Ouch, my feet hurt!

Nerve pain. Even if you don't think you do, you know it. It's the pain you get if you sit too long on something hard and your leg falls asleep. It's the pain you get if you hit your funny bone and feel pain shoot down into your pinky finger.

Once in awhile, sure, easy to deal with. But some people deal with this kind of pain daily, in their toes, legs, fingertips. It can prevent them from getting sleep. From doing activities they love. From wearing the shoes they like.

Aside from the pain, these damaged nerves can also decrease sensitivity to touch, pain, temperature, or "proprioception" (our perception of where our bodies and limbs are in space). People can get cuts they don't notice that turn into infected wounds. Or they can get burns from hot water they didn't realize was so hot. Or they can start bumping into things or falling as their brains try hard to balance without knowing exactly where the feet are!

If the motor nerves are involved, people can develop weakness - foot drops or wrist drops. They can start tripping over their feet, or they may have difficulty buttoning their clothes, cutting their food, or gripping things.

If you or a loved one has any of these symptoms, you may have a neuropathy, which is a disease of the peripheral nerves. Neuropathy is a condition that may be caused by many different things. It is often progressive. Diabetes, or prediabetes, is one of the most common causes. But it can also be caused by vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, genetic conditions, undiagnosed cancers, by excessive alcohol use, or by certain medications. Diagnosis of neuropathy is usually simple for your doctor and involves a neurologic examination. You may also need a nerve conduction study, which is a procedure where the doctor will measure how quickly your nerves conduct electric impulses. Some simple blood tests can sometimes find the cause. Usually, once you treat the underlying condition, the neuropathy itself may improve or at least stop progressing. Though studies have not yet found a magic pill to take away neuropathy, there are many treatments - natural/alternative as well as traditional medicines - that can bring people relief. This alongside behavioral interventions and physical therapy to prevent falls, wounds, etc.

Go see your doctor today if you think you may have a neuropathy. Boca Raton neurologist Dr. Renata Chalfin helps people with peripheral neuropathy almost every day, and she can help you, too. Call 561-961-8575 to make an appointment, or book online at https://www.idealneurology.com/book.

I look forward to meeting you!

Boca Raton Neurologist Dr. Renata Chalfin Has a Message For You!

Dr. Chalfin and the Ideal Neurology Clinic stands for old-fashioned service with the most up-to-date evidence-based medicine. Call us today at 561-961-8575 to speak with us or to book your first appointment! You can also book on our website here.

Why see an independent neurologist?

Boca Raton neurologist Dr. Renata Chalfin explains the benefits of seeing an independent neurologist (or any independent doctor for that matter!).

I’ve been asked countless times: why should I see you, when there are neurologists on my insurance plan? Why see you when I get my care at such and such hospital's neurology clinic? Why see you when my other neurologists offer all these other services/have more staff/have fancier offices?

Here are the top 6 reasons:

1. An independent neurologist like myself works for you, not for any corporate entity. I don’t have any administrator hovering over me, telling me to see more patients in an hour, perform unnecessary tests or procedures, meet arbitrary metrics, or to document specific details into an EMR. I don’t have insurance companies telling me what diagnosis I can give you, whether I coded our visit correctly or documented sufficient or specific details they’re looking for. I don’t have anyone dictating how frequently or infrequently we can meet, whether a home visit is medically necessary, or how much time we can spend together, how much counseling or care coordination I can provide, or whether I can perform a physical or a procedure on the same day as your office visit. I don't get tied up in insurer phone calls in order to maneuver our complicated and ever-changing commercial reimbursement system, to chase after payment for services by sending claim after claim only to be rejected for arbitrary reasons. To learn more about how putting insurance companies between doctors and patients decreases quality of care, read this article which is a quite accurate analogy.
   

2. I am not restricted to the use of specific physicians, laboratories, imaging centers, or healthcare providers because of political or systemic connections or to maximize corporate revenue and profit. Rather, I am free to refer you to whomever I believe will provide you with the highest quality of care.
   

3. I forge relationships with other independent physicians, labs, pharmacies, and imaging centers that focus on minimizing cost, thereby providing you with options that may be more affordable and/or convenient than what your insurance may provide. While getting an MRI at the hospital may get you lost in a maze and run you (even with insurance!) in the thousands of dollars, several local independent imaging centers have offered prices for my patients as low as $250!
   

4. I will spend time with you, in a relaxed visit so you don’t feel rushed and so all your questions are answered. If you’ve ever gone to the doctor’s office only to leave confused because you only spent 5 minutes with the doctor and none of your questions were answered, that doesn’t happen with an independent doctor. I will do my best to make sure your questions are answered or we have another follow-up scheduled shortly to further address your concerns.
   

5. I spend my overhead on things that matter - office rent and supplies - and limit spending on things that don't. No unnecessary office aesthetics, staff, or services that do not add to the quality of your care. By being able to control and limit my overhead as well as minimize unpaid balances, I can see fewer patients, spending more time with each one to provide the care they need.
   

6. I can change office policies or procedures in an instant, control my fees, prescribe new medications, and adopt new treatment algorithms better and more quickly. I do not need anyone’s permission to do so, and I have the time and infrastructure in place to make those changes quickly.

If you’re looking for an independent neurologist that will put your needs first, look no further. I am an independent, board-certified, Ivy League-educated neurologist right here in Boca Raton, waiting to serve you! Call 561-961-8575 to ask me more questions and to schedule your first consultation with me today.