The Path to Pain-Free Healthy Living Begins at Sarasota Neuropathy Center
Diabetes and Neuropathy Treatment in Englewood, FL
Living with neuropathy and diabetes is a challenge that millions of Americans face every day. Neuropathy - which comes in several forms and manifests in many ways - can affect any person. In the United States, neuropathy and diabetes often go hand-in-hand, with about 50% of people with diabetes suffering from the condition. In fact, the number of people with neuropathy is only increasing as diabetes becomes more common and the population ages.
People who suffer from these conditions must endure painful and disruptive symptoms, such as:
- Intense Bouts of Sharp, Burning Pain
- Numbness, Prickling, or Tingling in the Hands and Feet
- Decreased Muscle Strength and Paralysis
- Trouble with Balance and Coordination
- Unusually High Sensitivity to Touch
- Digestive and Bladder Control Issues
While some patients are at a greater risk of developing certain types of neuropathy, it doesn't discriminate between sex, race, age, or medical history. Fortunately, neuropathy and diabetes awareness are growing. By proxy, so are new and exciting treatment options that show dramatic improvements in both conditions.
If you've been suffering from the symptoms of diabetes or neuropathy and are in search of a truly effective solution, Sarasota Neuropathy Center can help. Unlike some clinics, our commitment is to offer more than temporary relief. As a diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL, we aim to rectify the distinct root causes underlying each patient's symptoms.
But to understand how we're able to accomplish that goal, you've got to first understand the nuances of neuropathy and diabetes.
There are several types of diabetes of which you should be aware:
Other types of diabetes can include:
- Monogenic Diabetes
- Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes
- Secondary Diabetes
Service Areas
Neuropathy 101
Neuropathy is a medical condition that arises when the peripheral nerves, which are responsible for transmitting signals between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body, fail to function correctly due to damage or disease. These nerves are essential for detecting sensations such as warmth, cold, and pain, as well as regulating muscle movement and carrying out automatic processes like digestion and heartbeat without our conscious involvement.
What Causes Neuropathy?
When patients speak with a nerve pain doctor for the first time, they have a lot of questions, and rightfully so. At Sarasota Neuropathy Center, one of the most frequently asked questions we hear centers around the factors causing neuropathy. If you're reading this article, chances are you have similar questions. While we can't pinpoint what's causing your neuropathy without proper testing, here are a few of the most common factors that can cause neuropathy to manifest:
Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of diabetes in adults - especially when a person has dealt with high blood sugar levels over long periods of time. When diabetes harms your nerves, it can lead to diabetic neuropathy and create a recurring trigger for this type of nerve damage.
Lack of Vitamins
Your nerves require certain vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B12, B6, and vitamin E, to function correctly. Without a balanced diet or supplementation, deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to nerve damage over time.
Autoimmune Disorders
In certain instances, a person's immune system accidentally attacks its own cells, including nerve tissues. When this happens, neuropathy often follows. Diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome come under this category, where the immune system's misguided attack on nerves causes dysfunction and pain.
Genetics
Neuropathy can be inherited in some families, meaning it is passed down from one generation to another. When this occurs, peripheral nerves can be affected by genetic forms of the condition, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Infections in the Body
There are certain viruses and bacteria that have the ability to attack nerve tissues and also cause conditions that can result in nerve damage. Examples of such infections include Lyme disease, HIV, and hepatitis C. These illnesses have the potential to either initiate or worsen existing neuropathy.
Physical Trauma
Physical injuries, whether caused by accidents, repetitive movements, or falls, can lead to nerve damage. Such injuries can result in neuropathy, causing loss of function and painful sensations in the affected region of the body.
What are the Different Types of Neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that can affect one nerve, a group of related nerves, or multiple nerves in different parts of the body. The symptoms can vary depending on which type of nerve signals are affected. Keep reading for a closer look at the various types of neuropathies and how they affect you. If one of the categories below sounds familiar, make a mental note to discuss it with your diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL.
Peripheral Neuropathy:
Nerve Pain in Your Arms and Legs
Of all the different types of neuropathies, this is the kind that you're probably most familiar with, as it's the most common form treated in the U.S.It occurs most often when the nerves responsible for transmitting messages of touch and movement between your brain and your extremities don't function properly.
