Neuropathy of the feet: Any advice on how to eliminate the numbness?

I tend to experience the opposite. More exercise seems to make mine better. Not cured of course, but like yesterday I did a bunch of yard work with a lot of walking and most behind a push mower and from my knees down feel much better today than the day before. Like it helps the circulation or something.

Yeh I also have been diagnosed with minor spinal stenosis which by the way most older adults have! Some other things that seemed to help are compression foot sleeves and a foot messager that has a heating element. The unit is made by a company called MIKO. Really great after heavy activity.

Hi, Ray, I recently had a visit with my Physical Therapist where he massaged my feet. Like you, I have numbness and tingling in my feet with not much pain. This time, the therapist used something "warming" on my feet.... and they felt great for several hours afterwards. I asked what he had used, and he showed me the bottle of "RockSauce," a lotion that contains Capsaicin. He used his bare hands for the massage, and he emphasized that if I tried this lotion on my own at home to either use gloves or be sure to wash my hands thoroughly after massaging it in, as if you touch your face with it, it can cause some stinging in the eyes. Like you described in your post, it seems that warming helps me more than Icy Hot or anything cold. I have ordered some of the RockSauce from Amazon and plan to give it a try at least once daily.
Just sharing since you said warmth seems to help you more than cold. Best wishes! Mike

Thanks, Mike. You and I may be among the fortunate exceptions for whom simple warming results in improved foot sensation. It sure seems to help me. Simple warming is not a cure, but it certainly is a helper. I'll check around for RockSause. In the meantime, I'm going to continue placing my shoes upside down on the floor furnace grill to get them nice and toasty before putting them on and going outside to face the winter temps. –Ray

Impact good or bad? What ingredient - good or?

@cmodling On the rare occasion that I am able to get in my yard and do physical labor such as trimming shrubs, raking leaves, etc. it seems that my neuropathy symptoms are better the following day. Perhaps the physical exercise and the bending helps to loosen the compression on the nerves coming out of my spinal column? I have no idea for sure, but it DOES happen.
I try to walk everyday, and that is helping overall.... but the yard work seems to be most helpful. I jokingly told my physical therapist that I need to find a job with a landscaping crew and spend my days mowing, trimming, raking, digging.... and perhaps I would reverse the neuropathy! 🙂
Keep moving!! Best wishes! Mike

I was diagnosed with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy in both feet this September 2023. The “trigger” was an arthritic, gouty big toe that flared three times in a six week period. The result was it was difficult to walk normally for about three months. In September I resumed exercising (walking, biking, water jogging and lifting weights). Unfortunately, both feet are now very sore. It’s been one medical issue after another and doctors, podiatrists and therapist do not seem to want to engage or understand what I am going through. I am very motivated to keep moving and hope to learn techniques or tools to help manage this disease. I will certainly look into the Rocksauce and wonder if a foot massager makes sense.
Mark

Moving is surely a big help. Quick story: I had a physical at Mayo about 30 years ago when I was in pretty good shape jogging and when I met with the cardilogist I was telling him I’d saw a few of my friends get the camera in the arteries thing and clogging was discovered so I was concerned about that. He said there were risks with that test like sticking a hole in an artery so he told me to do some yard work every few weeks and I’d know if something was wrong. He said that would be an ongoing self test. I have always done that and the pretty strenuous part of it also. So far so good. I’m 80 and blessed.

@mfulullbri I bought a RENPHO foot massager on Amazon a year ago. A year later, I use it on occasion. But I don't know that I could say it was really worth the $160. It does knead the feet and toes, and there is a heating element, but it barely gets warm. Perhaps others here have had more positive experiences, and each of us is different. If you do a search of the neuropathy support group for "foot massager," I'm sure you will find lots of input. Take care! Mike

@domiha Mike, your post regarding RockSauce caught my attention as I too have all numbness, no pain, sensory motor PN. I am normally not one to experiment with things that claim to help with PN but, at times, I will give something a try. Do you use the RockSauce once or several times a day. I recall hearing about this some time ago, but I thought it was mostly helpful involving pain, so I didn't try it out. Many of us know there is no cure but, if something comes along that will help cope with PN, again, I will sometimes try it. Please let us know how you make out. Thanks - Ed