What is neuropathy and what can you do about it?

Question

My sister of 76 has neuropathy and wants to know what she should do for it. Does anyone know anything that would help her?
She has constant pain in her legs mostly the right as over thelast few years she has fallen and broken the rt. leg about ten yrs ago and it healed crooked Any ideas out there?

Answer 1

In its most general terms, neuropathy refers to a disorder of the peripheral nerves (the nerves in our legs, arms, etc.). Neuropathy can be a chronic, painful, and often debilitating condition where the nerve experiences chronic inflammation and/or dysfunctions. There are serveral types/causes of neuropathy including:
1. Diabetes
2. Alcoholism
3. Chronic nerve compression in the spine
4. History of crush injury
5. ...or even without a known cause, or idiopathic.

Standard treatments usually include management of diabetes (in diabetic neuropathy) and use of medications which depress excitation of the nervous system such as neurontin or Lyrica. Unfortunately, these medications usually come with some hefty side effects.

Anodyne therapy is a realtively new therapy, but there is still much to be learned about this. It's a treatment usually performed by a physical therapist that uses monochormatic infrared light waves to stimulate blood flow to the nerves. It is usually used as part of a comprehensive program of Anodyne, gait and balance training in order to reduce pain and increase function/quality of life.

First step is for her to consult with her primary physician or a neurologist.

Answer 2

(1) Neuropathy is NOT a 'disease' of the nerves (2) It does NOT always cause pain (3) You should type 'neuropathy' into your browser/search engine and READ, as there are different types, treatments, etc.- much more information than you can find here (4)Consult a reputable Neurologist/Neurology clinic (5) I have neuropathy in my feet and it only involves numbness and tingling, not pain - nothing they can do for it, yet. Good luck.
PS: Don't settle for the advice of just one neurologist - I went to FIVE before I was properly diagnosed.

Answer 3

Neuropathy means nerve disease. My mother has it. She will be standing and shake a foot around. My opinion about the leg not being set straight is that I would go and find out if it can be reset.
What she can do is probably exercise like on a treadmill slow walk or just walk around as much as she can. Walking also helps the attitude from sour to happy sometimes...There are meds she can take or get prescribed...It usually goes with diabetes but not all the time. My mom does not have diabetes so...Confortable shoes, sturdy shoes...Prayers...

Answer 4

SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are a group of drugs mainly used in treating depression, but recent trials have indicated that they may be useful in treating diabetic neuropathy as well, due to their action on GABA receptors. Now... there are different drugs in this group -- the most widely known being fluoxetine or prozac, which appears effective only in diabetic neuropathy with co-existing depression. Paroxetine and fluvoxamine appear to have some efficacy in diabetic neuropathy. SSRIs were the 1st to be FDA approved in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. In general, however, they are less efficacious than tricyclic antidepressants. The mainstay of treatment, however, remains at controlling the diabetes itself and of course, as the old adage goes -- PREVENTION is better than cure. K... now may I have my 10 points? :-)

Answer 5

I had a nerve conduction study and was diagnosed with neuropathy. It is extremely painful in my legs and feet. It started as every muscle in my legs and feet cramped and refused to release for hours. After a ride to the hospital in an ambulance and repeated pain medications, it finally released. Not every bout of pain is as bad as that, but it does continue. The doctors at the VA hospital don't want to agree that it is neuropathy even though it is mentioned in my medical records by several of them that I have it! Now they are ordering the nerve conduction test to be administered again! A lot of the medications that they have tried on me do not work and have side effects that cause me to fall and lower my mental capacity. I was being given a very low dose of vicodin at bedtime. I had to double the dose for it to work at all. I requested for my doctor to prescribe 5 vicodin at bedtime rather than the 2.5 and she accused me of becoming addicted. I am not addicted to the medication, but I know what did or did not work. She stated that she gave me 2.5 for years. I told her that 2.5 never did work. I changed doctors. The new doctor took me completely off the pain medicine. She stated that I was not allowed to drive and take any vicodin! The neurologist prescribed a half of clonazepam at bedtime. The primary care doctor told me that I can not drive and take that medication! The 5 vicodin helped with the pain and allowed me to sleep. I would have to soak in the tub for two hours for the medicine to kick in. There were times I woke up with my face in the water. It did not leave me tired in the daytime! Yes I had pain in the daytime. If it got bad enough that it was necessary to take pain medicine in the day, then I would not drive that day!