Symptoms can include:
- Sensations of Pins and Needles
- Numbness
- Soreness
- Cramping
- Shooting Pains
As the condition progresses, muscle weakness can occur, making it difficult to perform precise movements and walk without assistance. Balance problems are also common.
Focal Neuropathy:
Nerve Pain in a Specific Area
Focal neuropathy can sometimes result in damage to a single nerve or a cluster of nerves in a particular region, leading to localized pain or weakness. For instance, carpal tunnel syndrome can affect the wrist, causing numbness or weakness in the hand. Similarly, Bell's palsy can impact the face, resulting in droopiness or stiffness on one side of the face.
Other symptoms can include:
- Muscles Don't Work Correctly
- Sharp Pains
- Localized Pain and Weakness
Autonomic Neuropathy:
Nerve Pain That Controls Automatic Body Functions
This type of neuropathy affects the nerves that control involuntary bodily functions, such as heartbeat, digestion, and bladder control. When these nerves are damaged
You may experience symptoms such as:
- Dizziness When Standing Quickly
- Issues with Sexual Intercourse
- Constipation
- Issues Regulating Body Temperature
Compression Neuropathy:
Nerve Pain from Your Nerves Being Squeezed
This type of neuropathy happens when a nerve is pinched or squeezed. It happens most often when you are injured or have to repeat actions over and over again for work or sports purposes. Some examples include Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and sciatica. Symptoms can include:
Symptoms can include:
- Sharp Shooting Pain
- Weakness in the Affected Body Part
- Numbness
Whether you or someone you love are trying to live with neuropathy, you know that it can significantly alter lifestyles, making it difficult to perform day-to-day activities, work, or engage in hobbies. That's why it's so important to understand the underlying causes of your nerve pain, so that you can receive appropriate treatment and improve your quality of life. Taking care of the root problem, as well as managing the pain and other symptoms, is key to helping you stay active and comfortable. That's where working with a diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL, becomes crucial.
Addressing the Root Causes of Your Neuropathy
Sarasota Neuropathy Center is a nerve pain clinic that provides patients with a comprehensive, rewarding journey toward healing. It begins with a thorough evaluation that involves in-depth laboratory tests and analyses. This introductory step helps us identify the specific factors that contribute to your peripheral neuropathy. Our team of neuropathy treatment specialists then creates a personalized treatment plan tailored exclusively to your body and symptoms.
By providing you with a wide range of strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of your condition, you can achieve lasting relief and may even be able to reverse the effects of peripheral neuropathy.
Our advanced therapeutic options include:
Nerve Regeneration Equipment
We use cutting-edge machinery like laser light therapy and electromagnetic impulses to stimulate your nerves, encourage repair, and foster nerve tissue regeneration.
Vaso-Pulse Technology
This FDA-approved treatment sends signals through your feet and around your spine, which helps us highlight and rectify areas where nerve and vascular damage are present.
Antioxidants
By incorporating antioxidants into your treatment plan, we can better mitigate nerve damage and counteract oxidative stress.
Anti-Inflammatory Treatments
Inflammation exacerbates nerve damage and pain. Our neuropathy specialists use anti-inflammatory agents to help alleviate your symptoms
Minerals and Vitamins
Nutritional deficiencies impact nerve health. We supplement those deficiencies with vitamins and minerals to help nerve repair.
Immunomodulators
For neuropathies linked to autoimmune disorders, we employ immunomodulators that help regulate the immune system's activity to prevent it from attacking the body's own nerve tissues.
Lifestyle and Diet Changes
Changing your diet and incorporating exercise into your daily routine are two of the best ways to support nerve health.
Through a personalized, natural, and comprehensive treatment plan from Sarasota Neuropathy Center, reclaiming your life doesn't have to be a dream - it can be a true possibility.
Diabetes 101
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated levels of sugar in the blood. This happens when the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood glucose levels by facilitating its absorption into cells for energy or storage.
There are several types of diabetes of which you should be aware:
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is a condition in which the immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, resulting in little to no insulin production. This condition usually develops in childhood or adolescence but can occur at any age. Patients who suffer from Type 1 Diabetes have to depend on daily insulin administration to manage their blood sugar levels.
