Book Now

Tag: surgery

How to Avoid an Ankle Fusion or Ankle Replacement

Posted on by admin

One of the most debilitating problems is arthritis in the ankle joint. This can be caused from overuse or just getting older (wear and tear). It can also be caused by previous injuries including an old ankle fracture or repetitive ankle sprains. In both situations the cartilage that lines the joint may become damaged to the point of almost having bone rubbing bone in your joint. Ouch!

“But doctors don’t understand!”

I hear that a lot from my patients. They come in frustrated as they have been told to exercise more. Maybe they are overweight, maybe they need to better control their diabetes. And they are motivated! But, the pain is stopping them. It’s a vicious circle.

More exercise=More pain.

Many feel they are not being listened to. And yes some think that your feet and ankles are supposed to hurt, that’s just what happens. They may have been dumbed down by all the drug marketing to the point they assume that if something below the knee hurts and a drug doesn’t help, then there may be nothing that can be done. Sound crazy? Well, sadly, it’s becoming a more common mind set.

Major surgery or living with it are the only options patients are getting!How to avoid ankle fusion or replacemet

Regarding ankle arthritis: the common approach in severe cases are the options of replacing the joint, just like replacing a hip or knee joint, or fusion of the joint. Both are major surgeries.
On the one hand, ankle joint replacements may not be as successful as replacing a hip or knee. On the other hand, ankle fusion leaves one with a stiff ankle that no longer moves, and a much altered walk.

Stop- consider a simpler, less painful solution.

Before you take the last step to replace or fuse a joint with all the potential risk consider deinervation of the joint. Simply stated this means getting rid of the nerve or nerves that send messages to the brain telling it the joint hurts. The area where the nerve or nerves are removed is just above the ankle.

We have been doing this surgery for 2 years, and our success rate is very high! Patients are able to walk immediately, or within just a few days.  I must stress, we don’t remove nerves that would make the joint weaker, but simply remove branches that give the joint sensation. We have seen very rewarding results, and if it fails there is still the option to have the ankle replaced or fused. Patients who had given up are now being active with very significant reduction of pain, and now with no more drugs!

Don’t let the thought of a major surgery stop you from getting better! Just remember, before you fuse or replace consider this simple, proven procedure and simply deinvervate.

Neuropathy: Why It’s Important Not to Delay Treatment

Posted on by admin

It starts with some tingling in your feet, and maybe a little in your legs.  Then, the tingling turns into pain: sharp jabbing or stabbing sensations. You begin to lose coordination in your feet, and you start being more at risk of falling down. One day, paralysis may even occur. It’s frustrating, it’s frightening, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Neruopathy can stop you from simple tasks like walking, driving, or even staying balanced

The most frightening thing about neuropathy, however, is that even if you think it’s getting better (your pain and symptoms decrease, for instance), it could actually be getting worse. This is because the later stages of neuropathy often cause numbness, meaning that you can no longer feel the pain that’s telling you something’s wrong. This can eventually cause the skin of your foot to die and become necrotic, and it sometimes even leads to amputation, especially in diabetic patients.

This is why it’s so important to start treating your neuropathy right away.

The first step to recovery is understanding the problem. Neuropathy is the disease or dysfunction of one or more peripheral nerves, or in other words, nerve damage. If you suffer from neuropathy you likely experience muscle weakness, twitching, tingling, numbness in the feet and lower legs, prickling sensations, and nerve pain in the feet and lower legs. The most common causes of neuropathy include injury, infection, diabetes, and even some cancers.

What’s most discouraging about neuropathy is how difficult it can be to find relief. This discouragement is exacerbated by the fact that medications-a common first step in treating neuropathy- often have unwanted side effects or are ineffective. Furthermore, medications can treat the symptoms of neuropathy, but they can’t treat the root cause: the tight nerve tunnels that are “squeezing” the nerves and preventing them from functioning properly.

Since neuropathy can worsen over time, it’s essential that you don’t delay treatment. Fortunately, you don’t have to live with the pain. There are many treatment options for neuropathy, including:

Treating your neuropathy may well offer relief for common symptoms as well, such as: improving balance, strength, and nerve sensations, providing more restful sleep, reducing risk of falling, and decreasing pain.

We truly understand how painful and even debilitating neuropathy can be which is why we urge you not delay your treatment any longer. Even if you think you’ve tried everything, research in neuropathy is progressing every day, and new treatment options are out there. You have the power to stop your neuropathy from progressing, and we can help you find the treatment plan that’s best for you. Start feeling better today!