Driving making neuropathy of the feet worse

driving has no effect on neuropathy -- something else is creating the problem if you feet are worse when driving, but not neuropathy

Hi @wilcy, Welcome to Connect. I've had small fiber peripheral neuropathy for the past 20 years or so and have noticed that the past few years I don't enjoy driving as much as I used to enjoy it. Short distances are not a problem yet but anything over an hour for me is a little uncomfortable. I also have lower back problems with degenerative disc disease so I'm sure that doesn't help me. I normally try to take a stretch break every hour or so when I'm driving more than 100 miles.

How does your neuropathy affect your driving? Are you able to share a little more about your diagnosis and symptoms?

You may also be interested in joining the following discussion where you can meet many members sharing your symptoms.

> Groups > Neuropathy > Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-neuropathy-welcome-to-the-group/

Have spinal stenosis in lower back! Surgery last October for this which was causing neuropathy in both feet! Didn’t help! Driving makes it lot worse! Tried Gabapentin, shots etc! Just curious why driving makes it worse and is there a fix?

@wilcy, Just curious if you have discussed the driving making the neuropathy worse with your doctor or neurologist? I have no medical training or background but don't really think driving is a cause of making neuropathy worse. Driving can be a problem due to having to sit in a fixed position for awhile, back, leg, foot strain, etc. -- all can add up to make anything worse (just my thoughts).

So, driving causes your feet to hurt (pain) more?

I would assume that you have pain in the balls of your feet, and therefore, when you use the gas pedal for driving, you are adding pressure to the ball of your foot. I know I have this as well. Also, my foot neuropathy can be positional. Sitting, with my feet down on the ground, is hard for me. Raising my feet helps a lot. I have also had Calmare/Scrambler therapy, which has helped quite a bit, but is not perfect by any means. Lori Renee

I have neuropathy of unknown cause. I have noticed that wearing shoes and walking make my pain worse. Maybe just using your feet causes the increase in symptoms. Again we here are not medical; we are people who have the condition. So for a final diagnosis of your specific condition you would need to consult a doctor. We are here so feel free to talk with us again. It can be difficult going through neuropathy so we do understand what you are going through.

@artscaping may also have some comments on your question about why driving may cause neuropathy to hurt worse.

@wilcy - will you share more about what you have experienced with driving? Do you feel as though the pressure, angle or motion of your foot with driving is causing symptoms?

I have idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy. Driving certainly does make my symptoms worse.
Lois6524, did you mean that driving does not cause peripheral neuropathy? If so, I agree completely. However, driving is among the many things that make the symptoms worse. Cold weather, pressure from simply wearing shoes and socks. my mood, and many other things can make me feel worse.
Driving became so difficult that we recently sold our RV. My wife doesn't particular like driving it, and I found that at times I was driving barefoot.

My feet are always numb! While driving they Wii cramp! Very painful! Only way I can travel is to use cruise control and put feet flat down next to seat! Has to be my back somehow causing this however surgeon says no! Have had the shots etc! Nothing works!

@wilcy My thoughts are the physical position while driving and lack of opportunity to change position might be causing the cramping. There can be other issues too like dehydration, etc. I know from personal experience that my pelvis can go out of alignment and when I have overly tight muscles in front of my hips, it causes problems, and nerve entrapment can happen around the pelvis with muscle that is too tight. Myofascial release and physical therapy can help if it is a physical issue. Here are some links and our discussion on Myofascial Release. I do MFR and it helps me a lot.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/identify-treat-lumbar-plexus-compression-syndrome-lpcs/
https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/causes-hip-pain-how-to-fix/