The exact cause of this autoimmune reaction is not fully understood, although it is believed that genetic and environmental factors may contribute to it. Contact your diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL to learn more about this disease.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is mainly caused by lifestyle factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet. In this condition, the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells don't use insulin effectively, leading to high blood sugar levels. Unlike Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes can sometimes be managed or reversed with lifestyle changes, although some people may still need medications or insulin therapy.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and typically goes away after giving birth. However, it can give an indication of a woman's future risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The condition is caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy that make the body's cells more resistant to insulin. It's important to manage Gestational Diabetes to prevent complications for both mother and baby.
Other types of diabetes can include:
- Monogenic Diabetes
- Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes
- Secondary Diabetes
Genetics
You can have genetic links to both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. These links make you predisposed to the condition.
Lifestyle
Poor diet, lack of exercise, and obesity all contribute to insulin resistance, which causes diabetes
Autoimmune
Your immune system mistakenly targets and eliminates insulin-producing beta cells in your pancreas, leading to insufficient insulin production and Type 1 Diabetes.
Insulin Resistance
The most prevalent type of diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes - arises when cells resist insulin's effect, causing a spike in blood sugar levels.
What Are the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?
Many patients who speak with a diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL assume they have Type 2 Diabetes, but aren't 100% sure. At Sarasota Neuropathy Center, we would need to conduct tests to verify whether you have the disease. With that said, the following symptoms often manifest when you have Type 2 Diabetes.
Neuropathy
Type 2 Diabetes can cause nerve damage, which in turn causes tingling and numbness, especially in your feet and hands.
Tiredness
Chronic fatigue happens when your body can't utilize glucose for energy in the right way.
Excessive Urination and Thirst
When you have high blood sugar, your body's natural response is to eliminate excess fluids. This can cause you to urinate frequently and can also cause you to feel very thirsty.
Slow-Healing Wounds
High blood sugar impairs your body's ability to heal itself and resist infection.
Vision Changes
When your blood sugar spikes, it can cause visual disturbances that can blur your vision.
Unexplained Weight Loss
In uncontrolled Type 1 Diabetes, the body may begin to break down muscle and fat for energy, leading to unexplained weight loss.
If you believe you may have Type 2 Diabetes, it's important to get checked out ASAP. Regular health screenings and glucose monitoring are important for early detection and effective management of Type 2 Diabetes, as symptoms may not be apparent in the initial stages.
The Sarasota Neuropathy Approach to Diabetes Care
As a diabetic and neuropathy treatment specialist in Englewood, FL, we are committed to offering a groundbreaking approach for Type 2 Diabetes, which focuses on reversing the condition by addressing the root causes rather than just managing the symptoms. Our innovative strategy goes beyond conventional treatment paradigms and delves into the underlying factors that contribute to Type 2 Diabetes.
We use a holistic methodology that includes comprehensive lifestyle interventions, nutritional counseling, and personalized medical oversight. This approach has consistently demonstrated remarkable efficacy in significantly reducing blood glucose levels among our patients.
Key highlights of our diabetes treatment include:
Book Appointment
The Path to Relief Starts with a Diabetic and Neuropathy Treatment Specialist in Englewood, FL
At Sarasota Diabetes & Neuropathy Center, our mission is to empower you to overcome neuropathy, Type 2 Diabetes, or both by embarking on a transformative journey to wellness. By integrating advanced medical care with comprehensive lifestyle interventions, we help you achieve better health outcomes and a renewed sense of hope and control over your journey to a healthy life.
Latest News in Englewood, FL
Speedway family hunkers down in Port Charlotte for Hurricane Milton
wthr.comhttps://www.wthr.com/article/weather/hurricane/speedway-family-hunkers-down-port-charlotte-florida-ahead-of-hurricane-milton-evacuation-zone-englewood/531-8c15f2ee-bfe4-4d09-b066-54b2a477dc99
Mary Bewley said she and her family have plugged the boat, powered the generator, stocked up on nonperishable foods, and loaded the bathtubs with extra water. Author: Samantha Johnson Updated: 9:59 AM EDT October 10, 2024 PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — "This is pretty intense," said Mary Bewley hours ahead of Hurricane Milton.Bewley, who is or...
