Today's post from articlesnatch.com (see link below) is a good general guide for people who are not sure what the feelings in their feet mean. Whatever conclusion you reach, it should always be discussed with a doctor but at least you'll have an idea what might be going on. The conclusions at the end of the article may be interpreted by some as being somewhat optimistic but again, every individual case is different, with different causes and outcomes, which is why a medical consultation is necessary.
The B-vitamin items mentioned may have different names in different countries but should be available in most health food or supplement shops.
Do I Have Neuropathy In My Feet?
By: Brandt R Gibson DPM
Often, I see patients in our office concerned about strange feelings to their feet. Many are found to have neuropathy (or peripheral neuropathy). Neuropathy is the poor functioning of nerves and can lead to significant abnormalities in the feet and legs. Do you have neuropathy? Some simple questions are:
- Are your feet numb or do your feet feel dead? - When you injure your feet, do you feel pain? - When walking on your feet, do you have difficulty feeling the feet or do you trip regularly because you can't feel your feet? - Can you feel heat or cold in my feet or hands? - Do your feet tingle? - Do you have regular "pins and needles" sensation to your feet? - Do you have burning, stabbing, shooting or electrical shock pains in your feet? - Are your feet overly sensitive to touch, including pain from bed sheets or other items that shouldn't hurt? - Do you feel like there is cotton, leather, or sock on your foot, even when there isn't? - Do your feet hurt significantly at night and keep you awake?
An abnormal answer to any of these questions usually indicates neuropathy. Neuropathy can be a complex problem with multiple possible causes including diabetes, AIDS or HIV, toxins and metallic poisons, certain chemicals, alcoholism, vitamin deficiencies or nutritional imbalances, it may also occur from systemic diseases (kidney failure, liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, abnormal blood proteins, cancer especially with chemotherapy, leukemia and shingles). Entrapment may also lead to the symptoms of neuropathy. Diabetes is the most common, however in the United States.
There are multiple theories on the cause of neuropathy, but the most common theories included blood flow interruption to the nerves or nerve fiber damage (or a combination of these). Therefore, for many years it was thought nothing could be done to improve neuropathy. You may have been told this about your discomfort. That is no longer the case. Many new treatments are coming that may help neuropathy.
The most common natural substances to improve neuropathy are B complex vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B6, B12 and folic acid. Many of the over-the-counter vitamins that contain these products, however, are in a form that are not as easily absorbed or utilized by the body. In our research, we have found two products that provide the vitamins in a form that are beneficial and easily utilized by the body.
1. Metanx - A prescription item that contains L-methoylfolate, Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and Methylcobalamin (all natural forms of folic acid, B6 and B12 respectively). These products work together to produce increased blood flow to the nerves and assist in nerve repair. Many people are encountering improved feeling in their feet and decrease of their symptoms. It usually will require treatment for at least 4-6 months to insure it has sufficient time to help repair nerves.
2. Neuremedy - A over-the-counter item that contains a form of B1 (benfotiamine) that is absorbed and modified by the body to the active form of B1 (thiamine). Most forms of this vitamin fail to be absorbed in the body, but the benfotiamine of Neuremedy is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. It has been shown to nourish dysfunctional nerves and allow them to conduct impulses more normally. It has been utilized since the early 1960s in Europe and Asia on thousands of patients.
So, neuropathy although a common problem doesn't need to continue to cause problems in your life. It can be treated often very effectively through the use of one of these two options. Many other options are also in the works.
Copyright (c) 2009 Mountain West Foot & Ankle Institute
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Do-I-Have-Neuropathy-In-My-Feet-/774206
Today's post from prevention.com (see link below) is a good one to start the new year for people experiencing strange, new symptoms that they can't explain. It's a good reference to use before going to your doctor because if you're suffering from these physical symptoms, then at least you'll have a pretty good idea that they're nerve related and possibly evidence of nerve damage...or neuropathy. What's most useful about this list of symptoms is that it doesn't just concentrate on the most commonly known pain, tingling or numbness in the feet but also looks at a wide range of symptoms which indicate 'autonomic' neuropathy. Autonomic neuropathy is where nerve damage has affected some or all of the involuntary functions of the body we take for granted (such as breathing, digestion, sexual performance, and many others and can be a source of great confusion for both patients and doctors alike, who assume those symptoms indicate other conditions. With over 100 sorts of neuropathy and over 100 causes, it remains one of the most frustrating and life-changing ailments, so this list is a place from which to begin your questions and research, even before going to see the doctor. No reason to panic but a little knowledge goes a long way when faced with a new medical problem!
Sebastian Kaulitzki/Shutterstock
There are tens of thousands of nerves in your body. Most of them, your peripheral nerves, are like branches of a tree that spread out all over and transmit messages back to the "trunk"—your brain and spinal cord. When everything goes smoothly, your brain gets the info it needs so that you can move your muscles, recognize pain, and keep your internal organs working properly. But when peripheral nerves get damaged, it's another story: Walking could become challenging, you might experience unrelenting pain, or you could end up with a serious injury because you had no idea how hot that stove was.
