Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) affects at least 20 million Americans today. At Advanced Foot & Ankle in Denton, Texas, highly trained podiatrist Dr. Jaret Walker, DPM, is a neuropathy specialist with extensive experience in treating the effects of the disease using non-invasive approaches like electrical stimulation (e-stim). Call the office or request an appointment online today to learn more. 

What is neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a disease that occurs when nerve cells in your legs and feet become damaged. Many people who have neuropathy have diabetes, and nerve damage occurs because of sustained high blood glucose levels.

Peripheral neuropathy can also be caused by hundreds of other reasons including chemotherapy, alcoholism, lower spine disease, and hereditary, to name a few.   

What are the effects of neuropathy? 

Neuropathy can affect nerve function in a couple of main ways, including:

Nerve signal disruption 

Nerve signal disruption means you can’t feel the sensations you need to experience. So, a cut or burn might not elicit any symptoms. This can be dangerous because injuries may go untreated for a long time.

Excessive nerve signaling 

Neuropathy can sometimes cause nerve signaling for no reason. For example, your nerves usually transmit pain signals when you’re hurt, but neuropathy can cause frequent, unpleasant tingling, burning, or pain signals even without an injury.

People with peripheral neuropathy (PN) may experience both painful sensations and numbness. In many cases, neuropathy causes severely disruptive symptoms that may affect mobility and quality of life. 

How is neuropathy treated?

Dr. Jaret Walker examines your feet and discusses several options.  

An innovative, in-office treatment called electrical stimulation (e-stim) offers excellent results for people with peripheral neuropathy (PN) symptoms. Data show that patients who undergo e-stim treatment for diabetic neuropathy experience an 83% overall pain reduction*.

E-stim treatments can also lead to a reduced need for medication, improved foot sensation, and better sleep quality. Overall, patients who undergo e-stim treatments experience a remarkable 86% improvement in quality of life*. E-stim offers long-lasting results.

Most patients need e-stim treatments twice a week for two to three months. Each session takes about one hour. 

Dealing with the root cause of your neuropathy is another big part of your treatment, so you’ll need to keep up your diabetes management plan. Usually, this involves blood glucose monitoring, a healthy lifestyle, and (if prescribed) diabetes medication. 

If you have neuropathy issues and want to improve your quality of life with professional treatment, call Advanced Foot & Ankle or request an appointment online today. 

*Individual results may vary