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

Thank you for the response and insight , Mike!
I’ll complete the search.
Best
Mark

Hi, @njed I just opened and applied the cream yesterday afternoon. This was my first time since I "discovered it" at PT. I used gloves to apply it, though I'm sure it could be done with simply a good hand washing afterwards. It gave my feet a nice, warm feeling for the next few hours. I'm thinking it would be good to apply right before going out for a walk. I've used the IcyHot, and the menthol is refreshing.... but just not the same as this warming feeling. My feet were not burning, mind you. They simply felt like I had just soaked them in a nice tub of warm water for awhile.... but the sensation lasted longer. When I went to Amazon to order it, I noticed that there was some in a a roll-on applicator, but the reviews were not good for that. So I purchased the cream with a pump dispenser. I think it should last me for quite awhile! Best wishes! Mike

@domiha - Mike, good information, thanks. I think I will order the cream as well and use gloves when applying it. Who knows, might be on to something. Have a good year! Ed

Does anyone have definite answer and solution? Living with numbness and no feeling is dangerous.

You are fortunate because I have intense pain due to diabetic neuropathy that appears to be more severe with increasing Gabapectin dosage. Has anyone else experienced this anomaly as increasing Gabapectin is supposed to lessen the pain?

Totally agree. I am 70 and I try to do walking , bicycling and cardio every day. My PN hasn’t changed but I have gotten to the point with all the activity where it doesn’t bother me as much because I am concentrating on the workout not the numbness. I still have symptoms but have learned to deal with it by trying to keep a regular routine going

Keep at it! When we quit then all these other things start quitting.

Ed (@njed), Mike (@domiha)

We're three of a kind: numbness, no pain, sensory-motor PN. For the longest time, I've been reading posts touting the benefits of topicals like Capizan and Icy Hot, but I have always thought they'd be most helpful in reducing pain, and so I paid them no mind. But now, reading these recent posts about topicals and numbness … well, you've aroused my curiosity, to say the least.

Ray (@ray666)

Hello! Happy New Year! I am new here so here goes:

I was dx w/Late Onset MS in 2015; spinal tap confirmed MS that started with a buzzing in my torso which I have learned to ignore over the past years. I began having some strange sensations in my feet as though I was walking on small pebbles. I was put on gabapentin 600mg/3x/day by my neurologist. I had & continue to have annual MRI’s to look for new plaque along my spinal cord and in my brain. So far, I am fairly stable w/no new MRI findings. Next MRI’s in 2 weeks. In 2018 I was dx w/bladder cancer and have followed the bladder sparing (I am female) protocols for my diagnosis and have received BCG and Mitomycin as instillations directly into the bladder. At present I am NED. In 2020 just as covid hit, I was dx with breast cancer; Strange location between breast and very close to sternum, but was very lucky to be able to have a lumpectomy followed by chemo and radiation. I am on Letrozole for the recommended 5 year protocol. To date no return or metastasizing of cancer.

Yesterday, Jan. 31st, was 3 years since my last radiation tx. So, you can see I have had a lot of stuff put into me! My neuropathy has gotten progressively worse since chemo ( I lost my hair, my nails and my general sense of well being).

My feet feel as though they are and I describe it thusly, wrapped in duct tape with a numbness & tightness along my arch, behind and under my toes and alongside the outer edge of my feet; there is a “shin guard” feeling going up both legs laterally, again, worse on the right than on the left.

Each time I present myself to my neurologist, she is at a loss as how to treat the neuropathy and recommends more medication or an increased dose which I am leery of doing. I want some wiggle room in case this really gets worse. Right now there is no real pain except for an occasional sharp jab or crawly feeling; worse at night as is usual…I have begun experiencing an itch on my upper thigh, but my legs are sore in places and constantly recovering from weekly injections of my MS immunomodulator.

I am experiencing some balance issues and on a recent trip to NYC, my legs felt heavy and “off” making walking not as comfortable as I have known myself to be.

I can’t take Lyrica, it makes me very nauseous and most of the other meds interact with medications I am already on. I have had OT (I am a long retired OTR) w/electrical stimulation and massage, but nothing has worked. I had spinal surgery in May ‘23 and while it has alleviated the problem the surgery was to have targeted, I still have lower back pain and muscle fatigue. I have begun a simple yoga program to stay flexible and gain stability, but the neuropathy just continues…

I am a problem solver, but I can’t quite seem to get n top of this…from what I read there are so many suffering with neuropathic pain and treatments seem to be hit and miss or attempts at common sense and or treatments outside standard practice and few seem to work.

I am sure there are those of you who are feeling worse or maybe some better…any direction or conversation is welcomed. Thank you for your time.

@ray666 Ray, I have come to the conclusion that with idiopathic PN, it won't hurt to try various items that are realistically priced. Some items might help but I firmly believe it depends on the unknown mysterious cause. This is why what might help for one will not help for all. We have various causes for our PN picked up through life, yet we tend to share common results due to nerve damage. So, I'll gamble the $20 but not place any high expectations. This way, I'll be surprised. Also, this particular numbness topic started about 10 days ago and I wanted to make a quick comment that when I'm more active, I do notice the numbness does not progress. I live along the beach, and we have good weather April to early November, and we try to walk outside as much as possible. It appears that the progression does not take place during these months when I'm more active outside. So, is this perhaps a clue to slower progression?? Is this why doctors suggest PT?