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@ray666 - I too have idiopathic polyneuropathy - sensory and motor which gives me bad balance. The constant tight sock feeling is annoying but in past 3 years, balance is becoming the real problem and due to numbness in feet, any uneven surface is a problem. I' ve explained it this way. When you fall asleep in a chair and you wake up and your foot is "asleep", think about getting up and walk on an uneven surface. Your feet can't feel a height difference in the surface of the floor. You have numbness. It can throw you off balance. The signal from the feet to the brain gets lost and visa versa. Best way I can explain it. I tend to walk with a little zig zag, cane helps. At times, I've told people I have peripheral neuropathy. I usually get...what's that? Lately, I just say I have a balance issue. Easier for others to understand. PN is very difficult to explain and others to understand. After all, we have problems understanding it. Stay well. Ed
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Good morning, Ed
Thank you for your post. We've got a definite kinship when it comes to PN. You mention numbness in your feet several times. I hadn't thought I'd much, if any, numbness, but a recent EMG proved me wrong. I was shocked to see how many places I had little-to-no feeling. The upshot is I no longer tell people I've no numbness. I do! And your comparison to a foot "falling asleep" has proven to be more of a reality for me: If I sit reading or watching TV for more than a quarter-hour without once getting up and walking about, I have to be extra cautious when I stand; my balance will be at its least trustworthy at those moments. Also, I am becoming more and more of a homebody, preferring the familiar surfaces I've here at home to the unfamiliar. "A little zig zag" is a great expression! I may adopt it (along with my ship-at-sea analogy) as it perfectly describes my way of going about, with or without the assistance of a cane. If ever you have a spare moment, I'd love to hear what suggestions for reclaiming some measure of reliable balance your doctors have given you. In the meantime, however, thanks again for replying to my post.
Cheers!
Ray