An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from peripheral nerve damage, aka neuropathy, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. "Diabetes is the No. 1 cause. Bad luck [meaning you inherited an anatomical defect] is number two. Repetitive motion and Lyme disease follow," says Andrew Elkwood, MD, a surgeon who specializes in nerve reconstruction at The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction in New York and New Jersey.
Other causes include aging, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to toxins (including alcohol and cancer medications), and infections and autoimmune disorders like hepatitis C, diphtheria, HIV, Epstein-Barr, rheumatoid arthritis, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Meanwhile, about 30% of neuropathy cases are "idiopathic," meaning there's no known cause.
The good news is that nerve damage generally develops slowly, says Isha Gupta, MD, a neurologist at IGEA Brain and Spine in New York and New Jersey. That means you might be able to treat it before it worsens—but getting the right diagnosis isn't always easy. Your best shot? See a doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms. (Make 2017 YOUR year by taking charge of your health and jump-starting your weight loss with the Prevention calendar and health planner!)
You have numbness, tingling, or burning.
1/8 memorisz/Shutterstock
You have numbness, tingling, or burning.
This sensation may radiate from your hands or feet into your arms or legs. "Compression of sensory nerves (often while sleeping) is relatively common, and symptoms such as numbness or tingling can be temporary," says Gupta. But if the pins-and-needles feeling doesn't go away, get it checked out.
It's difficult or impossible to move part of your body.
2/8 Mycteria/Shutterstock
It's difficult or impossible to move part of your body.
"If motor nerves are affected, then weakness or even paralysis may occur," says R. Glenn Smith, MD, PhD, a neurologist at Houston Methodist. These same symptoms could also indicate that there's an underlying issue that needs urgent attention, so it's best to head to the ER. If it turns out that you're actually having a stroke, you'll need medical attention ASAP.
You have pain running down just one leg.
3/8 Sebastian Kaulitzki/Shutterstock
You have pain running down just one leg.
A constant sharp pain, burning, or tingling that starts in the lower back and travels down the back of your leg could mean that you have sciatica—meaning that your sciatic nerve has become compressed, perhaps thanks to a slipped or worn down disc in your spine.
You're way clumsier than usual.
4/8 jiw ingka/Shutterstock
You're way clumsier than usual.
Suddenly stumbling and falling a lot? "If large nerves affecting sensation are damaged, then lack of coordination and failure to sense position of the body can lead to falls," says Smith. It might also turn out that you have a condition like Parkinson's, in which the nerve cells in your brain have become damaged.
You're running to the bathroom all the time.
5/8 Momoforsale/Shutterstock
You're running to the bathroom all the time.
Damaged nerves can send your bladder faulty messages, so you feel like you have to pee a lot or have trouble making it to the restroom in time. You have a higher than average risk of this problem if you gave birth to a child vaginally or have diabetes.
You get brief, intense headaches that feel like electric shocks.
6/8 andrei simonenko/Shutterstock
You get brief, intense headaches that feel like electric shocks.
You may have something called occipital neuralgia, a condition that can occur when a nerve in your neck gets pinched. You may need a nerve block—an injection that temporarily blocks the troublesome nerve from transmitting pain signals.
You're sweating too much or too little.
7/8 werayuth tes/Shutterstock
You're sweating too much or too little.
It might be a sign that the nerves carrying info from your brain to your sweat glands have become compromised. Your doctor might order tests to measure your sweating and heart rate.
You got injured because you didn't feel something you should have.
8/8 Corbac40/Shutterstock
You got injured because you didn't feel something you should have.
Sensory nerves are supposed to tell your brain that a surface is dangerous in some way, and if they're not doing their job properly you could seem more accident-prone. If you have burns, cuts, or other trauma because you didn't realize that you were touching something hot, sharp, or otherwise uncomfortable, see your doc, says Smith.
http://www.prevention.com/health/8-signs-you-might-have-nerve-damage/slide/8
Today's post from irishhealth.com (see link below) talks about the fact that many diabetics may be unaware that they also have neuropathic problems, partly because their symptoms are not yet painful enough for them to report to their doctors. As neuropathy is one of the commonest side effects of diabetes, one would assume that doctors are on the look out for symptoms in their diabetic patients but this is clearly not always the case. Both patients and doctors need to be better aware of the possibility of neuropathic problems and test for them (or at least ask the right questions) soon after a diagnosis of diabetes. In the same way, people with neuropathy should maybe ask their doctors if they are also susceptible to diabetes. The two conditions appear so frequently together, testing should really be a matter of course.
[Posted: Wed 11/06/2014 by Deborah Condon www.irishhealth.com]
Almost half of patients with diabetes who attended a diabetes care centre in Dublin recently were found to have neuropathy (nerve damage) in their feet.
