20 million Americans are estimated to have peripheral neuropathy (PN). This happens in one-third to one-half of people with diabetes. Other causes of PN include chemotherapy, excessive alcohol intake, Vitamin B deficiencies, and post-viral infections. Some are even idiopathic (meaning no underlying cause has been found).
Potential symptoms of PN:
1. Persistent burning pain in the feet (especially at night)
2. Feeling like you are “walking on hot coals”
3. Losing your sense of balance
4. Persistent numbness in a “stocking or glove” distribution.
Many patients who come to mv office with these complaints and a diagnosis of PN have been told that there is nothing that can be done. Your only options are drugs – Opiates and steroids.
For the past 18 months, Advanced MMC has been using light therapy in the form of a Class IV infrared (IR) laser to treat the symptoms of PN. This therapy has been used around the country for over 15 years with a high level of success for long lasting treatment of not only the pain, but the lost sensations and lost sense of balance. The light treatments are effective because it is working on the cellular level to awaken latent nerves and to reset the electrical function of the nerve conduction by repairing the sodium potassium pump. The therapy can even help patients who’ve had symptoms for decades take back control of their lives.
After IR laser therapy, one patient said, “I felt like my feet were waking up.” Another remarked, “I feel safer driving my car now because I can feel the pedals under my feet.” And a third, “My feet feel warm for the first time in over 10 years and I feel stable on my feet.”
If you’ve already been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and want to find out if you are a candidate for I laser therapy, please give our office a call. Dr. Delzell will do a thorough assessment to make sure you have all the nutritional and vitamin support to keep your nerves healthy as well as to ensure the symptoms are from PN prior to starting the therapy so that you have the best outcome possible.
