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Suggest Treatment For Persistent Nerve Pain
Question: Hi Doctor,
I have had nerve pain for the last 8 months. I have been tested locally and at Mayos for any allergies. Nothing has shown up. I've seen a neurologist at Mayos and she has been treating me with prednisone drips. She did find 2 antibodies in me. I have had a Juvederm injection a month before this started happening. Do you think the gram positive bacteria in the Juvederm have caused any of this itching and burning?
I have had nerve pain for the last 8 months. I have been tested locally and at Mayos for any allergies. Nothing has shown up. I've seen a neurologist at Mayos and she has been treating me with prednisone drips. She did find 2 antibodies in me. I have had a Juvederm injection a month before this started happening. Do you think the gram positive bacteria in the Juvederm have caused any of this itching and burning?
Brief Answer:
Shouldn't be the case.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question and I understand your concern regarding the cause of the nerve pain.
I do not think that the Juvederm injection is responsible for the symptoms. I am not sure what you mean by gram positive bacteria, there are several Juvederm products in the market, but the ones I am familiar with are sterile products containing hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a commonly used product, a naturally occurring substance in our bodies. So it is not known to and shouldn't cause autoimmune reactions leading to neuropathy.
Neuropathic pain can have many possible causes, the list is really long. Frustratingly in about 25% of patients even after extensive testing the cause can not be identified. Since you do not provide any reports on the tests you've had, it is hard to provide any more insight as to whether that is your case.
I remain at your disposal for other questions
Shouldn't be the case.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question and I understand your concern regarding the cause of the nerve pain.
I do not think that the Juvederm injection is responsible for the symptoms. I am not sure what you mean by gram positive bacteria, there are several Juvederm products in the market, but the ones I am familiar with are sterile products containing hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a commonly used product, a naturally occurring substance in our bodies. So it is not known to and shouldn't cause autoimmune reactions leading to neuropathy.
Neuropathic pain can have many possible causes, the list is really long. Frustratingly in about 25% of patients even after extensive testing the cause can not be identified. Since you do not provide any reports on the tests you've had, it is hard to provide any more insight as to whether that is your case.
I remain at your disposal for other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The 2 antibodies that have been found are LGI1 and VGKC. I have googled them and found out they could be from Encephalitis, which I don't have, or from some type of cancerous cells my body might be fighting. They did find a small smooth nodule on my vocal cords but did not think it was cancerous. Any other ideas on what you think could be causing those antibidies in me?
Thank you for any help you can give me!! XXXXXXX
Thank you for any help you can give me!! XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
The significance of those antibodies is not clear cut they have been seen to be associated with conditions related to a hidden tumor. Limbic encephalitis is one such condition which may be caused by substances released by a tiny cancer. It's not the only such condition, peripheral neuropathy can also in some cases be due to such a hidden cancer. VGKC autoantibodies in fact have not been found only in encephalitis patients but also in patients with peripheral nervous system issues. So that is a possibility if all other tests for other causes of peripheral neuropathy have resulted as normal, it may be that the neuropathy is a result of a reaction of the body against its own nerves triggered by a hidden tumor which will surface sometime in the future.
On the other hand when I said that the significance is not clear, I meant that you shouldn't consider that as a sentence, that having a tumor is a certainty. These autoantibodies may at times be found even in healthy people. Especially when their levels are on the low side (do not know about yours), no tumor results eventually, they may be produced in small quantities by healthy individuals. So again, while a call for extra attention it is not a sentence. They may be an accidental finding.
Let me know if I can further assist you.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
The significance of those antibodies is not clear cut they have been seen to be associated with conditions related to a hidden tumor. Limbic encephalitis is one such condition which may be caused by substances released by a tiny cancer. It's not the only such condition, peripheral neuropathy can also in some cases be due to such a hidden cancer. VGKC autoantibodies in fact have not been found only in encephalitis patients but also in patients with peripheral nervous system issues. So that is a possibility if all other tests for other causes of peripheral neuropathy have resulted as normal, it may be that the neuropathy is a result of a reaction of the body against its own nerves triggered by a hidden tumor which will surface sometime in the future.
On the other hand when I said that the significance is not clear, I meant that you shouldn't consider that as a sentence, that having a tumor is a certainty. These autoantibodies may at times be found even in healthy people. Especially when their levels are on the low side (do not know about yours), no tumor results eventually, they may be produced in small quantities by healthy individuals. So again, while a call for extra attention it is not a sentence. They may be an accidental finding.
Let me know if I can further assist you.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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