Foot neuropathy - anyone got tips ?

[Deschodt]

I've had this slowly progressing case of neuropathy in the ball /toes of both my feet. Not diabetes induced... Podiatrists doesn't even care to guess why but likely 35y of bouncing on them playing tennis... major bout of plantar fascia 10y ago seems to have kicked it off.

Lucky for me, not so much tingling and no real pain, just the feel there's several pebbles in your shoe when walking (esp barefoot) since the nerves are not returning much feedback from the foot hitting the floor. Oddly, the area still tickles, still responds to commands, just no "feedback" barefoot when walking, creating that really annoying feel there's something in my shoe... Even did an MRI several y ago and while there' s a possible small pinch L4/L5 it's no more than anybody's classic L4/L5 at that age...

Apparently it's pretty common in the 50+ crowd nowadays, though often due to diabetes (not the case here, lucky me as I consume too much sugar anyway). I can live with it but I'd like to make sure it stops getting worse. Anyone found stuff to help reverse or at least improve this a little ? So far all I got is wider toes box shoes, not walking barefoot, occasional foot massages (which hurt so there's some nerves left ;-)

[ted]

No cure but having custom insoles made for my high arches did help. My issues were likely related to sciatica issues a few years ago. Gabapentin provides relief for some didn’t help me much.

[Seahawk]

Very minor but I use Ihuiniya insoles and Paplus compression socks.

They help me and are not expensive, worth a try. I bought seconds of both. As always, my Degree in Internet Medicine is worth it's weight in Upsidasium.

[wswartzwel]

I had it real bad in my left foot. I cycle a lot and my bike shoe was a bit tight. I solved mine with wider shoes. I'm on my feet all day on concrete floors. I switched to HOKA shoes, for work, and wider cycling shoes, and after about a month the pebble feeling went away.

[Chocaholic]

Saw a foot doctor for the very same problem. Put me on a strong anti-inflammatory for about a month (apparently the nerve in the area gets inflamed and constant impact from activity prevents it from healing on its own) and advised wider/looser shoes with a metatarsal footpad placed beneath the shoe insert just behind the ball of the foot. The metatarsal pads make a huge difference as they take pressure off the irritated area and shift it back. Still use them to this day.

Hoka makes great shoes for this and many are available in wide sizes. Get the pads (Amazon) and give it a try. A bit uncomfortable at first but you quickly get used to them.

[Paul_Heery]

A friend of mine suggested accupuncture. I haven't arranged to have it done yet, but from what I've read it looks promising. Has anyone tried this for their feet?

[Tobra]

Sounds more like morton's neuroma or tarsal-tunnel-syndrome

[oldE]

Similar situation here to the o/p. Vague tingling from metatarsal region forward. No pain, still have sensory information in skin. No diabetes, no swelling.

[afterburn 549]

Get your L5 area checked out (herniated disk)
But, usually that's across the top of the foot

[LWJ]

Interesting.

I have / had very very similar. Also have crazy high arches and a plantar fasciitis diagonsis way back. Podiatrist said get some orthotics. I did. No change.

Also have some odd disks in my back.

And then some other weird schiz. Numb left hand fingers. Stomach thing that was diagnosed as SIBO. Some other things that all seemed like neurological issues. So many I can't remember them all. A bunch.

And then, 6 months ago, my Doc says my A1C is too high and to cut out simple carbs and sugar.

So I did. I dropped 25 lbs.

And all the goofy neuro crap? IT IS GONE or 90+ % improved.

I have a liberal arts degree, not a medical one. So I won't even begin to guess what happened here.

This is nothing more than a data point. But me? I feel awesome. And, it seems like other folks think I look awesome too. But that would be the subject of a different thread.

Good luck!

[afterburn 549]

If it's a back problem, be very proactive about it and do not jump to the first idea.
It is better to deal with some smaller problems than rash decisions.
Even if it is a Herniated disk, they typically recover on their own, with improvement in about 90% of cases.
The body eats away at the cartilage, sticking out into the nerve.
Speaking from real-life exp here.
I spent last summer in Heaill.

