Many neuropathy issues, so why so few doctors who know?

Posted by pauldandurand @pauldandurand, Mar 28 10:00am

I had a lumbar spine surgery that resulted in nerve root injury and neuropathic foot symptoms that were not present before the procedure. When I have raised this with the surgeons involved and with other neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons since, the consistent response has been that post-surgical nerve rehabilitation is outside their scope, and none of them could point me toward anyone who could help. A few suggested DRG stimulation, which I researched and found was not appropriate for my type of injury. The rest had nothing to offer at all. I have felt increasingly lost with no specialist and no path forward.

I am not trying to assign blame. I understand that surgical complications fall into a gap between what spine surgeons do and what rehabilitation specialists typically treat. But I need a way forward and I have not been able to find it through the specialists I have access to.

Has anyone here found a type of specialist, whether in physical medicine, rehabilitation, or another field, who works specifically with peripheral neuropathy caused by spinal surgery? Any direction would be genuinely helpful. Thanks

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

Profile picture for pauldandurand @pauldandurand

@arcuri24
Thanks for sharing!

Jump to this post

@pauldandurand

Thank you. Its very cathartic to vent about what happens to us. It is also good to know that we are not alone in facing our health problems.

REPLY

get a referral to a Neurologist.

REPLY
Profile picture for recovery1 @recovery1

Acupuncture has helped me. I’m in Colorado and we have a clinic in the cancer center with quite a few very good doctors. I notice it when I stop more significantly than any immediate benefits and it keeps me going back. It’s helped with my hands and feet the most, I also believe the lions mane mushroom supplements I use are working synergistically with the treatments.

Jump to this post

@recovery1
I have idiopathic neuropathy in both feet. I tried acupuncture a few years ago, and it did not help at all. I'm in Colorado too. Can you tell me where you went for acupuncture? I don't know if this forum lets you give references.
I suspect that the efficacy of acupuncture depends a lot on the skill and experience of the practitioner. A skilled and experienced practitioner vs. someone who went to Bob's Acupuncture School for a 10-day course.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.