Partially numb feet gradually getting worse
Posted , 4 users are following.
Both of my feet are partially numb (left worse than right) and the front part of my left leg is partially numb. I've recently noticed that even though my feet are part numb they seem to be super sensitive to heat. My husband and I go fairly regularly to out community pool and he and others can walk across the concrete in bare feet, but when I try the pain of the heat on my feet is unbearable. When I ask my husband if it feels hot to him he says it's hot but not bad. This seems odd since my feet are so numb. Within this past few days my forehead has gone numb. Not completely numb, but definitely has lost sensitivity.
1 like, 11 replies
james80078 darlene62051
Posted
Hi, Darlene
I can't identify with the forehead part of your story, but in my earlier posts a couple of years ago, I described very similar symptoms with my feet and legs. General numbness, feeling like stuffed with cotton wool or sometimes like blocks of wood, yet extremely sensitive in other ways, especially to light touch when lying down. So, if one foot touched the other ever so slightly the pain would be intense. Those symptoms have gradually lessened, but the neuropathy never has. You might want, as I did, to join the Neuropathy organisation (can't remember what it was called but you can google it) and you find helpful articles. But except where the sensations are caused by something extreme like MS, neither the NHS nor private doctors can ever seem to get to the bottom of it. My own symptoms have been there 14 years now but have plateaued. I was told they might eventually affect my whole body but I've just had to get on with it in the meantime. That sounds disheartening but I can honestly say that apart from the weirdness and sometimes acute pain as I described, that would stop instantly once the light pressure was removed, I have suffered no mobility or other problems as a result.
Lodge james80078
Posted
I have had strange sensations going on in my feet and calves for about 5 years now. Started off on one side of my right foot. So hard to describe - sort of felt numb/tingling, but I could feel it if touched with say a feather. Far worse at night in bed and getting out of bed in the morning it takes a while to get going, as legs and feet feel very heavy. I also get quite a bit of pain around my big toe and sometimes my feet feel like I am standing on ice, yet when I touch them are warm. It is all very bizarre.
Neurologist just classes it as idiopathic neuropathy, so not really interested as they can't seem to do anything.
As you say, it is disheartening.
james80078 darlene62051
Posted
Yes, that's pretty much my situation too. The consultant I last saw said that any investigations would be too invasive, by which I took it to mean that would mean looking at what's going on in my brain/nervous system. And in fairness, my private doctor did every blood test known to human kind and never got to the bottom of it either. The whole thing of it being worse in the morning I identify with - for years it felt like my first walk downstairs was putting blocks of wood on the steps, but that's not so bad now. I can't drive for more than an hour because my feet start to get so numb I wouldn't trust my pedal control. When I get out of the car or up from my desk at work, if I've been sitting for quite a while, for the first minute or two I'm walking like an 85 year old with mobility problems, but then it wears off and I'm fine again. Weird!
darlene62051 james80078
Posted
Thanks for sharing your experience with me. I too have had practically every blood test known to man. My neurologist has diagnosed me with small fiber neuropathy, but never found it's cause. Since he never did a nerve biopsy, I'm not sure the diagnosis is correct. The numbness in my forehead is new and I have an appointment with him on Monday, I'll let you know what he says. The numbness in my feet is very weird, and like you it bothers me more in the morning, or after I've been siting for any length of time. I've learned to live with it, but now that my forehead is numb I'm wondering if anything else will get numb. Is any other area of your body numb or partially numb?
james80078 darlene62051
Posted
Hi, Darlene
Yes, mine's small fibre neuropathy too. I haven't had any other areas go numb, although in the first year or so I did have strange sensations, like thinking someone was touching my leg or my hand going into a claw, but those symptoms disappeared eventually. Over the past few years I have hand tremors, but then someone noticed it was only my index fingers and I found that if, when holding something like, say, a book, if I kept my index fingers on top of the book, rather than under it, the shaking would stop. My osteopath says it's not related to the neuropathy but is muscle fatigue.
darlene62051 james80078
Posted
Did you ever have a nerve biopsy?
james80078 darlene62051
Posted
James
darlene62051 james80078
Posted
James,
I've never had it either, but from what I've read it's fairly simple, I'm not sure why my neurologist hasn't suggested it, but I plan to ask him. He seems to be quite certain that I have small fiber neuropathy, but everything I've read about it says the only way to be absolutely certain to to have a nerve biopsy. By the way with regard to my numb forehead, my Dr. believes it's all part of small fiber neuropathy but to be safe he's ordered an MRI of my brain, I'm waiting for it to be scheduled.
james80078 darlene62051
Posted
darlene62051 james80078
Posted
My concern is to be certain small fiber neuropathy is what I have and not something else that maybe there could be help or even a cure for. If I get any answers I'll let you know.
arlene95284 darlene62051
Posted
Hi. I too have small nerve neuropathy. Diagnosed with a skin biopsy test where they basically punch 3 holes in one leg. For example, my calf is supposed to be 4.3. I'm at .4. The other 2 areas are the same. Neurologist told me you don't have any, they're shot and nothing they can do about it. I'm not diabetic & don't know cause. I also have fibromyalgia, ankylosng spondalitis & some other stuff. Had the brain MRI to check for MS. Nada. My one foot, left is worse than the other. I also have numbness along jawline. It scares me. I can't do anything without pain being a consequence. Sometimes to the point that it hurts to wear clothing. If i shop at big box store, i have to ride a cart. But i need exetcise too so i walk half the time but intense feet pain happens after. Planning on seeing different neurologist so at least I can maybe find out cause to hopefully address and maybe get some relief. Good luck to you! I identify. Especially the facial numbness. I'm new & I look forward to being a part of this community.