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Is there a way to test neuropathy w/o sticking needles in your veins?

Posted by librarymom1 @librarymom1, Jun 7, 2023

I have neuropathy from Hansen’s Disease (leprosy). It was actually the first symptom for 18 months until others started manifesting in my joints which led to diagnosis.
My dermatologist found it and after 13 months of 2 different antibiotics daily, I was cured, only the neuropathy remained. I pass out before they get very far with the needles, so have not received any treatment and as I age it is moving further up from my feet to ankles.

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rosaliemarie | @rosaliemarie | Jun 14, 2023
In reply to @mshutch "I have to agree with you Rosaliemarie. The first few EMG's I had were painful. Not..." + (show)
@mshutch

I have to agree with you Rosaliemarie. The first few EMG's I had were painful. Not just uncomfortable. The last one I had, I am pretty sure it was the Fellow's first time as it was excruciating. I taught myself to disassociate during that test.
I think that EMG's vary by person. I am curious if the people who did not experience pain had a negative test. I was told my results only showed mild impairment which surprized me.

Jump to this post

Yep, that’s is how it felt. it was torture! They did find a great deal of impairment. My NP at Mayo, says they have a peripheral neuropathy clinic now, but before i can see anyone there, they require that i get another EMG. Yuk!!

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Jun 14, 2023

@mshutch
In response to your question “I am curious if the people who did not experience pain had a negative test.”
My test was positive for nerve damage. I didn’t feel the needles go in but I did feel a very mild electrical shock but I wouldn’t describe it as painful.
My Neurologist and I were talking about the degree of damage verses the severity of pain. He said just because someone has mild damage doesn’t mean their pain symptoms will be mild.
Some mentioned fibromyalgia and some may have other conditions which I believe may have exacerbated any discomfort experienced. Also pain tolerance is a likely factor.
Take care,
Jake

REPLY
Zebra | @californiazebra | Jun 15, 2023
In reply to @mshutch "I have to agree with you Rosaliemarie. The first few EMG's I had were painful. Not..." + (show)
@mshutch

I have to agree with you Rosaliemarie. The first few EMG's I had were painful. Not just uncomfortable. The last one I had, I am pretty sure it was the Fellow's first time as it was excruciating. I taught myself to disassociate during that test.
I think that EMG's vary by person. I am curious if the people who did not experience pain had a negative test. I was told my results only showed mild impairment which surprized me.

Jump to this post

Reading how the experience varies by person, it makes me wonder about a couple things. As I mentioned before, my 2015 EMG with the small needles was nothing like my 1980 experience that used basketball pump sized needles with rounded tips. In 2015 it was like getting 20 vaccinations with tiny thin needles. Yes, my test showed abnormalities all throughout my body. My nerves are overly sensitive to pain, but not sensitive to good stimuli.

1. All of you have probably figured out by now that someone drawing your blood is an art. Some blood draws I don't feel the needle at all. Others are like a shovel going into my arm. Some people are just good at it. Maybe it's the same with an EMG. Maybe the neurologist needs to have good skills.

2. I'm wondering if some neurologists have newer equipment that may take the smallest needles while others may have older equipment that uses an older larger version of needles??? My son had EMG testing in 2004 and had the same experience I did in 1980.

REPLY
1 reply
jfn | @jfn | Jun 16, 2023
In reply to @californiazebra "Reading how the experience varies by person, it makes me wonder about a couple things. As..." + (show)
@californiazebra

Reading how the experience varies by person, it makes me wonder about a couple things. As I mentioned before, my 2015 EMG with the small needles was nothing like my 1980 experience that used basketball pump sized needles with rounded tips. In 2015 it was like getting 20 vaccinations with tiny thin needles. Yes, my test showed abnormalities all throughout my body. My nerves are overly sensitive to pain, but not sensitive to good stimuli.

1. All of you have probably figured out by now that someone drawing your blood is an art. Some blood draws I don't feel the needle at all. Others are like a shovel going into my arm. Some people are just good at it. Maybe it's the same with an EMG. Maybe the neurologist needs to have good skills.

2. I'm wondering if some neurologists have newer equipment that may take the smallest needles while others may have older equipment that uses an older larger version of needles??? My son had EMG testing in 2004 and had the same experience I did in 1980.

Jump to this post

@californiazebra
Hi!
I know the feeling I have had a blood draw once a month for 4 years, some people are just in the wrong field. If I started...

As for the neuropathy by neurologist used a tuning fork, to locate the neuropathy not type it, which worked at the time, as I did not want to repeat the painful tests.

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