Mary Bewley said she and her family have plugged the boat, powered the generator, stocked up on nonperishable foods, and loaded the bathtubs with extra water.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — "This is pretty intense," said Mary Bewley hours ahead of Hurricane Milton.
Bewley, who is originally from Speedway, now lives with her husband in Port Charlotte, Florida.
In her more than 20 years of living in the Sunshine State, Bewley has witnessed several hurricanes. Milton, however, feels different, she said.
"I think we're going to be okay," Bewley said, "but it's going to get scary."
With just hours until the storm makes landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast, Bewley's home is sheltering six Hoosiers: Bewley, her husband, her parents, and two other family members — who flew into Florida to visit last weekend.
"They are kind of stuck here," Bewley said.
Bewley said she and her family have plugged the boat, powered the generator, stocked up on nonperishable foods, and loaded the bathtubs with extra water.
"We're just as good as we can be," Bewley said. "We got all of our storm shutters up. We have totally hunkered down."
Credit: Mary Bewley
With landfall expected Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, Bewley said it's too late for her family to evacuate now.
"Probably three days ago we should have left," Bewley said.
That's not to mention, gas and hotel rooms are rare to find, she said.
"In this area where we are, all the gas stations are done," Bewley said. "There is no gas."
So, the Bewleys decided to stay put in Port Charlotte and weather Hurricane Milton.
"This home is pretty solid," Bewley said. "We are up high enough and inland enough. We are pretty safe. We feel we are pretty safe, but you know, that can all change."
Bewley said her home is up to date with the current hurricane code, but it is also located inside Port Charlotte's Evacuation Zone B.
"We will lose internet service," Bewley said. "We will lose power."
Bewley and her husband also own a tattoo shop in Englewood, Florida, a community that sits right on the Gulf Coast.
"It is in danger," Bewley said.
Another concern is major flooding across Charlotte County, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene.
"These grounds can't take much more rain," Bewley said.
Forecasters project Hurricane Milton could dump as much as 18 inches of rain in some parts of the state. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than seven million people were under mandatory evacuation orders.
"Evacuating is not an option when it's this close to a storm," Bewley said.
For Hoosiers, Bewley asks for patience when contacting family and friends in Florida.
"Give your families a couple of days to respond," Bewley said. "It takes a couple of days for everything to settle. Don't panic. Send some positive vibes of protection and say your prayers."
11AM Update: Hurricane Milton a strong Category 4 storm
John Scalzihttps://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/10/08/11-am-hurricane-milton-strong-category-4-storm/
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Milton has moved into an eyewall replacement cycle and the tight well formed eyewall shown on satellite yesterday is no longer present. Eyewall replacement cycles are a common occurrence in hurricanes and usually cause maximum wind speeds to rise and fall and the wind field to expand.Milton is moving toward the east-northeast near 12 mph (19 km/h). A turn toward the east-northeast and northeast is expected today and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Milton is forecast to move just north of the Yuc...
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Milton has moved into an eyewall replacement cycle and the tight well formed eyewall shown on satellite yesterday is no longer present. Eyewall replacement cycles are a common occurrence in hurricanes and usually cause maximum wind speeds to rise and fall and the wind field to expand.
Milton is moving toward the east-northeast near 12 mph (19 km/h). A turn toward the east-northeast and northeast is expected today and Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Milton is forecast to move just north of the Yucatan Peninsula today and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday. The hurricane is forecast to make landfall in Florida Wednesday night.
Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph with higher gusts. Milton is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. While fluctuations in intensity are expected, Milton is forecast to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.
Anclote River, FL to Englewood, FL...10-15 ft
Tampa Bay...10-15 ft
Englewood, FL to Bonita Beach, FL...6-10 ft
Charlotte Harbor...6-10 ft
Yankeetown, FL to Anclote River, FL...5-10 ft
Bonita Beach, FL to Chokoloskee, FL...4-7 ft
Rainfall amounts of 5 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday. This rainfall brings the risk of life-threatening flash, urban and areal flooding along with moderate to major river flooding.
A few tornadoes are possible over central and southern Florida beginning late tonight and continuing through Wednesday night.
On that path, Milton will be carried toward the west central coast of Florida. Rapidly deteriorating conditions are expected Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. Storm surge estimates have risen to 10-15 ft. The threat of flooding rains has also increased. Pockets of 15 inches of rainfall are possible. Windspeeds at time of landfall could exceed 110 mph.
