CHIROPRACTIC CARE Q

HOW CAN CHIROPRACTIC CARE HELP YOU WITH NEUROPATHY?

According to Dr. Jeffrey Glover, chiropractic care is about taking care of the entire body. It benefits everyone because this care focuses on the central nervous system, which is affected by neuropathy. The American Diabetes Association estimates as many as half the people the with diabetes suffer some form of nerve damage, which is called diabetic neuropathy.

When neuropathy develops, patients generally complain of tingling in the feet or a feeling of pins and needles. There are those who also have burning, stabbing, and shooting pains. Feet feel sensitive and sometimes it hurt to have something as thin as a sheet touch them. Add to that numbness and weakness, and neuropathy lowers the quality of life. It can create other problems like loss of balance and difficulty standing.

“Our whole-body approach means we understand the brain and the spinal chord are connected to every action in the body,” Dr. Glover says. “Sometimes adjustments help and make the nerves function better due to improved blood flow.”

Dr. Glover says his clinic also offers help by recommending vitamins that help nerves function better. “We know of supplements that will dilate blood vessels, making blood flow better. the lack of good blood flow can increase nerve pain and numbness. As the veins in the legs and feet get smaller, it feels like the blood vessels are choking.”

The doctor goes on to say there are many alternative ways to treat neuropathy. “We always want to give our patients drug-free and nonsurgical alternatives.”

There are three primary causes of the neuropathy Glover Chiropractic Clinic treats—diabetic neuropathy, compression mononeuropathy such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and postchemo/radiation neuropathy, which he says is the most difficult to treat.

“We do many therapies in our office, including laser therapy that feels like a warm, soothing sensation, and it improves blood flow,” Dr. Glover says. “With diabetes, blood vessels get smaller as sugar molecules spill over into the bloodstream, cutting off blood flow to the nerves.”

Early diagnosis is the key to treating neuropathy, and Dr. Glover feels his treatments are an effective, beneficial way to help restore patient health and better quality of life.

“That’s what’s important to me— knowing when my patients leave my office they feel better.

QWHAT ARE SOME OF THE THE NEW ORTHOPAEDIC TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCEDURES THAT YOU ARE PERFORMING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

There are couple of exciting technologies that have really improved results for patients recently. The first is the use of ankle replacements for the treatment of severe ankle pain.

While not as common as knee replacements and hip replacements, ankle replacements are incredibly valuable for patients suffering from arthritis or severe trauma. In the past, doctors had one option to treat these issues: joint fusions, which reduced pain but restricted joint movement. Total ankle replacements, which preserve motion, are a viable solution for improving patient outcomes. I have been performing ankle replacements for several years in our community with excellent results. We are now able to perform custom ankle replacements. We use a CT scan of a patient’s joint to build a custom implant that is as unique as their fingerprint. This allows us to better mimic the anatomy of the patient’s original joint, leading to better long-term results.

The second exciting technology is the use of carbon fiber implants to treat fractures. This technology was first utilized in the aeronautical and automotive industries. Carbon fiber has

Orthopaedic Care

CEDRIC J. TANKSON, M.D.

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many advantages over standard titanium and stainless steel implants. It is lightweight and its mechanical properties more closely resemble those of bone. These unique characteristics promote faster healing after implantation. Most importantly, carbon fiber is radiolucent so it doesn’t obscure the bone in an x-ray, making it easier to see bone growth and allowing doctors to better assess the progress of a healing fracture. This technological advancement has led to earlier and more aggressive rehabilitation of patients with improved outcomes.

People are living longer and living their best lives later. Technologies like custom joint replacements and carbon fiber implants allow us to truly restore function. A hip or ankle fracture is no longer the end of an active lifestyle.

I love Orthopaedic medicine because it is a process that continues to learn from its past, building on older technologies to improve results for patients every day. UNOVA truly embodies that spirit of innovation, offering our patients a full spectrum of care and access to tomorrow’s technology, today.

Dr. Tankson is a foot and ankle specialist at UNOVA Orthopaedic Health Clinic in Lady Lake. He is the only surgeon in the area performing ankle replacements and using carbon fiber implants to treat fractures. If you have questions for Dr. Tankson or are interested in the other services offered by UNOVA, please visit www.UNOVAhealth.com.