New to this forum, please help me, have SMALL FIBER NEUROPATHY

Posted by alladria @alladria, Mar 19, 2019

Hello
I just found this website and have a question. I would appreciate your help. I'm sorry for my English, it's not perfect.
It's been a year since I'm having pin and needles sensations mostly on left side of my body, but sometimes on the right side but not much. Firstly I could feel it only in my left foot, now I can feel the buzzing, burning and tingling in my knee, around my left eye as well, my heart is also behaving strangely lately. My doctor ordered MRI of my spine which showed that L5-S1 disc bulge is pressing the descending S1 nerve root. I also had a skin biopsy performed. Epidermal nerve fiber ( ENF ) studies showed borderline low ENF densities in the left calf and thigh with minimal perivascular chronic inflammation in the calf and negative stains for amyloid. Is it possible that the pinched nerve in my spine is causing Small Fiber Neuropathy ?
Thank you very much for any help.

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

Hi @alladria, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I have idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy. I have no medical training or background but do believe that it's possible for a pinched nerve to be the cause of small fiber neuropathy. Here's some information about nerve damage that discusses the subject a little.

Autonomic dysfunction and small fiber neurapathy from cervical injury
-- https://www.spine-health.com/forum/discussion/79014/pain/neck-pain-cervical/autonomic-dysfunction-and-small-fiber-neurapathy-cervical-injury

You may want to join the following discussion and meet other members who are discussing small fiber neuropathy.

> Groups > Neuropathy > Just Diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/just-diagnosed-2/

Have your doctors discussed or suggested any treatments to help with your symptoms?

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Hello John, thank you very much for answering my question and for the link you have provided.

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These are hard to know. I have cysts and lesions in and around my lower spine. I have small fiber neuropathy diagnosed via a skin punch test. In my case, I had similar symptoms in different joints. Consider any trauma to your body via viruses, surgery or bacterial issues to see if those may have contributed to your current symptoms. In my case, I had a malabsorption problem from abdominal surgery 7 years ago and the lack of vitamins/minerals that are absorbed in the lower intestines resulted in nerve damage. It took 4.5 years of doctors to get the proper diagnosis. Now that I know the underlying cause, I can address it. I’m getting better. Small fiber nerves can regenerate. It ain’t easy but if you find out the “why” you have a shot at reversing it. The odds are not great and many cases are ideopathic, but I can tell you it can be solved. Best of luck and I hope this helps. Btw, cut out sugar, gluten and dairy. Very inflammatory. PS. The back problem could be it. Welcome to the journey 🙂

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@alladria and @dwilkin, there is another discussion on Connect that might be helpful.

> Groups > Neuropathy > Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

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@dwilkin

These are hard to know. I have cysts and lesions in and around my lower spine. I have small fiber neuropathy diagnosed via a skin punch test. In my case, I had similar symptoms in different joints. Consider any trauma to your body via viruses, surgery or bacterial issues to see if those may have contributed to your current symptoms. In my case, I had a malabsorption problem from abdominal surgery 7 years ago and the lack of vitamins/minerals that are absorbed in the lower intestines resulted in nerve damage. It took 4.5 years of doctors to get the proper diagnosis. Now that I know the underlying cause, I can address it. I’m getting better. Small fiber nerves can regenerate. It ain’t easy but if you find out the “why” you have a shot at reversing it. The odds are not great and many cases are ideopathic, but I can tell you it can be solved. Best of luck and I hope this helps. Btw, cut out sugar, gluten and dairy. Very inflammatory. PS. The back problem could be it. Welcome to the journey 🙂

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Thank you very much for your reply. Still looking for answers 🙁

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Hi, I have a similar problem, although I do not have small fiber neuropathy. I have severe stabbing, burning, throbbing of toes and balls of both feet due to L5 S1 Lumbar Spine pinched nerve. I just started physical therapy to strengthen lower back and will be getting L5 S1 epidural shot in my spine to manage pain. I may have surgery down the road if therapy and shot do not help. I do not know if your pinched nerve is causing the small fiber problem you have. You may look into Physical therapy and epidural in spine. Check your heart with cardiologist. Check out specifically Mackenzie Lower Back exercises on you tube. The best and safest out there. See which MacKenzie lower back exercises give you relief...the extension or the flexion, and do only those. Sounds like a lot of your body nerve pain stems from the spine problem you have. Best of luck....write back if you want.....Lori Renee

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I'm curious. Doctors swear by epidurals. I had 3, 2 were guided. Best effect lasted less than a week. I'm guessing I've talked to well over 20 people who have had epidurals for back pain. No one reported any improvement. I wonder what the experience is in this community.

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@jager5210

I'm curious. Doctors swear by epidurals. I had 3, 2 were guided. Best effect lasted less than a week. I'm guessing I've talked to well over 20 people who have had epidurals for back pain. No one reported any improvement. I wonder what the experience is in this community.

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Hello, @jager5210 - your query about epidurals for back pain might be an excellent question to post in the Chronic Back Pain for Years thread, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-pain-for-years/, as there are so many members there affected by back pain who might have some input for you.

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@jager5210

I'm curious. Doctors swear by epidurals. I had 3, 2 were guided. Best effect lasted less than a week. I'm guessing I've talked to well over 20 people who have had epidurals for back pain. No one reported any improvement. I wonder what the experience is in this community.

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Agree. Epidurals are not the answer to SFM. Did that and wasted a year not to mention the risk involved.

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@dwilkin

Agree. Epidurals are not the answer to SFM. Did that and wasted a year not to mention the risk involved.

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SFN

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