[wdfifteen]

I had what I think was neuropathy in my feet before my back surgery.
When I went to bed my feet felt cold, and no amount of external heat would make them feel warm. I wore wool socks and an extra blanket over my feet, even added a heating pad. Nothing worked. It went away after back surgery and I hadn't given it another thought until this thread.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by LWJ

Interesting.

I have / had very very similar. Also have crazy high arches and a plantar fasciitis diagonsis way back. Podiatrist said get some orthotics. I did. No change.

Also have some odd disks in my back.

And then some other weird schiz. Numb left hand fingers. Stomach thing that was diagnosed as SIBO. Some other things that all seemed like neurological issues. So many I can't remember them all. A bunch.

And then, 6 months ago, my Doc says my A1C is too high and to cut out simple carbs and sugar.

So I did. I dropped 25 lbs.

And all the goofy neuro crap? IT IS GONE or 90+ % improved.

I have a liberal arts degree, not a medical one. So I won't even begin to guess what happened here.

This is nothing more than a data point. But me? I feel awesome. And, it seems like other folks think I look awesome too. But that would be the subject of a different thread.

Good luck!

the carbs/sugar create inflammation, and inflammation was driving the rest of the crap.

[Erakad]

Have a similar problem. Went to a podiatrist that referred me to a neurologist. Short story (as suggested above), was degenerating L4/L5 spine. He didn't offer any immediate intervention, only saying I'll know when more is needed (in short). I've lost about 40 lbs, but that hasn't resulted in any change to the tingling/numbness. In the mean time, I just deal with it. It's the price I pay for being tall and spending too many years pounding the pavement to pass PT. Maybe I'll try Hoka shoes.......

[BK911]

My feet used to hurt too.
And no diabetes either.
Like others, significantly reduced sugar intake.
Like magic my feet don't hurt anymore. At all. Within days.

I mean sound cured me.
My feet seemed to like Beethoven's 5th.

[Deschodt]

As a sugar addict, I like where this is going... working on that...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by BK911

My feet used to hurt too.
And no diabetes either.
Like others, significantly reduced sugar intake.
Like magic my feet don't hurt anymore. At all. Within days.

I mean sound cured me.
My feet seemed to like Beethoven's 5th.

Yep, I used to wake up with my hands and feet feeling like they were swollen (they weren't). I cut out sugar (for another reason) and the feelings of hands and feet being swollen stopped. Now I can tell if I/we get on a sugar binge, because the hands and feet feelings come back.

Originally Posted by Deschodt

As a sugar addict, I like where this is going... working on that...

I got off of sugar (and added more fiber) probably 15 years ago, and my cholesterol dropped by 100. It had maxed out around 265 and dropped to ~165. I eat sugar again (too much really) but far, far less than I used to. My cholesterol hovers in the 190-210 range now. I still get fiber but not as much as I was or as I probably should be getting.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Erakad

Have a similar problem. Went to a podiatrist that referred me to a neurologist. Short story (as suggested above), was degenerating L4/L5 spine. He didn't offer any immediate intervention, only saying I'll know when more is needed (in short). I've lost about 40 lbs, but that hasn't resulted in any change to the tingling/numbness. In the mean time, I just deal with it. It's the price I pay for being tall and spending too many years pounding the pavement to pass PT. Maybe I'll try Hoka shoes.......

core strengthening is the ticket, Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, something


People probably should not eat sugar at all

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by Tobra

core strengthening is the ticket, Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, something


People probably should not eat sugar at all

Apparently there are no Girl Scouts in your neighborhood.

[LWJ]

I think Steve hit the ball out of the park RE: inflammation for me. I did feel "inflamed" if that is such a thing. Don't feel this now.

Also, not diabetic and never was.