Are you struggling with foot pain caused by neuropathy? Neuropathy is a common condition. Recent estimates suggest that between 25% to 30% of Americans or 20 million people will suffer from symptoms associated with neuropathy including:

• Pain
• Burning
• Numbness
• Tinging
• Muscle spasms
• Muscle weakness 

Pain felt in the feet due to neuropathy can be so severe that it will stop patients from walking and can keep them up through the night, causing insomnia. 

The symptoms caused by peripheral neuropathy are a result of damage to the nerves located in the spinal cord as well as the brain. Neuropathy can impact various areas of the body. However, one of the most common areas patients will experience symptoms is the feet. This can make it painful to walk or exercise, significantly impacting an individual’s quality of life. 

Neuropathy is commonly caused by diabetes. However, it may also occur as a result of chemotherapy as well as alcoholism and even exposure to heavy metals. In other cases, there is no identifiable cause of the symptoms that patients experience. 

Therapy for neuropathy is mainly focused on managing the symptoms caused by the condition. While some types of neuropathy can be cured with surgery, this will not be a suitable option for most patients.

Neuropathic foot therapy can include low-level laser therapy, amniotic injections and PRP. However, over the last 10 years, we have found EPAT acoustic wave and radial shockwave to be a highly effective treatment. Using EPAT, 90% of our patients with neuropathy have experienced a 50% or greater reduction in associated symptoms with this unique therapy.

EPAT and Shockwave Explained 

EPAT or extracorporeal pulse activation technology and radial shockwave are FDA-approved, non-surgical therapies that have been shown to relieve pain associated with various conditions including neuropathy.

The evidence-based technology platform creates acoustic pressure waves. This stimulates the metabolism, increasing levels of blood circulation and accelerating the healing process. 

A key benefit of EPAT is that it causes virtually no side effects. There is also no risk of infection or scarring of the feet. In rare cases, patients may experience mild bruising in the treated area. The technology has undergone extensive clinical research and is currently used at clinics around the world including our medical practice. 

What Are EPAT and Radial Showckwave Therapy Like?

Using EPAT and radial shockwave for neuropathy will involve an in-office treatment that will typically take no more than 10 to 15 minutes. During this treatment time, multiple areas can be focused on including both feet depending on the individual needs of the patient.

A gel will be applied to the affected area before using a handheld applicator to create acoustic pressure waves. The device will be moved in a circular motion and the pulses will slowly increase until the desired level is achieved. 

EPAT and radial shockwave do not require the use of anesthesia and typically patients will have a high level of tolerance to the treatment. If a patient experiences any pain or discomfort, treatment will stop immediately. Treatment will then restart at a lower intensity to match tolerance levels. Typically, treatment will begin at 2000 pulses before being increased during further sessions.

Benefits Of EPAT and Radial Shockwave For Neuropathic Symptoms of the Feet 

Benefits of the treatment can include:

• Improving the blood supply
• Tissue regeneration 
• Neovascularization 

EPAT and radial shockwave can be used to treat various symptoms that patients commonly experience such as burning, paresthesias, and sharp shooting or stabbing pains in the feet. 

EPAT and radial shockwave are less effective at treating symptoms related to a loss of sensation. It is currently unknown why this is the case. For this reason, patients who are primarily struggling with this symptom are advised to temper expectations before starting treatment. 

The therapy can be used to treat patients who experience short-term or chronic symptoms caused by neuropathy. We have also found EPAT and radial shockwave have been effective at treating the condition in patients who have struggled to find relief before through other options such as ineffective prescriptions and topical creams. 

A Continuous Therapy

EPAT and radial shockwave are not a one-off and will not cure neuropathy. Instead, patients who experience pain or discomfort in their feet due to neuropathy will require multiple treatments. Particularly, if there is an underlying cause such as diabetes.  

For the best results, it is recommended that patients start by receiving weekly or biweekly EPAT or radial shockwave therapy. The period between follow-up treatments can then slowly be increased. Patients will also require maintenance treatments every four to six weeks. 

Typically, patients will start to see a significant reduction in symptoms after two to three weeks. However, some patients may notice a change after just one treatment. This will often depend on the severity of their symptoms.

How Is Progress Monitored? 

Response to these modalities is monitored and the results for patients are assessed using the visual pain level. 90% of patients report a significant improvement using this pain scale.  

An Effective Therapy For Managing Neuropathic Foot Symptoms 

In a Q&A Dr. Jeffrey Kleis, DPM, explained that patients who receive EPAT for neuropathy foot symptoms love the results and we have a high patient satisfaction rate from this treatment. As well as reducing their symptoms, the treatment can help them function more effectively and achieve a far higher quality of life. 

Many patients have also been able to stop using ineffective medication or medication with unpleasant side effects. For instance, many of our patients were previously using medication which can control symptoms but may also cause drowsiness. 

Many who use this neuropathic therapy have been suffering from pain and other symptoms for years or even decades. They have often lost hope and are overwhelmed by the results of the treatment provided.

Patients are seen regularly so progress can be effectively monitored and the treatment plan can be personalized for the needs of each individual. 

Other Treatments Offered For Neuropathy Foot Symptoms 

As well as providing EPAT and radial shockwave therapy, we offer laser treatment for neuropathic symptoms. However, most patients prefer EPAT and radial shockwave compared with laser treatment and other types of similar procedures due to the increased relief that it provides. 

EPAT and radial shockwave are now the standard therapy that we provide for our patients suffering from neuropathic foot symptoms. If you are interested in learning more about EPAT and radial shockwave and the neuropathic foot therapies we provide please do not hesitate to get in touch today.