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Suggest Treatment For Chronic Pain In The Feet
Question: I have had itching, burning, stinging in my feet for about 20 years. It is inside so it cant be scratched. I am not diabetic not neuropathy & the neurologist did an mri which shows that the nerves going to the feet are narrow. I would like to know if this might help. I drive a school bus & sm really afraid of having an accident.
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
I am not sure what you mean by nerves going to the feet. Do you perhaps mean that you had a MRI of the back and it showed that there is narrowing of the spaces traversed by the nerve roots perhaps, nerve root compression? If that is the case it may be associated with such abnormal sensations although I must say it wouldn't be typical to be only in the feet, usually symptoms start further up spreading in the lower limb along the trajectory of the nerve. Anyway if you could provide a MRI report or some other document from the neurologist perhaps it might clear more things up.
I am not sure how has neuropathy been excluded. There are cases of neuropathy which are not possible to detect through common tests such as nerve conduction studies or physical exam called small fiber neuropathy. So given the typical description you provide, in the absence of other skin, blood vessels or joint conditions, I would still put neuropathy as the first possibility. Not all neuropathies are due to diabetes, there are many other possible causes and in 25% of cases no cause is found even after extensive testing.
In terms of management I would try medication used for neuropathy as they are indicated also in the case of the nerve root compression. Such medications include either anticonvulsants like gabapentin, pregabalin or antidepressants such as duloxetin.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
I am not sure what you mean by nerves going to the feet. Do you perhaps mean that you had a MRI of the back and it showed that there is narrowing of the spaces traversed by the nerve roots perhaps, nerve root compression? If that is the case it may be associated with such abnormal sensations although I must say it wouldn't be typical to be only in the feet, usually symptoms start further up spreading in the lower limb along the trajectory of the nerve. Anyway if you could provide a MRI report or some other document from the neurologist perhaps it might clear more things up.
I am not sure how has neuropathy been excluded. There are cases of neuropathy which are not possible to detect through common tests such as nerve conduction studies or physical exam called small fiber neuropathy. So given the typical description you provide, in the absence of other skin, blood vessels or joint conditions, I would still put neuropathy as the first possibility. Not all neuropathies are due to diabetes, there are many other possible causes and in 25% of cases no cause is found even after extensive testing.
In terms of management I would try medication used for neuropathy as they are indicated also in the case of the nerve root compression. Such medications include either anticonvulsants like gabapentin, pregabalin or antidepressants such as duloxetin.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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