Copyright 2024 WWSB. All rights reserved.
Hurricane Milton could bring 12 feet of storm surge to Florida coast. What is a storm surge?
C. A. Bridgeshttps://www.heraldtribune.com/story/weather/hurricane/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-storm-surge-deadly-forecast-coast-inland-locations/75550772007/
(This story was updated to add new information and to add video.)In any tropical storm or hurricane, the biggest danger is not the wind. It's the water.Storm surge, the massive wall of relentless water that pushes ashore during a hurricane and up into rivers and bays, often causes the most damage and the most deaths. The battering...
(This story was updated to add new information and to add video.)
In any tropical storm or hurricane, the biggest danger is not the wind. It's the water.
Storm surge, the massive wall of relentless water that pushes ashore during a hurricane and up into rivers and bays, often causes the most damage and the most deaths. The battering force of a sudden rise of water can easily destroy bridges, erode roads and knock homes off their foundations.
As of Tuesday, the National Weather Service warned that when Hurricane Milton approaches, most of Florida's west coast could see storm surge up to 15 feet above ground level during high tide.
You can track the latest storm surge predictions at the National Hurricane Center Storm Surge Risk Map.
➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location
What are the storm surge forecasts for Hurricane Milton?
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, the NHC is predicting the following storm surge heights, measured above ground level, somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at high tide.
What is a storm surge?
When the powerful winds of a hurricane or tropical storm push down on the water, it's not a big deal out in the ocean. But as the storm approaches the shore the water has nowhere to go except upward and inland, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Storm surges can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas, especially if they coincide with a time of high tide. Storm surges are affected by storm intensity, forward speed, the size of the storm, the angle of approach to the coast, and the shape and characteristics of the coastline.
Storm surge is measured in the number of feet above the ground the water level will be.
If high winds are expected from a storm, residents may be able to hunker down in a strong building. But most buildings are simply not built to withstand wave action from 12 feet of water — weighing approximately 1,700 pounds per cubic yard — slamming into them over and over for hours. Communities have been devastated by storm surge. Often evacuation is the only course.
About half of all the deaths from hurricanes since 1970 have been attributed to storm surge, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What's the difference between a storm surge watch and a storm surge warning?
Storm surge watch: There is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 48 hours, connected to a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.
Storm surge warning: Same thing, but within 36 hours.
Storm surge watches and warnings were separated from hurricane watches and warnings because storm surges and hurricane-force winds don't always happen at the same place or the same time.
What's the difference between storm surge and storm tide?
The storm surge is the water level rise generated by a storm over and above the usual tidal amounts.
A storm tide is the combined water level of a storm surge and the tide. So a 10-foot storm surge on top of a 2-foot normal high tide would result in a 12-foot storm tide.
Note that none of these include the height of any waves from the storm.
How far does storm surge go inland? Am I safe from storm surge?
Even if you're not on the coast, you're at risk. Storm surges can also push into rivers and wetlands, flooding their banks for hundreds of miles inland.
Residents rescued by boat in Englewood community
Bryanna Sterzenbachhttps://winknews.com/2024/09/26/residents-rescued-by-boat-in-englewood-community/
The Point of Pines community in Englewood is submerged in feet of water, with emergency services using rescue boats to get neighbors to safety.WINK News reporter Maddie Herron spoke with community members who were rescued from their homes, many of whom carried pets and other items they cared about.One of those neighbors was Dale and his family, and when he was asked how he felt, he said the whole situation felt a little overwhelming.“...
The Point of Pines community in Englewood is submerged in feet of water, with emergency services using rescue boats to get neighbors to safety.
WINK News reporter Maddie Herron spoke with community members who were rescued from their homes, many of whom carried pets and other items they cared about.
One of those neighbors was Dale and his family, and when he was asked how he felt, he said the whole situation felt a little overwhelming.
“You feel grateful, especially for the Englewood Fire Department, the first responders in the area,” he said. “You just take for granted every day what you have with your family, and we’re just glad to be safe: myself, my two kids, my son’s girlfriend, a dog and a lizard, so we all made it out safe.”
