What is peripheral neuropathy? 
Peripheral neuropathy is a set of symptoms associated with damaged nerves in the extremities, such as the hands or feet. Peripheral nerves carry sensations such as numbness, burning, tingling, and pain, via the central nervous system to the brain. They are responsible for controlling the movement of our arms and legs.

What is diabetic peripheral neuropathy or DPN?
Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. It is characterized by pain and numbness in the feet and legs and can present in the hands and arms as well. Diabetic neuropathy is estimated to affect between 40% -90% of people with diabetes, depending on the testing method and the population being tested. DPN is usually caused by low circulation to the extremities due to high sugar level in the blood over long periods of time.
 
The risk of developing diabetic neuropathy is greater the longer a person has diabetes. In addition to causing discomfort, peripheral neuropathy can affect a person’s balance and mobility, and is the primary reason of slow-healing foot wounds resulting in amputations.
 
What is chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy or CIPN? 
Some of the chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer damage peripheral nerves. When this happens, it is called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can be a disabling side effect of cancer treatment. It can have the same causative effects of diabetic neuropathy.
 
What are other causes of peripheral neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy can also be caused by:

• Cancer treatments, like surgery or radiation 
• Tumors pressing on nerves 
• Infections that affect the nerves 
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Diabetes 
• Alcohol abuse 
• Various antibiotics
• Cholesterol lowering ‘statin’ medications
• Shingles 
• Low vitamin B levels 
• Some autoimmune disorders 
• Poor circulation (peripheral vascular disease) 
• The cancer itself (for instance, multiple myeloma can cause PN) 
• And other causes

 
 
What are the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy? 
The symptoms or signs of peripheral neuropathy depend mostly on which nerves are involved. PN typically affects the feet and hands on both right and left sides.

The most common symptoms are: 

• Pain-often described by patients as shooting, stabbing, or prickly pain. It can vary in intensity and consistency.
• Burning Pain (can be intense or background burning pain)
• Tingling (“pins and needles” feeling) or electric/shock-like pain 
• Numbness or loss of feeling (can be numbness or just less ability to sense pressure, touch, heat, or cold) 
• Trouble using your fingers to pick up or hold things, ie. dropping things 
• Balance issues 
• Trouble with tripping or stumbling while walking 
• Touching, squeezing or any pressure may hurt more than normal
• Temperature may hurt more than usual (mostly cold; this is called cold sensitivity) 
• Muscle weakness 

Peripheral Neuropathy can cause severe pain and can affect your ability to do things like walk, write, button your shirt, work and even daily activities we take for granted. You may have trouble sleeping, experience instability and fear of falling.
 
What are the current treatments for peripheral neuropathy? 
Current commonly prescribed treatments for reducing neuropathy pain include tricyclic antidepressants, certain anti-seizure drugs, gabapentin (most common), and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Some of these treatments can be mildly effective at masking the pain but never addressing the root cause of the condition.  In addition, little can be done to help with numbness or loss of sensation. Neuropathy will never go away on its own and is progressive. It is very important to seek treatment as soon as you start feeling the symptoms in order to prevent additional damage to the tissue.
 
What other treatments exist?
One treatment that is receiving increasing attention in the medical community is laser therapy which uses monochromatic infrared energy to increase blood circulation to the affected nerves. Laser also helps restore the sheath that protects the nerves and surrounding tissues. PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy) helps with reducing inflammation and restoring healthy cellular function necessary for healing. You must heal the cells to get well! Our unique combination of PEMF and laser therapy is one of the most effective alternative therapies available to treat neuropathy.

What to expect when you receive treatment.

With PEMF you may feel a little warmth from the coil or matt. Most people feel more relaxed or even a little sleepy. The laser will feel a little warm but not hot. Some patients report improvement after only one treatment, while others may take 3 to 4 treatments. It is best to combine our therapies with a low inflammatory diet and recommended supplements to aid in nerve healing.