"Light Therapy" For Neuropathy Pain

Neuropathy is a common condition affecting diabetics and non-diabetics.  This condition often consists of significant pain that may interfere with sleep patterns or even life.  Usually the treatments consist of medications only and often only treat the symptoms not the cause.  "Light Therapy" proports to treat the cause of the pain and often resolve it.  The big question is: "Does 'Light Therapy' improve neuropathy pain?"

Dr Gibson discusses this valuable option, including how it may help you not just treat your symptoms, but possibly resolve them.  Listen to this Podcast at: http://footdoc.mypodcast.com/2009/10/Dr_Gibson_Discusses_Light_Therapy_for_Neuropathy_Pain-252760.html

Dr Brandt R Gibson

Mountain West Foot & Ankle Institute

36 North 1100 East, Suite B

American Fork, UT 84003

801-756-0765

www.UtahFootDoc.com

B-Complex Vitamins Improve Neuropathy

Neuropathy is the poor functioning of nerves and can lead to significant abnormalities in the feet and legs including: 

- My feet are numb and may even feel dead.
- I don't feel pain in my feet, even when I have an injury.
- I can't feel my feet when I'm walking, and may trip periodically.
- I have trouble feeling heat or cold in my feet or hands.
- My feet are usually tingling.
- I feel "pins and needles" in my feet, like they are trying to wake up.
- I have burning, stabbing, shooting or electrical shock pains in my feet.
- My feet are very sensitive to touch.  It hurts to have the feet touched, even from a bed sheet.
- Sometimes I feel like I have leather on my foot, or like I have gloves or socks on when I don't.
- My feet hurt significantly at night and keep me awake.

Although diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy in the United States, neuropathy can present in many individuals without diabetes.  In both cases, nerve functioning may be damaged by decreased blood flow to the nerves or even damaging of the nerves.  As with many natural conditions, there is a natural substance that can improve these symptoms and improve nerve fuctioning.  No longer is neuropathy (diabetic or not) a condition that you need to continue with.

The most common natural substances to improve neuropathy is B complex vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B6, B12 and folic acid.  Many of the over-the-counter vitamins that contain these products, however, are in a form that are not as easily absorbed or utilized by the body.  In our research, we have found two products that provide the vitamins in a form that are beneficial and easily utilized by the body.

1. Metanx - A prescription item that contains L-methoylfolate, Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and Methylcobalamin (all natural forms of folic acid, B6 and B12 respectively).  These products work together to produce increased blood flow to the nerves and assist in nerve repair.  Many people are finding not just decreased symptoms but improvment of the neuropathy over time.  It should be utilized, however, for at least 4-6 months to ensure it has time to repair the nerves.

2. Neuremedy - A over-the-counter item that contains a form of B1 (benfotiamine) that is absorbed and modified by the body to the active form of B1 (thiamine).  Most forms of this vitamin fail to be absorbed in the body, but the benfotiamine of Neuremedy is easily absorbed and utilized by the body.  It has been shown to nourish dysfunctional nerves and allow them to conduct impulses more normally.  It has been utilized since the early 1960s in Europe and Asia on thousands of patients. 

So, neuropathy although a common problem doesn't need to continue to cause problems in your life.  It can be treated often very effectively through the use of one of these two options.

Dr Brandt R Gibson
Mountain West Foot & Ankle Institute
36 North 1100 East, Suite B
American Fork, UT 84003
801-756-0765
http://www.utahfootdoc.com/

I Fall Because I Can't Feel My Feet

Today, the 22 September 2009 is National Fall Prevention Awareness Day. As such, many people are being told about the risk of falling and having an injury because of falls. I often see patients that have balance difficulties and wonder what the causes are. To examine this, I would like to explain the topic of balance:

1. Eyes --> Visual checks of the horizon or surrounding items can often preclude a fall, because you will physically notice that your are loosing your balance. This will cause other parts of the body to adjust. In dark areas or at night, the eyes are less valuable in providing this balance effect. In fact, if you have visual problems, you may also lose this benefit.

2. Ears --> In the inner ear, there are small cilia or hairs that provide the sense of balance. If the head tilts abnormally, these hairs send a signal that informs the brain of loss of balance. With auditory (ear) problems, these sensations may not function as they should. Hearing loss may represent loss of nerve function, including this sensation of balance.

3. Proprioception --> This is a large word that basically describes pressure to the feet. When you start to lean one way or the other, increased pressure is placed on a foot, and the brain is instructed that the legs or hips need to be adjusted to fix this balance problem. In diabetic neuropathy or other peripheral neuropathies, the feet lose the proprioception and an individual is unable to adjust how they stand or walk when losing balance. Prioprioception can be assisted, however with a cane or walker that places proprioception into the hands instead of the feet and allows the body to adjust for lack of feeling in the feet.

Neuropathy can be a large problem in falls and may lead to lack of balance. If treatments are utilized to improve neuropathy, proprioception (and balance) will also be improved. I recommend that anyone with neuropathy look for options to improve their balance, so that the 10% of serious injuries from a fall can be avoided.

For additional information on neuropathy and treatment options, please visit www.UtahFootDoc.com.

Dr Brandt R Gibson
Mountain West Foot & Ankle Institute
36 North 1100 East, Suite B
American Fork, UT 84003
801-756-0765
www.UtahFootDoc.com