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Sympathetic lumber block for small fibre neuropathy?

Posted by hannahlockie @hannahlockie, 2 days ago

My pain specialist has suggested a sympathetic lumber block for my "pain" which she thinks is similar to CRPS. But I have googled and think that these days (after 2 years of evolution) it is primarily a small fibre sensation of numbness and tingling, present in both feet, this will not help for more than at most a few weeks. Does anyone think that a sympathetic lumber block could promote recovery from SFN?

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 2 days ago

Hello @hannahlockie, Welcome to Connect. While you wait for members with experience to respond, I did a search of Connect and found some members who have mentioned lumbar sympathetic nerve block. Here's a search link that lists the comments in different discussions - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/comments/?search=%20lumbar%20sympathetic%20nerve%20block.

I have idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy in my feet and legs but only have some numbness and tingling and no pain. I would think that the pain from CRPS would be quite a bit more noticeable but I'm not a doctor just a patient like yourself. Do you have pain with your small fiber neuropathy? Are you on any medications for the pain?

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hannahlockie | @hannahlockie | 2 days ago
In reply to @johnbishop "Hello @hannahlockie, Welcome to Connect. While you wait for members with experience to respond, I did..." + (show)
Profile picture for John, Volunteer Mentor @johnbishop

Hello @hannahlockie, Welcome to Connect. While you wait for members with experience to respond, I did a search of Connect and found some members who have mentioned lumbar sympathetic nerve block. Here's a search link that lists the comments in different discussions - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/comments/?search=%20lumbar%20sympathetic%20nerve%20block.

I have idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy in my feet and legs but only have some numbness and tingling and no pain. I would think that the pain from CRPS would be quite a bit more noticeable but I'm not a doctor just a patient like yourself. Do you have pain with your small fiber neuropathy? Are you on any medications for the pain?

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To be clear - I do have pain as well, just not severe most of the time. I believe the source of my pain is SFN, not something else now. It's always hard to describe exactly your symptoms to people I find. I don't find the words "tingling" or "pins and needles" really appropriate for what I feel, nonetheless I use them because that's what other people say and its sort of approximates what I feel. It is pain that stops me doing things a lot of the time. I also have a lot of urges to clench my toes in particular, if that is helpful.. I guess it is all standard neurological disturbance potentially with no solution.. 🙁

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | 1 day ago
In reply to @hannahlockie "To be clear - I do have pain as well, just not severe most of the..." + (show)
Profile picture for hannahlockie @hannahlockie

To be clear - I do have pain as well, just not severe most of the time. I believe the source of my pain is SFN, not something else now. It's always hard to describe exactly your symptoms to people I find. I don't find the words "tingling" or "pins and needles" really appropriate for what I feel, nonetheless I use them because that's what other people say and its sort of approximates what I feel. It is pain that stops me doing things a lot of the time. I also have a lot of urges to clench my toes in particular, if that is helpful.. I guess it is all standard neurological disturbance potentially with no solution.. 🙁

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If you haven't already checked out the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy website, it has a lot of helpful information on neuropathy - https://www.foundationforpn.org/treatments/.

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dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 1 day ago

@hannahlockie
I don’t think it will help you. SFN pain is tied to skin sensations (burning, pins and needles, etc.) and the damage to small fibers in your skin. Anything done in your lumbar spine won’t change SFN. I have both SFN (idiopathic) and spine issues/fusion surgeries. You need to get to the bottom of the cause of SFN if you can (diabetes, vitamin deficiencies or toxicities, alcohol, smoking, chemotherapy, etc.). If you have issues in your lumbar spine that is causing symptoms from low back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet, you can try cortisone injections and physical therapy. I had pain/weakness/numbness from low back to feet (neurogenic claudication) due to severe spinal stenosis and these symptoms improved after decompression surgery.

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