If you are searching for peripheral neuropathy treatment in Visalia or Hanford, this article is for you. Why? Because we have a specialized treatment that most other clinics don’t offer…deep tissue laser therapy.
How Peripheral Neuropathy Can Occur with Diabetes
Diabetes affects more than 34 million Americans, and it’s one of the leading causes of death and disability in the nation. The disease occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin—a hormone that allows the body to use glucose for energy—or the cells in the body fail to recognize the insulin that’s present. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes lead to similar symptoms, which include increased thirst and hunger, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, and increased urination.
But about 50% of individuals with diabetes will also experience a condition called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This complication is the result of poor circulation throughout the body and can lead to pain, tingling, and numbness, as well as decreased balance and proprioception. These impairments often cause patients to have an abnormal gait (how a person walks) and increase the risk for falls in older adults.
Peripheral Neuropathy Can’t Be Cured But There Is Some Hope
Unfortunately, peripheral neuropathy can’t be reversed, but physical therapy is an effective strategy that can help by retraining sensory receptors in the legs to compensate for these changes. By addressing these impairments, physical therapy can improve balance and function, and reduce fall risk as a result.
Some physical therapists also use laser therapy to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This non-invasive intervention sends wavelengths of laser energy to painful areas and leads to changes at the cellular level, with the goal of alleviating pain and increasing function. These lasers gently pass through the body without breaking the skin or causing any discomfort, and the risk for side effects after treatment is therefore very low.
Recently Published Study Supports the Use of Laser Therapy
The benefits of laser therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy were highlighted in a study published in 2019. For the study, 20 patients with painful diabetic neuropathy were randomly assigned to receive either deep tissue laser therapy or a sham (fake) laser therapy treatment for 12 weeks. Results showed that the patients who underwent the real laser therapy experienced significantly greater reductions in pain compared to those who underwent the fake laser treatment in all pain evaluations.
In addition, patients in the real laser therapy group reported significant improvements in quality-of-life measurements and significantly faster times in a test that assesses speed in task that involves standing from a chair and walking a short distance.
These findings suggest that laser therapy is an effective intervention for managing pain and improving quality of life in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
We caution readers to understand that this is a pilot study. The results of this research are encouraging, but more research is necessary. Nevertheless, if you’ve exhausted most of your options, we’re willing to see if it laser therapy will work for you.
We offer Treatment is Not Currently Available at Most Physical Therapy Practices
We offer this laser therapy treatment in Visalia at Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy and a variety of other conditions.
Therefore, we encourage you to contact us today at:
559-733-2478 (Visalia) or 559-582-1027 (Hanford) to learn more or schedule an appointment for any pain you may be experiencing.
