Neuropathy Questions and Answers
These are the questions patients ask most often before a first consultation. Where the honest answer is that it depends on your diagnosis, that is what you will find below.
01 · About neuropathy
About neuropathy
What causes peripheral neuropathy?
Diabetes is the most common driver, but it is far from the only one. Nerve damage also follows B12 and other nutritional deficiencies, thyroid and sex hormone deficiency, chemotherapy, mechanical compression of a nerve root, and metabolic inflammation. A large share of cases are labeled idiopathic, which frequently means the workup stopped before a cause was identified.
Why do symptoms usually start in the feet?
Peripheral neuropathy typically affects the longest nerves first, and the longest nerves in the body run to the toes. That is why burning, pins and needles and numbness usually begin in the feet and move upward over time, reaching the hands later in a length-dependent pattern. A symptom pattern that does not follow that distribution suggests a different mechanism and changes the workup.
Is neuropathy progressive?
Untreated, it often is, particularly while the underlying driver is still active. Uncontrolled blood sugar, an uncorrected deficiency or an unresolved compression continues to damage axons over time. Progression is not inevitable. When the cause is identified and addressed, the trajectory can change, which is why timing matters more than most patients are told.
What is the risk of leaving it alone?
The most immediate risk is loss of protective sensation. When the feet stop reliably reporting pressure, heat and injury, wounds go unnoticed, and that is the pathway to foot ulcers and, in diabetic patients, more serious complications. Balance also degrades as position sense fades, which raises fall risk. A regular foot exam is a reasonable minimum even if you do not pursue treatment.
02 · The protocol
The protocol
What is The Rebuild Neuropathy Protocol™?
It is a sequence: root-cause diagnosis first, then a combination of modalities selected to match the cause identified. Six modalities are available: Class IV laser, shockwave, IV nerve-support infusions, hormonal correction, metabolic optimization and mechanical decompression. Most patients receive some of them, not all. The initial course usually runs eight to twelve weeks.
How is this different from a fixed-session neuropathy program?
A fixed program prices a set number of sessions before the cause of the neuropathy has been established, which means the treatment is decided in advance and the diagnosis has to fit around it. Here the order is reversed. The diagnostic visit determines which modalities are indicated, and the plan and its cost follow from that. Patients who are not good candidates are told so before anything is scheduled.
Which root causes does the protocol address?
The protocol is organized around five categories: diabetic, peripheral including idiopathic and nutritional, compressive, metabolic, and chemotherapy-induced. Many patients have more than one operating at the same time, which is common and is one reason the modality combination varies so much between patients. The diagnostic visit is where those are sorted out and ranked.
How soon might I notice a change?
It varies with the cause and with how much nerve tissue remains viable. Patients whose neuropathy is driven by a correctable deficiency or a hormonal problem sometimes notice change within the first few weeks of correction. Structural and metabolic cases usually take longer, and peripheral nerve regeneration is measured in months rather than days. Progress is reassessed against your baseline testing during the course rather than judged on impression alone.
03 · Treatment sessions
Treatment sessions
How long is a treatment session?
It depends on which modalities your protocol includes. Laser and shockwave applications over the affected nerve territories are relatively short. IV nerve-support infusions take longer, since B12, alpha-lipoic acid and NAD+ are delivered by slow infusion in clinic. Your schedule is set at the planning visit, so the time commitment is clear before you agree to it.
How often would I come in?
The initial course typically runs over eight to twelve weeks, with session frequency set by the modality mix. Laser and shockwave are usually scheduled more frequently than infusions. After the initial course, most patients move to maintenance visits that are typically quarterly.
Are there side effects?
Each modality has its own profile, reviewed with you before treatment begins. Shockwave can leave transient soreness or mild redness over the treated area. IV infusions carry the usual risks associated with peripheral IV access, and some patients report flushing or a warm sensation during the infusion. Peptides and hormone therapy are prescribed and monitored under physician supervision, with the risks discussed individually.
Can I keep taking my current medications?
Bring the full list, including supplements and doses, to the first visit. Many patients continue gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine or other prescribed medication through the protocol, since those treat symptom transmission rather than the underlying cause. Any change to a prescribed medication is a decision for the physician who prescribed it. Do not stop or adjust medication on your own.
04 · Practical
Practical
What does treatment cost?
Cost depends entirely on which modalities your diagnosis calls for, so nothing is quoted before the evaluation. Pricing for the recommended components is reviewed transparently at consultation, itemized rather than bundled into a single flat fee. You will know what the protocol involves and what it costs before anything is scheduled.
Is any of this covered by insurance?
Do not assume these components are covered. Coverage is checked against your specific plan at consultation, and you are quoted before anything is scheduled. Bring your insurance information to that visit so it can be reviewed against your own plan rather than discussed in general terms.
Do I need a referral to be seen?
No referral is needed to book a consultation. If a neurologist, primary care physician or podiatrist has already worked you up, bring what they produced. Prior nerve conduction studies, EMG reports and recent labs shorten the process and reduce duplicated testing. We coordinate with the physicians already managing your care where that is useful.
I would be traveling in for treatment. Is that practical?
It can be, but the protocol requires repeated in-clinic sessions across roughly eight to twelve weeks, and the infusion, laser and shockwave components cannot be done remotely. Patients traveling from elsewhere in Broward or south Palm Beach County generally manage the schedule without difficulty. If you are coming from further away, raise it at the consultation so the schedule can be planned realistically before you commit.
Still deciding where to start? Work out which root cause matches your symptoms, or read how the protocol runs.
Find out what is actually causing the nerve damage.
Evaluation happens in clinic at 3320 N Federal Hwy, Lighthouse Point. Pricing is quoted at consultation.