Introduction
The TM Flow is a revolutionary new diagnostic tool that helps doctors diagnose Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) much more easily than in the past. The instrument allows for objective measurement of autonomic nervous system function including heart rate variability, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, baroreflex sensitivity and orthostatic tolerance. This can provide insight into blood pressure control, blood glucose management and cardiovascular health as well as other measures of autonomic function such as fatigue, sleep quality and stress levels.”
Many local chiropractic offices, advanced and experienced in caring for patients with diabetes, have adopted the instrument and are beginning to use it as a routine diagnostic tool.
Many local chiropractic offices, advanced and experienced in caring for patients with diabetes, have adopted the instrument and are beginning to use it as a routine diagnostic tool. The TM Flow is a painless, quick and easy test to administer. The instrument detects the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by measuring electrical conductivity in the muscles at various points along your foot as you walk on a treadmill-like machine. If you have DPN, you will experience numbness or burning sensations in your feet that are not caused by pressure on those areas.
Board Certified Family Practice Physician in Bakersfield, CA
Dr. Robert J. Wood, MD is a board certified family practice physician in Bakersfield, CA. Dr. Wood is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association (AMA).
Dr. Wood graduated from California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology before earning his Doctorate from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1999. Currently, Dr. Wood serves as Medical Director at Bakersfield Urgent Care Center (BUC) where he provides primary care for adults and children as well as urgent care services for non-life threatening injuries or illnesses that require additional treatment beyond what can be provided by an emergency room visit but are not serious enough for hospitalization or surgery treatment options such as fractures/dislocations broken bones/sprains twisted ankles sprained wrists tendonitis knee pain back pain headaches ear infections skin rashes colds flu viruses bronchitis pneumonia sinus infection upper respiratory infections gastroenteritis stomach virus nausea vomiting diarrhea constipation abdominal pain nausea vomiting cough sore throat fever chills fatigue dizziness weakness shortness breath chest tightness dry cough productive cough hoarseness shortness breath wheezing dyspnea
A TM Flow analysis provides a quick, painless, comprehensive and objective test of the autonomic nervous system that is highly specific to diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
The TM Flow analysis provides a quick, painless, comprehensive and objective test of the autonomic nervous system that is highly specific to diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
The test provides important information about the status of your autonomic nervous system including:
- A measure of your cardiac function (HRV) which is an indirect measure of the overall health and activity level within your heart.
- An assessment of how well you are able to relax during stress – this ability is known as “vagal tone”.
- An evaluation of your vascular health via measurements such as heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure response to posture change and pulse pressure variation (PPV).
In addition to the doctors at Bakersfield Family Medical Group, many local chiropractic offices who are advanced and experienced in caring for patients with diabetes have adopted the instrument and are beginning to use it as a routine diagnostic tool.
In addition to the doctors at Bakersfield Family Medical Group, many local chiropractic offices who are advanced and experienced in caring for patients with diabetes have adopted the instrument and are beginning to use it as a routine diagnostic tool.
Many other medical practices, such as the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes Research Foundation, have not yet accepted this new method of diagnostics. There is a large portion of practitioners who do not accept any new tests or procedures until they have been proven valid by independent research studies over several years. This can be frustrating for those who want more alternatives available today but understand that it takes time before anything new can become widespread practice.
TM Flow is helping to diagnose Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) much more easily than in the past.
TM Flow is a diagnostic tool that has been proven to diagnose Peripheral Neuropathy more accurately than the traditional tilt table test. If you are a family practice physician or work in any medical office, you can use TM Flow to help your patients avoid long wait times and unnecessary testing using old-fashioned methods.
TM Flow was developed by Dr. Justin Goforth and his team at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine’s Center for Integrative Medicine (CIM). The portable machine provides an objective evaluation of neurological function by measuring responses to deep breathing while lying down on a specially designed bed with special sensors attached to the legs and feet.
The test takes only three minutes, yet it produces results with greater accuracy than other tests such as electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction velocity studies or quantitative sensory testing (QST). It also reduces false positives since there is no need for sedation or anesthesia like an EMG does. TM Flow aims to be used not only for diagnosing DPN but also for monitoring progress over time as well as following up after treatment
Conclusion
This is a great tool for the patients who suffer from DPN, as it will help them to get the treatment they need earlier on in their disease process. The sooner you start treating your diabetes, the better off you will be in the long run. TM Flow can also help doctors diagnose DPN more easily than before and identify patients at risk for developing this condition before it becomes serious enough to warrant hospitalization or emergency care.
