’t sleep at night. After meeting Don’l and evaluating her, we were very optimistic that we could help improve her quality of life.”

Hope in the OR

Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on Don’l. Dr. Anderson explains. “We believe the symptoms of restless leg syndrome come from certain nerve tunnels in the legs becoming compressed. We go in and surgically open up those tunnels, and relieve the pressure. As a result, many patients experience 80-90% improvement of their symptoms.”

Dr. Anderson uses an intraoperative nerve monitor that was first used for head and neck surgeries to measure nerve function improvement during surgery. “We were the first to use this technology for foot and ankle surgery, and we can see in real time how the nerves are improving,” Dr. Anderson says.

For example, when operating on Don’l, the baseline number in one muscle group measured 1672. After performing surgery and measuring again, that number went up to 2300. “This is a great benefit to the patient,” Dr. Anderson says, “Because we have objective evidence in the operating room that shows how the nerves are functioning better than they were before.”

My Life Today

In April 2017, Dr. Anderson performed nerve decompression surgery on one of Don’l’s legs, and she experienced significant symptom improvement. About a week later, he performed surgery on the second leg. Don’l finally began to experience that peaceful sleep she had been searching for, for so many years.

“I have been sleeping each night, all night, the whole night through. The improvement is extreme. I feel so much better. I was on Gabapentin and I am now off of that medication and don’t have to deal with the side effects. This has been life changing for me.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Wade’s Story: Restless Leg Syndrome & Dropfoot

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For most people, restless leg syndrome would be overwhelming enough to deal with by itself, but Wade had restless leg syndrome and dropfoot, a condition that makes it hard to lift your toes or move your feet from side to side. Here’s his story, and how one procedure solved both of his problems.

No Sleep, No Solutions

“Every night when it was time to sleep, my legs would start twitching and jerking, and it was a violent type of jerk that would wake up my wife. I would get up and walk around and stretch. It kept both of us awake  at night.”

Like many people struggling with restless legs, Wade searched for remedies online. “I don’t like to take medications or drugs, so I tried essential oils and magnesium oil, but nothing really worked,” Wade says.

Sick and Tired

Wade had dealt with these symptoms for nearly 6 years. He was having difficulty walking at work, experiencing sleep deprivation and didn’t want it get any worse.

Finally, he had enough. “You just think you have to live with something like this and so you learn to deal with it,” Wade says. “But finally you get sick and tired of being sick and tired and just decide to find a solution.”

Two Problems, One Treatment

Wade made an appointment to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and was pleased to find out that both his dropfoot and restless leg syndrome could be improved with one simple procedure.

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, explains “We believe that the source of both of these conditions comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We perform nerve decompression surgery, and go in and open up those nerve tunnels, and many patients find relief from their symptoms very quickly after the surgery.”

The surgery takes about 45 minutes, and patients are able to walk the day after, so downtime is minimal. “I saw Dr. Anderson on a Monday, and was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. I was just ready to get it done,” Wade says.

Intraoperative Nerve Monitor

Dr. Anderson says “We use an intraoperative nerve monitor that monitors progress during surgery, and it allows us to see how the nerve function is actually improving.”

The surgeon takes a baseline number of the nerve function before starting the surgery, and then again once surgery is complete and the nerve tunnels are open.

“For example, in Wade’s case, his baseline number was 11,976. By the end of the surgery it was 13,539, so we were able to tell him right after the surgery that his nerve function had improved,” says Dr. Anderson.

Watch Wade’s surgery in the video above.

Life Today

6 weeks after the surgery, Wade came in for an office visit. He reported that his dropfoot symptoms had already improved by 80-85% and his restless legs had improved by 90%.

“My wife and I can sleep through the night. I’m able to go for walks again and resume my normal activities,” says Wade.

His advice for others experiencing similar symptoms is this, “Don’t wait so long to take care of this. You don’t have to suffer and let your symptoms ruin your life. This can be fixed. Just make an appointment and see what they can do for you. My experience has been wonderful.”

To learn more about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.

Bonnie’s Story: Relief from Restless Leg Syndrome

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Sleep is one of those things that’s easy to take for granted. And then, suddenly, a beast called restless leg syndrome enters your life, and the whole world turns upside down. And now all you can think about is what you would give to get a good night’s rest.

The 20 Year Battle

For Bonnie Pederson, this battle had been going on for two decades. “About 20 years ago, I started having all the symptoms of restless leg syndrome,” says Bonnie. “Burning, tingling, numbness, the constant need to move, and pain especially on the inside and outside of my legs. There were very few nights I didn’t have at least one of these symptoms, and I was getting maybe 2-3 hours of a sleep a night, combined.”

No Diagnosis, No Relief

Determined to find an answer, Bonnie began going to a variety of doctors. “Back then, they really didn’t even have a diagnosis for it. They called it ‘nervous legs’ and there wasn’t really any known treatment or cure,” Bonnie recalls. “I went to a neurologist, a back doctor, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, a holistic medicine doctor, an orthopedic doctor…Then I tried medication, got a trainer, went through sleep tests etc.

I tried everything. Not to mention scouring the Internet for any remedies I could find. You finally just hit a wall where you start to accept that this is just your life.”

Finally, Hope

“I live in Las Vegas, and I worked with Anderson Podiatry Center as a contractor to help with office administration,” Bonnie explains. “One day, I came in for a business trip and mentioned that I was having a little trouble “ramping up” that day because I don’t typically sleep at night and it becomes hard to focus after awhile. Dr. Anderson began to tell me about the treatment he offers for restless leg syndrome and I was shocked. No one ever mentioned seeing a podiatrist to me before.”

A Breakthrough Treatment Option

Dr. James Anderson, DPM, says “We believe that the source of restless leg syndrome comes from nerves becoming compressed in the legs. We can go in and surgically open up these nerve tunnels to allow the nerves to return to their normal function. The procedure is outpatient, only takes about 40 minutes, and we have found that many patients are experiencing long lasting relief. They can sleep, get off their medications, or at least lower the dose, return to their normal activities, and it significantly improves their quality of life.”

restless leg syndrome
Bonnie (pictured right) with her daughter and granddaughter

My Life Today

After she had nerve decompression surgery in October 2016, Bonnie immediately noticed sensation returning to her feet. “I could tell the difference in temperature and texture, I knew if I was stepping on carpet or hard floors and if they were hot and cold, and I began to sleep for 5 hours a night,” Bonnie says. “Now, on average, I sleep for 7 hours every night. I can work full-time and sit at a desk without trouble. Now, I am back to walking and biking and hiking. Just sitting down to read a book, and going to see a movie with my daughter without having to get up and pace the back of the room is amazing.”

A Word of Wisdom

For other people struggling with restless leg syndrome and neuropathy, and it feels like there is no hope, Bonnie says this. “Just pick up the phone and call. You have to be willing to step outside the box and continue to try something else. This surgery is something that no one else knew about and as a result, I struggled with restless legs for more than 20 years. Now, I’m just trying to wrap my mind around how my whole life has changed.”

To watch our free webinar about how we treat restless legs, click here.

To make an appointment, click here.