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Neuropathy: Numbness only, no pain
Neuropathy | Last Active: Nov 14, 2024 | Replies (508)Comment receiving replies
Hi @afirefly, I haven't talked with my neurologist since my diagnosis in 2016. I think my balance issues could be related to several autoimmune conditions but if I had to make a non medically educated guess, I think it's mostly due to degenerative arthritis in my lower spine and the fact that I have difficulty walking any distance due to leaning forward but not quite as bad as Camptocormia (bent spine syndrome). I've been doing PT exercises to improve my posture and strengthen the lower back but probably not as much as I should be doing. I'm a work in progress 🙂 Here's some more info on balance issues - 5 most common balance problems seniors experience: https://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/blog/september-2017/5-most-common-balance-problems-seniors-experience.aspx
Replies to "Hi @afirefly, I haven't talked with my neurologist since my diagnosis in 2016. I think my..."
@johnbishop and others, I'm laughing at your comment about being "a work in progress"...aren't we all???? vbg
I'm going back this morning to read all posts and copy links from this new sub-group because of my shaky access to the group at large.
Athletic most of my life, it became disturbing when I began noticing more trouble with balance a few years ago and long before the neuropathy diagnosis. Thx for the balance link! Balance in all areas of life is goal worthy at any time (and harder for some of us than others, speaking from personal experience..lol) but when we depend on our legs & feet to get us from point A to B, it becomes critically important. Want to read through other posts and then read the great links being posted here. I started a word doc. some time ago for Mayo Connect posts and links for later reference and these will be read with great interest.
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To John, Barry, and others who are actively trying to reverse some of their neuropathy symptoms, I would like to recommend a book that I bought on Amazon.com last week. It is called, "Better Balance-Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls." The book is easy reading and only 50 pages. It is a Harvard Medical School Special Health Report. The lead editor is Dr Suzanne Salamon.
While many of our neuropathies are not curable, our nervous system, as Barry pointed out, has some degree of plasticity.
Balance is an area where there is plasticity--where we can compensate for something our neuropathy took away. The short book, written for the layperson, discusses the organs that determine balance. It discusses common causes of imbalance. And it gives many exercises that can be done to improve balance. Price is $20. Money well-spent in my opinion.