What Causes Burning Sensation On Lower Legs, Forearms And Wrist Area?

Brief Answer:
Peripheral Neuropathy. Needs Control of Diabetes

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir

Welcome back to Health care magic

Burning Sensation on lower legs near ankles and forearms and wrist areas signifies peripheral neuropathy.

Your nerves are made up of two components
1. Axon : This transmits the signals. This is like a electric copper wire
2. Myelin : This surrounds the axons. This is like the insulation over electric wires. When we have too many wires close to each others, insulation is needed to make sure that the signals do not cross over.

Sometimes, the myelin sheath gets damaged and hence the signals are crossed over. We used to have "Cross Talks" in landline phones few decades ago when the insulation around the wires are damaged. Same way when myelin gets damaged, the signals get crossed

So
The signals from touch receptor (stimulated by signals like breeze touching your skin) get mixed with the signals from pain and temperature receptors.
Thus Even when your pain and temperature receptors are not stimulated, you feel a burning sensation because of this cross talk

In case of Neuropathy, Reflexes can be normal as the fibres which transmit impulses from muscle tendons and the ones which transmit impulses to muscles may not be affected. Same way, Skin Sensation also may be intact.

Neuropathy can selectively involve few fibres

As I had already told you
This can be due to various reasons
1. Diabetes
2. Vitamin Deficiency
3. Lead toxicity etc
4. Side Effects of few Drugs
5. Some Congenital Problems

The most common of these causes are 1 and 2. Some times both may be present

In your case, you had been having diabetes with HbA1c 6.8 earlier. So the myelin sheaths would have been damaged at that time. Now that your diabetes is under control at 5.9, the repair process would have started.

But, we have to remember that the repair process will not be done in a minute or hour. It will take days to weeks.

So,
We have to wait for 12 to 18 weeks following Strict control for the repair process to regenerate the damaged myelin. To Augment the repair process, we give Vitamin B Complex Tablets.

You will be having a question now : How am I saying only diabetes and Vitamins and not concentrating on other causes of Neuropathy like 3,4,5 mentioned above

The reason is, in my practice, most people with the symptoms you have suffer from either diabetic neuropathy or vitamin deficiency or both. So, what we usually do is

1. Treat Diabetes, Achieve Strict Control and Wait for 18 weeks
2. Give Vitamin B Complex and Other Supplements that help in nerve growth

We do this for 18 weeks. Only if there is no improvement after 18 weeks of Vitamins and 18 weeks of Strict Control, do we evaluate for other conditions.

So
I would suggest you to take Vitamin B Complex for 18 weeks and maintain strict diabetic control too
Your symptoms will mostly disappear
Only if they persist after 18 weeks, we have to look for other causes of Neuropathy

Hope you found the answer helpful.

If you need any clarification / have doubts / have additional questions / have follow up questions, then please do not hesitate in asking again. I will be happy to answer your questions.

Best Wishes for Speedy Recovery
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.

-oOo-

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PS 2 : In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me directly in HealthCareMagic at http://bit.ly/askdrbruno

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Brief Answer:
You can go back and exercise 7 days a week

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir

Welcome Back

Q1 : Can I go back exercise on the elliptical machine maybe 5 days a week instead of 7 or whatever you suggest .
A1 : You can go back and exercise 7 days a week. Exercise will improve the healing process. Hence there is no need to worry. Just take healthy meals and Vitamin Supplements.

Take Care :)

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