Neuropathy is a potential complication of poorly controlled diabetes. If it occurs in the feet, it can impair sensation, movement and function.
If left untreated, it can lead to much more serious problems with the feet, including foot ulcers and amputation. However, early intervention and treatment can prevent more serious problems from occurring.
According to Diabetes Ireland, 47% of patients who attended its Diabetes Ireland Care Centre in Santry during the first three months of 2014 had neuropathy, however many of these were unaware they were affected.
"Every person with diabetes should have an annual foot assessment which should include, as a minimum, removal of the shoes and socks and a test for feeling (sensation) in each foot using a monofilament.
"Many of the patients I see say they had never seen a monofilament so I would ask GPs in the locality to encourage their diabetes patients to have an annual foot assessment and refer or ask them to make an appointment with a podiatrist," commented Theresa Kidd-Foley, a senior podiatrist at the centre.
She insisted that by doing this, people with diabetes could ‘significantly' improve their chances of avoiding foot-related complications, such as ulcers.
Figures from the HSE show that in 2013, more than 1,550 people with diabetes were hospitalised for foot ulcer treatment, spending an average of three weeks in hospital. Furthermore, 371 lower limb amputations were carried out on people with diabetes last year and according to Diabetes Ireland, this figure is particualrly shocking given that research has shown that 80% of diabetes-related amputations are preventable.
"I never really appreciated the need to look after my feet until I had a problem. I went to the Diabetes Ireland Care Centre and as well as having my problem sorted, I was educated on how to look after my feet properly each day and how to check my feet for signs of damage," said diabetes patient, George Casey, of Drumcondra in Dublin.
The Diabetes Ireland Care Centre is a not-for-profit initiative of Diabetes Ireland, which aims to reduce the number of people developing diabetes-related eye and feet complications as a result of poor management of the condition. It also provides information and support to people.
"People with diabetes must actively self-manage their condition and seek out the necessary supports they require to help them stay healthy," Ms Kidd-Foley said.
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=23731
Today's short post from painnewsnetwork.org (see link below) makes for depressing reading but then again, is nothing long-term neuropathy patients didn't already know or at least suspect. The current list of drugs used to control neuropathic pain, is not only unchanged in decades but has been proven time and time again (Google 'ineffective nerve pain drugs') to be nothing more than a list of drugs for other conditions that have little effect and bring side effects that can be worse than the neuropathy itself. It's a crying shame! We know that pharmaceutical companies are finally making moves to develop more effective drugs but this will take decades before they appear on chemists' shelves. Fortunately, the current war on opioids has provided some impulse in finding new alternatives but until we see concrete improvements in the lives of nerve damage patients, nobody should be surprised that we end up being cynical about the whole sorry system (yes I'm having a bad pain day!!).
By Pat Anson, Editor April 03, 2017
Cymbalta and some other anti-depressants are moderately effective at relieving diabetic nerve pain, according to a new report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
But researchers found little or no evidence that opioids, Lyrica, Neurontin and other widely prescribed medications are helpful in treating neuropathy pain.
Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes and about half have some form of neuropathy, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy causes nerves to send out abnormal signals. Patients can feel stinging or burning pain, as well as loss of feeling, in their toes, feet, legs, hands and arms.
"Providing pain relief for neuropathy is crucial to managing this complicated disease," said lead author Julie Waldfogel, PharmD, of The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
"Unfortunately, more research is still needed, as the current treatments have substantial risk of side effects, and few studies have been done on the long-term effects of these drugs."
In a systematic review of over 100 clinical studies published in the journal Neurology, AHRQ researchers found moderate evidence that the SNRI antidepressants duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlaxine (Effexor) were effective in reducing neuropathic pain. Nausea, dizziness and somnolence were common side effects of the drugs.
The evidence was weaker for anti-seizure medication such as pregabalin (Lyrica) and oxcarbazepine (Trileptal). Common side effects from those drugs are weight gain, dizziness, headache and nausea.
While pregabalin works in the same way as gabapentin (Neurontin) -- both are often used to treat nerve pain -- the reviewers found gabapentin was not more effective than placebo. The seizure drug valproate and capsaicin cream were also found to be ineffective.
Oxycodone was not effective in treating neuropathy pain, and the evidence was weak for two other opioids, tramadol and tapentadol.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved only three medications -- duloxetine, pregabalin and tapentadol -- for diabetic nerve pain. However, many others drugs are prescribed “off label” for the disease.
"We hope our findings are helpful to doctors and people with diabetes who are searching for the most effective way to control pain from neuropathy," said Waldfogel. "Unfortunately, there was not enough evidence available to determine if these treatments had an impact on quality of life.”
Researchers noted that all of the studies were short-term, many for less than three months, and even the most effective drugs had relatively high rates of side effects. They say longer-term studies are needed so that adverse effects and the continued effectiveness of the drugs can be assessed.
https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/4/3/few-drugs-effective-in-treating-neuropathy-pain
