Relief for neuropathy in feet and lower legs

Posted by sbn4 @sbn4, May 6 1:49pm

I have had neuropathy in my left foot for many years. It is now getting into my right foot. I had spinal surgery almost 5 years ago (6/22/21) and all sciatica is gone and only repercussion is that my back tires more readily so standing up long periods is not possible. But the neuropathy is increasing. Some remedies include ginger, turmeric, lemon juice, honey tea and pink salt. I made this and my feet swelled like crazy because I do not generally add salt to anything. Now I am using all but the salt and my feet have some interesting sensations with swelling going down a bit. But, really, has anyone had any relief from any of these crazy potions being pushed in the media? I am fairly active but I don't do as much yoga as in the past and I stretch almost daily. I am getting lazy...but go to the garden daily. Will be 85 in July. Still working but by remote. Not sure how to handle this nasty numbness, tingling and sometimes frozen rt foot!!! Thanks for any responses....

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some neuropathy may be caused by your digestive tract malabsorbing properly when we age. Therefore suppliments DO help for some. Mine is caused by both permanent spine compression, as well, malabsorption. So I do both. Plus exercising can help tons. (I hate exercise, but it helps!) In my case, B12 in conjunction with HEME iron resolved a tremendous amount of neuropathy. It makes sense. Iron helps coat the nerve sheaths, which may be irritated. I took the HEME every day for less than a week. Then I went to once a week. Iron stores top out. I go back and forth between B12 injections and pills. Your B12 must be tested because you can get too much. Same with calcium. I NEVER take because it stays constant.

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Profile picture for loriesco @loriesco

some neuropathy may be caused by your digestive tract malabsorbing properly when we age. Therefore suppliments DO help for some. Mine is caused by both permanent spine compression, as well, malabsorption. So I do both. Plus exercising can help tons. (I hate exercise, but it helps!) In my case, B12 in conjunction with HEME iron resolved a tremendous amount of neuropathy. It makes sense. Iron helps coat the nerve sheaths, which may be irritated. I took the HEME every day for less than a week. Then I went to once a week. Iron stores top out. I go back and forth between B12 injections and pills. Your B12 must be tested because you can get too much. Same with calcium. I NEVER take because it stays constant.

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@loriesco

What is HEME? And is it calcium you never take??

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Profile picture for sbn4 @sbn4

@loriesco

What is HEME? And is it calcium you never take??

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@sbn4 correct, calcium I never add to my diet. It is dangerous for people with heart disease. (I inherited the trait) but my calcium is the same my entire life (9.8) - even after menopause, even after going lactose free. I am anemic sometimes and HEME iron is the best since I can't eat a lot of meat (fatty AND I have gout) so I have to eat a Purine low diet. You can look up all these words if desired. But here is what I grabbed for you:
"Heme iron is a highly absorbable form of dietary iron found exclusively in animal flesh (meat, poultry, and seafood). It is bound to the proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin, which transport oxygen in the blood and muscles.Why Heme Iron MattersDietary iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is fundamentally different and nutritionally superior for a few key reasons:Superior Bioavailability: Your body absorbs about 15% to 35% of the heme iron you consume. In contrast, plant-based non-heme iron has an absorption rate of only 2% to 10%.No Dietary Inhibitors: Non-heme iron absorption can be heavily blocked by compounds in plant foods like phytates (in whole grains and beans) and oxalates (in spinach). Heme iron is safely shielded inside its molecular ring structure, allowing it to bypass these inhibitors and absorb directly in the small intestine.Top Food SourcesYou can only get heme iron by consuming animal-based products. Excellent natural sources include:Red Meats: Beef, lamb, and pork.Organ Meats: Beef liver and beef spleen are among the most concentrated sources available.Poultry: Chicken and turkey.Seafood: Oysters, clams, sardines, salmon, and tuna.Heme vs. Non-Heme AbsorptionWhile animal products contain mostly heme iron, they also contain non-heme iron. In fact, an interesting synergy exists: consuming heme iron along with non-heme iron helps your body absorb the non-heme iron more completely. To further boost the absorption of non-heme iron, it is recommended to pair it with sources of vitamin C (like citrus fruits or sweet peppers).For a more comprehensive look at how these two types of iron function, check out The Nutrition Source guide by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If you are looking to specifically track or elevate your daily iron levels, you can use the Red Cross Blood Iron-Rich Foods list for a detailed breakdown of both heme and non-heme food options."

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Profile picture for closer0043 @closer0043

@sbn4 Thanks for the positive post. I was actually asking for more specific information on what kind of surgery you had. Was it a fusion? Where was the surgery on your spine lumbar, thoracic, or cervical? I recently had a minor decompression surgery on my right side L4-L5, and my sciatica is also fixed, but now my left side is worse than my right side was before surgery.

I’m sorry you are experiencing neuropathy in your feet. I tend to believe most neuropathy comes from our spine. The fact that you had blocked fluid in yours for years seems to be a fairly logical explanation. I also have neuropathy from my spine, but mine improved after my last surgery, but has returned since I messed up the left side at the gym. Nothing seems to help much as you will see if you keep reading posts about neuropathy on this website. My favorite semi very temporary relief comes from walking around my grass barefoot. It’s called grounding, and hopefully I can move to Florida soon so I can do it all year. I’m in crummy Illinois now!

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@closer0043
Hi, I had 5 consecutive spinal stenoses removed from S=2, 3,4, 5; L5. This allowed for the cerebrospinal fluid to resume flowing.....hence, no more sciatica! I feel very lucky.
I agree about neuropathy--massage always feels better for a short time
I have not been practicing working out in aquatic settings and am wondering if continuing will bring more relief. I will be starting to do that next week. If it helps directly, I will set up a year round pool where I am now staying most of the time.
Walking in grass seems like a great idea! Sand is also probably a good choice...I will also do that when I am at the river next week....
Thank you for your note.....enjoy Florida...

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