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Suggest Treatment For Peripheral Neuropathy In The Feet

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Posted on Mon, 19 Dec 2016
Question: I have severe "diabetic" pain in both feet. It is worse on lying down to sleep. I have never been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been diagnosed with Peripheral neuropathy. Please recommend a pain releaver so I can get some sleep.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Elona (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Over-the-counter pain medications can he helpful to control your pain.

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear user
I have gone through your question.
I can understand your concern.

Peripheral neuropathy is disorder of nerves or a a result of damage to your peripheral nerves.
Patients with peripheral neuropathy may have tingling, numbness, unusual sensations, weakness, or burning pain in the affected area. Oftentimes, the symptoms are symmetrical and involve both hands and feet.

There are many possible causes of peripheral neuropathy, including:
-Diabetes mellitus
-Shingles (post herpetic neuralgia)
-Vitamin deficiency, particularly B12 and folate
-Alcohol
-Autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Guillain-Barre syndrome
-AIDS, whether from the disease or its treatment, syphilis, and kidney failure
-Exposure to toxins, such as heavy metals, gold compounds, lead, arsenic, mercury, and organophosphate pesticides
-Cancer therapy drugs such as vincristine and other medications, such as antibiotics including metronidazole and isoniazid
-Rarely, diseases such as neurofibromatosis can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
-Statin medications have been linked to peripheral neuropathy, although neuropathy caused by statins only rarely causes symptoms.

Often times no cause is found,in these situations, it is referred to as idiopathic peripheral neuropathy.

The treatment for peripheral neuropathy depends on its cause. The first step in treatment is, therefore, to look for the cause.
For this reason ,my advice is to consult your doctor and to do the necessary test to find the cause of your peripheral neuropathy because this is the only to take the right treatement.

If you need a symptomatic treatement ,the pain of the neuropathy can usually be controlled with medications.There are a lot of possible treatements for peripheral neuropathy.
The simplest treatment is over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin.

If Acetaminophen hasn't been helpful, you can try Ibuprophen 400mg in the evening (and you can increase the dose to 2x1 tb ,morning and evening if this is necessary).Take this drug with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.If you take Ibuprophen in excess, these drug can affect your liver or stomach function. It’s important to avoid using them for an extended period, especially if you drink alcohol regularly,so be careful when you take this drug.

If this drug doesn't help to control your pain,you should see your doctor because you may need a prescription reliever drug.
Many prescription pain medications can also help to control the pain of this condition. These include:
Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline or nortriptyline and antiseizure medications, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) have been used to relieve the pain of neuropathy.
Capsaicin, is available over-the-counter as a cream to help relieve the pain of a peripheral neuropathy. A prescription patch of 8% capsaicin (Qutenza) is approved for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is a medication that is used for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, while duloxetine (Cymbalta) has been approved for use in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In some instances, opioids can be used to help control the pain that can be associated with peripheral neuropathy.

In addition to OTC pain relievers, many people have found relief for peripheral neuropathy through:chiropractic care ,acupuncture,massage,meditation,yoga
Also, moderate, regular exercise can also help lessen discomfort.

For the lomg term management of your problem you should speak with your doctor to determine the best medical treatment for you, and explore alternative and self-care options that can supplement your medical care.

Hope my information is helpful for you. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Thank you for using HCM.
Wish you good health.
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
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Answered by
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Dr. Elona

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 939 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Peripheral Neuropathy In The Feet

Brief Answer: Over-the-counter pain medications can he helpful to control your pain. Detailed Answer: Hi dear user I have gone through your question. I can understand your concern. Peripheral neuropathy is disorder of nerves or a a result of damage to your peripheral nerves. Patients with peripheral neuropathy may have tingling, numbness, unusual sensations, weakness, or burning pain in the affected area. Oftentimes, the symptoms are symmetrical and involve both hands and feet. There are many possible causes of peripheral neuropathy, including: -Diabetes mellitus -Shingles (post herpetic neuralgia) -Vitamin deficiency, particularly B12 and folate -Alcohol -Autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Guillain-Barre syndrome -AIDS, whether from the disease or its treatment, syphilis, and kidney failure -Exposure to toxins, such as heavy metals, gold compounds, lead, arsenic, mercury, and organophosphate pesticides -Cancer therapy drugs such as vincristine and other medications, such as antibiotics including metronidazole and isoniazid -Rarely, diseases such as neurofibromatosis can lead to peripheral neuropathy. -Statin medications have been linked to peripheral neuropathy, although neuropathy caused by statins only rarely causes symptoms. Often times no cause is found,in these situations, it is referred to as idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. The treatment for peripheral neuropathy depends on its cause. The first step in treatment is, therefore, to look for the cause. For this reason ,my advice is to consult your doctor and to do the necessary test to find the cause of your peripheral neuropathy because this is the only to take the right treatement. If you need a symptomatic treatement ,the pain of the neuropathy can usually be controlled with medications.There are a lot of possible treatements for peripheral neuropathy. The simplest treatment is over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin. If Acetaminophen hasn't been helpful, you can try Ibuprophen 400mg in the evening (and you can increase the dose to 2x1 tb ,morning and evening if this is necessary).Take this drug with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.If you take Ibuprophen in excess, these drug can affect your liver or stomach function. It’s important to avoid using them for an extended period, especially if you drink alcohol regularly,so be careful when you take this drug. If this drug doesn't help to control your pain,you should see your doctor because you may need a prescription reliever drug. Many prescription pain medications can also help to control the pain of this condition. These include: Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline or nortriptyline and antiseizure medications, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) have been used to relieve the pain of neuropathy. Capsaicin, is available over-the-counter as a cream to help relieve the pain of a peripheral neuropathy. A prescription patch of 8% capsaicin (Qutenza) is approved for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia. Pregabalin (Lyrica) is a medication that is used for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, while duloxetine (Cymbalta) has been approved for use in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In some instances, opioids can be used to help control the pain that can be associated with peripheral neuropathy. In addition to OTC pain relievers, many people have found relief for peripheral neuropathy through:chiropractic care ,acupuncture,massage,meditation,yoga Also, moderate, regular exercise can also help lessen discomfort. For the lomg term management of your problem you should speak with your doctor to determine the best medical treatment for you, and explore alternative and self-care options that can supplement your medical care. Hope my information is helpful for you. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help. Thank you for using HCM. Wish you good health.