DOWNTOWN TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST AND CHIROPODIST DISCUSSES DPN: DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

WHILE AT THE APMA SEMINAR 2 WEEKS AGO WE PURCHASED THE NC-STAT, WHICH IS THE LATEST DEVICE TO MEASURE DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY.  THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND DEVICE AND WE JUST FINISHED INTENSIVE IN HOUSE TRAINING WITH DR. PAUL ZIMMER AND BONNIEJEAN BOETTCHER WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER FROM BOSTON AND THE CREATOR OF THE DEVICE YESTERDAY AND HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THE PROCEEDURE IN OUR OFFICE.  WE ARE GOING TO USE THIS PROCEDURE AS PART OF OUR REGULAR SCREENING FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS.

DPN IS PRIMARILY CAUSED BY HIGH BLOOD GLUCOSE (SUGAR) LEVELS DAMAGING THE NERVES, MOSTLY THE LEGS AND FEET.  THE SYMPTOMS ARE PAIN, BURNING, NUMBNESS, OR TINGLING IN YOUR FEET.  THE BENIFIT OF THE NERVE CONDUCTION STUDY IS THAT IS THE EARLIEST AND MOST OBJECTIVE WAY TO DETECT DPN.  IT PROVIDES NUMBERS, MUCH LIKE BLOOD PRESURE OR GLUCOSE LEVELS.

IT IS ACCURATE, NON-INVASIVE, AND AFFORDABLE IN-OFFICE SURAL NERVE CONDUCTION TEST FOR DPN.  IT DOES NOT INVOLVE NEEDLES AND TAKES LES THAN ONE MINUTE. ALLOWS FOR EARLY DETECTION AND INTERVENTION THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO AVOID DIABETIC FOOT COMPLICATIONS, SUCH AS ULCERS OR AMPUTATION.

DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AFFECTS OVER 50% OF PEOPLE WITH DIABETES.  THE AMERICAN AND CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS A COMPREHENSIVE FOOT EXAMINATION AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY DR. HARDY AND MARZ HARDY, D.Ch., B.Sc., PODIATRIC MEDICINE WHO IS A TORONTO CHIROPODIST AND A TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST AND THE TEAM FROM ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS.