Peripheral Neuropathy Breakthrough
Local clinic provides compassionate care and proven solutions for this seemingly hopeless disease
“My feet feel like they’re on fire.”
“Each step feels like I’m walking through wet paint.”
“I live in constant fear that I’ll fall.”
“I can’t sleep, my hands and feet tingle all night.”
What do all of these people have in common? They suffer from peripheral neuropathy. It’s estimated that more than 30 million people in North America have peripheral neuropathy. Unfortunately this figure may be significantly higher as the disease is often misdiagnosed because of its wide array of symptoms.
Katrina Dollano, acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner at What’s Good—Wellness by Design in Oakville shares this belief. “I’ve been treating neuropathy, in all its various forms, for over a decade and so often my patients come to me because of the symptoms, not because of a diagnosis. They saw one of my talks or read the story of another patient and say to themselves, ‘hey, I feel the same thing.’”
Like Dorothy of Bronte, Oakville’s story. Dorothy’s husband had to drive her to her consultation, during which she shared how she saw a woman jogging through the clinic’s neighbourhood. She felt so envious and just kept thinking about how she would give anything to walk freely again. Her family doctor had told her that her troubles with pain and balance were just symptoms of old age and gave her a prescription. She was so depressed. Fortunately, Dorothy would eventually see Katrina giving a talk at the Oakpark Neighbourhood Centre about similar symptoms and how she offers a real solution at What’s Good. Dorothy knew she just had to see what the clinic could do for her; it was her last hope.
“Almost all of our patients come to us with a story similar to Dorothy’s. They’ve been everywhere else. They’ve been told there’s no hope. They’ve been told ‘it’s just part of getting older,’” shares Rayna, a patient care technician at What’s Good. “It just breaks my heart but I know how much we can help people like Dorothy so I’m always so happy when they walk through our door.”
Western medicine declares there is no solution while
most alternative therapies carry large price tags that offer little to no resolve. Which is why Katrina and her team at What’s Good take pride in being “the last resort with the best results” for patients who feel overwhelmed by the hopelessness of their diagnosis.
Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves and this damage is commonly caused by lack of blood flow in the hands and feet. A lack of blood flow results in a lack of nutrients; the nerves then begin to degenerate and die which causes pain ranging from discomfort to debilitating. Because neuropathy is a degenerative condition, once those nerves begin to deteriorate they will continue to do so until they are completely expired, leaving those suffering with crippling balance issues. “In this case, the absence of pain is not necessarily a good thing,” shares Katrina. “This usually indicates that your nerves are hanging on by a fragile thread.”
So how exactly is Katrina able to reverse the effects
of this degenerative disease? By blending the ancient science of acupuncture with modern medical solutions. “Acupuncture has been used to increase blood flow for thousands of years which helps to get the necessary nutrients to the affected nerves. But the real magic happens when I include integrative medicine technologies to our treatments. They expedite
recovering and healing.”
Today, Dorothy can’t say enough good things about What’s Good. She and her husband moved to Bronte over five years ago and while he walked down by the lake everyday, Dorothy used to stay home because of her pain and discomfort. Just this week she walked down to the marina with him. And next week they have their first pickleball tournament! Dorothy is finally living life and getting to enjoy her retirement!
“According to Dorothy’s sensory exam results, she has seen a 74 per cent improvement in pain and function, which is on par with a majority of our patients,” shares Rayna. “But more important than those test results is the joy she’s expressed being here and hearing about all the amazing things she’s able to do because she feels great!”
Katrina starts each patient with an initial consultation during which a sensory exam is performed. “This not only aids in making a proper diagnosis but it helps to define just how much nerve damage has occurred,” tells the practitioner. “This is important because if a patient has suffered more than 95 per cent damage, there is little that I can do to help them. I’m familiar with the medical miracle but I know my limits as a practitioner and the limits of my medicine. We help a lot of people, but we can’t help everyone. But I’m happy to say that 90% of our patients see an improvement in their sensory exam scores and experience a significant reduction in their symptoms. In fact, we have patients travelling from hours away to see us because of our uniquely effective treatments for neuropathy.”
When it comes to treating peripheral neuropathy, regardless of its origin, early detection greatly improves your chances of a full recovery. If you or someone you love are suffering with chronic pain that presents as burning, tingling or ‘pins and needles’ or you’ve recently been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, it’s important to know that there are options. There is hope.
For a limited time initial consultations are being offered for $47. Call 905-845-5775 to schedule.
Visit WhatsGoodWellness.ca to read more incredible success stories.