Finally, A Treatment for Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Irreversible is not a word you want to hear from your Doctor, but it’s a common one if you’ve been diagnosed with Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN.
Elliott S. of Kamloops survived testicular cancer only to be living life in constant pain. He felt as though he was walking on pins and needles, becoming weaker and weaker every day. “I was beginning to be worried that one day I would be wheelchair-bound”, explained Elliott. Nearly half of patients who undergo chemotherapy will develop CIPN.
Chemotherapy medications travel throughout the body and attack cancer cells. Sadly, they can also cause severe damage to healthy nerves. CIPN can begin within weeks of starting treatment and can worsen as treatment continues. A high number of unfortunate people will be forced to endure the symptoms associated with CIPN for months or even years after they’ve completed chemo.
When asked how CIPN was affecting his quality of life, Elliott responded, “It was difficult to even walk up and down stairs and do other things we usually take for granted.”
The most common symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy include:
pain, tingling, burning, weakness, or numbness in arms, hands, legs, or feet
sudden, sharp, stabbing, or shocking pain sensations
loss of touch sensation
clumsiness and trouble using hands to pick up objects or fasten clothing
loss of balance and falling
For some, their nerves will recover over time. For most, the nerve damage is ‘irreversible.’
Elliott had been told just that by a series of doctors and specialists. Essentially they could cure his cancer but couldn’t fix the damage done by the drugs used to cure his cancer.
Then Elliott saw a story in the newspaper about someone with a similar condition who was receiving acupuncture treatment from Salmon Arm Wellness Clinic. Acupuncture increases blood flow and stimulates the body’s built-in healing mechanisms. We also use microcurrent, a non-invasive, painless treatment that assists in expediting recovery and healing using low-level electrical current. After a series of treatments, Elliott was taking stairs with stride!
“We have a house on the lake, and it’s up stairs. This morning I walked right down the stairs and got in the car,” Elliott shared. “I remember thinking ‘that’s become mighty easy for me’, I didn’t have to hold on to the handrail or anything! It’s life changing to have this mobility back!”
Again and again, we meet with patients who were once diagnosed as “untreatable” or “incurable”. However, after receiving our treatments, they’re living lives free from pain and suffering!
Every day in the clinic we are reversing the effects of CIPN and other varieties of Peripheral Neuropathy (including those caused by diabetes) without invasive surgeries or uncomfortable medications. If you’ve recently beat cancer only to find that you’re living a life in constant pain and discomfort, or you’re struggling with the same symptoms as a result of Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy or Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Call (250) 253-5609 to schedule your free consultation today.