Neuropathy

Lower Extremity Neuropathy Clinic

Specializing in disorders and conditions affecting the foot and ankle. Dr. Mowen has a special interest in Neuropathy, or nerve damage that affects the feet and legs.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition where nerves outside of the spinal column are damaged. The most common cause is diabetes. There are many other causes as well including medications, alcoholism, thyroid disease, and many others. A full 30% of cases are from unknown causes. Neuropathy is usually progressive and frequently not curable. Treatment can make it very manageable, and can help prevent its possible devastating effects. Last year there were 92,000 amputations in North America linked to Neuropathy.

Dr. Mowen's office is one of the only treatment centers in South Jersey. Our office offers the latest in conservative care as well as all many new surgical approaches.

Our office

is fully modernized with in-house x-ray, fluoroscopy, imaging ultrasound, vascular dopplers, nerve conduction studies, pressure Specific Sensory device, and an operating room for minor surgery.

Treatment Options

Medication
There are many medications, including pain relievers, anticonvulsants and antidepressants. There are many good topical formulas as well - Biofreeze and NeuroEz are used in our office.

Therapy

Anodyne: This is the mainstay in conservative care. It involves infrared light that can help to dilate small blood vessels that supply nutrition to small nerves. This therapy must be done for 30 minutes sessions 2-3x a week to be successful. Patients usually need to follow up with a home device indefinitely if their underlying condition is not curable (i.e. diabetes)

Neuromuscular Stimulation: Small nerve stimulators can help to alleviate nerve pain and "re-awaken" areas that are numb.

Decompression injections: Small doses of corticosteroids and anesthetics are injected into peripheral nerves where they may be compressed (pinched). This is very commonly done for back pain and just recently used in the treatment of peripheral nerve pain. 

Routine Foot Care: We provide treatment for many routine foot problems and try to prevent them from becoming bigger problems. This frequently includes the trimming of coats and calluses, ingrown nails, etc.

Surgery for Peripheral Nerves

Open Surgery: In many cases of Peripheral Neuropathy there is superimposed nerve entrapments (nerves being squeezed) in tight anatomical locations. Many times an underlying condition will cause the nerves (or the tissues around them) to be swollen. This swelling compresses the nerve. Dr Mowen has extensive training in peripheral nerve surgery on legs and feet. The surgery is done typically as an outpatient at a local surgical center or hospital. Most surgery can be done with sedation and a local anesthetic. Patients are able to walk immediately with a special boot and crutches or a walker. The surgery involves removing tight structures that are constricting the nerves. These procedures have a very high success rate in treating painful neuropathies, such as Diabetic neuropathy , Chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, Tarsal tunnel syndrome and neuromas.

Minimally Invasive Procedure

Cryoneuroablation or cryosurgery is a very new and exciting office procedure. With a local anesthetic and ultrasound or fluoroscopic imaging, selected nerves can be treated by blocking their painful stimuli. A smog probe is used to "freeze" the affected nerve, stopping it from transmitting. The procedure has an 80% success rate far treating neuromas, tarsal tunnel and neuritic heel pain.