TUCSON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / February 15, 2023 / Dr. Alan Shih of the Tucson Neuropathy Institute, a subdivision of Head to Toe Healthcare is a podiatrist who specializes in treating a variety of foot and ankle problems ranging from fitting orthotics to bunions. However, his main area of focus is neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that is caused by damage to the nerves that belong to the peripheral nervous system. Its symptoms can range from mild and intermittent to severe and disabling. This condition afflicts more than 20 million Americans.
Previously, many of his patients suffering from neuropathy thought there was little hope for relief of their symptoms. Dr. Alan Shih is determined to correct this misconception. While most doctors focus on procedures relating to tendons and bones, Dr. Alan Shih states that the true issue lies with the nerves themselves and with adequate knowledge about the anatomy of nerves, it is possible to reverse damage to peripheral nerves with a variety of advanced treatment options.
Dr. Alan Shih, a board-certified podiatrist, and Founder of Head to Toe Healthcare, the parent company of Tucson Neuropathy Institute, "Even after receiving extensive surgical training during four years of residency training, I knew very little about the nerves in the legs and feet. It is the same scenario for other highly qualified doctors. The medical community is primarily taught that nothing can be done to treat neuropathy. It was only after my advanced training with Dr. A. Lee Dellon, who is arguably the leading authority in the world on peripheral neuropathy and is a Professor of Plastic Surgery and Neurosurgery at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine that I received training in advanced techniques to identify nerves and help reverse nerve damage through nerve decompression. Unlike bones and tendons, nerves are not highly visible. They can be easily confused with subcutaneous fat and it takes a lot of effort and experience to identify nerves and any constrictions around the nerves. This is why many patients come to me from far away to help them resolve or mitigate their neuropathy issues. They could easily visit a podiatrist nearby for other foot and ankle issues, but doctors who specialize in neuropathy are quite rare."
Dr. Shih is one of the less than 1% of podiatrists in the world who have been to Russia for a mini-fellowship in the renowned Ilizarov technique to correct advanced bone deformities. He completed the Lower Extremity Peripheral Nerve Surgery advanced training in Baltimore, accredited by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and directed by Dr. A. Lee Dellon. Only a few hundred surgeons worldwide, comprising mainly of plastic, orthopedic, general, and podiatric surgeons have received this training.
Dr. Shih uses advanced technologies and techniques to help patients reverse the damage caused by peripheral neuropathy. Nevertheless, according to him, more than the use of advanced technologies, what matters is the advanced knowledge and experience a surgeon should have to treat neuropathy effectively.
"We certainly have a lot of modalities but my underlying theme is challenging the conventional paradigms and treatment for neuropathy. What I offer is a specialty focus in neuropathy on the legs and feet. My goal is to give patients hope that they will be able to live without pain or with minimal pain through the use of non-surgical and surgical interventions. In some cases, it might be necessary to use surgical decompression as in the case of carpal tunnel surgery for the hands if needed. Very fine nerves are not even visible to the human eye, with magnifying loupes needed to see them. But with advanced knowledge of anatomy, this is possible and the numerous testimonials I have received from my patients attest to the effectiveness of my treatment methods. Seeing their faces light up with hope and happiness is my reward. Rather than just using advanced techniques in a scattershot manner, I use them in a precise way so that they are effective and give optimized relief to my patients" according to Dr. Shih.
About Tucson Foot and Ankle Institute
Tucson Foot and Ankle Institute, a subdivision of Head to Toe Healthcare specializes in the treatment of a wide range of foot and ankle conditions.
Media Contact
Name: Alan Shih
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE: Head to Toe Healthcare