When asked whether it was difficult getting all those family members out of the house, he responded, “We didn’t expect the amount of surge we’ve seen. Rescuers were very prompt. We made a 911 call … We were stranded on our kitchen island as the water on the floor had an electric current running through it. Prompt, brought their boat in, cut the service to the house and were able to evacuate us.”
“You know, we had been monitoring the water levels for quite some time … with no evacuation zone in place. We felt pretty safe with our condition, considering what we had experienced in the past with hurricanes,” he said.
Dale explained how rescuers showed up with their inflatable raft boats and shined lights through the front windows to establish contact with them. Afterward, they could open the front door and guide the family onto the boat and out to safety.
For many people, the expectation for this storm was for some ponding on the roads, leading to some shock that the conditions could be bad enough to require rescue.
Dale told WINK he was surprised by the amount of water they had received, saying, “We had monitored many [storms] and watched the newscast and the WINK weather channel and had been very familiar with the predicted 3 to 5 feet of storm surge. As a matter of fact, with Idalia, I think we ended up with somewhere between 3 and 4 feet, so we felt pretty comfortable knowing our house was elevated a little bit higher than that,” Dale said.
WINK News also spoke with one of the lieutenants from Charlotte County Fire and EMS, who said they had 30 to 40 neighbors already rescued, and they are going back on the boats to survey if anyone else is left to save.
Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.
Hurricane Helene could bring 20-foot storm surge to parts of Florida. What is a storm surge?
C. A. Bridgeshttps://www.news-press.com/story/weather/hurricane/2024/09/25/hurricane-helene-what-storm-surge-dangerous/75380991007/
(This story was updated to add new information.)In any tropical storm or hurricane, the biggest danger is not the wind. It's the water.Stor...
(This story was updated to add new information.)
In any tropical storm or hurricane, the biggest danger is not the wind. It's the water.
Storm surge, the massive amount of relentless water that comes ashore during a hurricane and up into rivers and bays, often causes the most damage and the most deaths. The battering force of a sudden rise of water can easily destroy bridges, erode roads and knock homes off their foundations.
On Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center revised its estimates on the potential storm surge from Hurricane Helene. They are potentially devastating.
Nearly the entire west coast of Florida is currently under a storm surge watch or warning, and the Big Bend area could see a catastrophic, life-threatening storm surge from 15 to 20 feet above ground level, according to the 2 p.m. update. Coastal areas around that region may face surges up to 15 feet. That's three to nearly four times the height of a tall person.
You can track the latest storm surge predictions at the National Hurricane Center Storm Surge Risk Map.
What are the storm surge forecasts for Hurricane Helene?
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, water could reach the following heights, measured above ground level, somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at high tide.
What is a storm surge?
When the powerful winds of a hurricane or tropical storm push down on the water, it's not a big deal out in the ocean. But as the storm approaches the shore the water has nowhere to go except upward and inland, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Storm surges can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas, especially if they coincide with a time of high tide. Storm surges are affected by storm intensity, forward speed, the size of the storm, the angle of approach to the coast, and the shape and characteristics of the coastline.
Storm surge is measured in the number of feet above the ground the water level will be.
If high winds are expected from a storm, residents may be able to hunker down in a strong building. But most buildings are simply not built to withstand wave action from 12 feet of water — weighing approximately 1,700 pounds per cubic yard — slamming into them over and over for hours. Communities have been devastated by storm surge. Often evacuation is the only course.
About half of all the deaths from hurricanes since 1970 have been attributed to storm surge, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What's the difference between a storm surge watch and a storm surge warning?
Storm surge watch: There is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 48 hours, connected to a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.
Storm surge warning: Same thing, but within 36 hours.
Storm surge watches and warnings were separated from hurricane watches and warnings because storm surges and hurricane-force winds don't always happen at the same place or the same time.
What's the difference between storm surge and storm tide?
The storm surge is the water level rise generated by a storm over and above the usual tidal amounts.
A storm tide is the combined water level of a storm surge and the tide. So a 10-foot storm surge on top of a 2-foot normal high tide would result in a 12-foot storm tide.
Note that none of these include the height of any waves from the storm.
I'm not on the coast. Am I safe from storm surge?
No. Storm surges can also push into rivers and wetlands, flooding their banks for hundreds of miles inland.
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