Topical Creams Any Good For Nerve Pain

Today's post from piedmontpmr.com (see link below) asks the question as to whether topical creams (creams applied to the skin at the area of most pain) are any good for neuropathy. It's an attractive prospect. We're so used to popping pills meant for other diseases and trying to live with the side effects, that the idea of a topical cream is tempting. However, as the article points out, it's often a question of 'suck it and see!' One of the proven analgesic creams for neuropathy is capsaicin (either as a cream or a patch) but you really have to watch out for burning side effects and depending on the strength of the cream, you may need expert help with its application. However, it's not the only one and some people even gain benefit by using sports creams meant for joint or muscle relief. Discuss it with your doctor first and then maybe try some out. You never know, you may find something that's just as effective as the strong pain killers you're normally prescribed.

Are Topical Creams Effective For Neuropathy?
Robert D. Schwartz MD 2016

You feel a tingling or slight burning sensation in your hands or feet and you know it’s a symptom of your neuropathy. These areas, especially your feet, tend to be targeted first because the nerves leading down to those extremities are the longest and the easiest to damage. But at the moment, you know its not a sign for major concern, you just want relief from the discomfort or pain as soon as possible.

Supplements are one way to treat these symptoms, but you don’t really know when they’ll start working and if there will be side effects. By taking any oral medication, you are prone to drowsiness, dizziness or simply lethargy. So what could you do to relieve the pain without all the other baggage? Well, there’s topical creams. They can be applied right onto the pained area usually without fuss and are usually better accepted by patients because they are painless.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the products sitting on drug store counters for pain relief. They all claim to have the same end goal, but you’re not sure which one is right for you. Some are for muscle pain, joint back or back pain, but there are also plenty of non-prescription creams that you could use for neuropathy pain. What you should be looking out for are the two predominant components in topical over-the-counter creams/ointments: capsaicin and herbs. Several creams use a combination of these ingredients amongst others for effective pain relief.

Capsaicin

Capsaicin is a substance found in hot peppers, but interestingly, it also works as pain reliever for those with peripheral neuropathy symptoms. The slight burning sensation that is felt when capsaicin creams is applied counteracts the pain signals within your body, thus ceasing pain altogether temporarily. But capsaicin products aren’t for everyone. Some people can’t handle the initial pain sensation when it if first applied, despite proving to be an effective source for painful neuropathy.

Capsaicin products should not be applied on or near damaged, broken or irritated skin. It also needs to be applied several times a day and might take weeks for it to truly take effect.
Herbs

Another common non-prescription alternative is topical herbal products. Herbal products contain anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relief) properties. They essentially trick the brain into thinking your skin has changed temperature with a cooling sensation, relieving inflammation. They also widen blood vessels in the area so that blood flow is increased, allowing nutrients to be delivered more efficiently for quicker healing.

One of the most common herbal ingredients that uses these pain relief tactics is menthol. Menthol comes from peppermint plants — specifically extracted from wild mint or corn mint, and is used in a majority of pain relief ointments.

Herbs with these properties have been in use since ancient times. From North America to South East Asia, those around the world have turned to herbal medicine for effective pain relief. Other herbs that contain such properties include, balm of gilead, Calendula flowers and oil of clove. It’s hard to deny herbal effectiveness when it has stood against the test of time.

So now that you know a few ingredients in over-the-counter topical creams, what are some products that you can look out for?

Biofreeze
Capsin
Double Cap
Icy Hot Arthritis Therapy
Minagin
Rid-a-Pain
Sportsmed
Tiger balm
Trixaicin

You won’t really know which one works best for you until you try it. You can go online and do your research, but everyone’s condition is different, and everyone’s body will react differently to different medication.

If you find that over-the-counter products aren’t quite working for you, then maybe it’s time to turn to a prescription cream or ointment. Most likely, your doctor will prescribe a topical agent with either clonidine or lidocaine. Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure, but those with nerve pain will also find relief in that department. And lidocaine has mainly been used for mouth numbing in a dentist’s chair, but has shown to be effective against neuropathy pain as well.

So if you’re thinking about getting quick relief from topical creams, then it is definitely recommended. Creams can give your fast temporary relief if your pain is mild to moderate. If you’re dealing with a burden that’s a bit bigger, we advise you to talk to your doctor right away for the best route for relief. You might be given a prescription cream, taken daily for a period of time, or recommended toward other avenues altogether. Whatever your symptoms may be, ensure that your are taking care of your body and your health.

http://piedmontpmr.com/topical-creams-effective-neuropathy/

Quell Neurodevice For Nerve Pain Will It Be Any Good

Today's post from diabetesselfmanagement.com (see link below) anounces another electro-stimulant device designed to reduce neuropathic pain. Not quite on the market (later this year), it reflects the growing interest in electro-neurostimulation but it has to be said that so far, results from these sorts of devices have been patchy to say the least. Maybe this one will provide more people with a positive result. It's lightweight and wearable and can be tracked with a smart phone, so these things at least stand in its favour. Time will tell.

CES Dispatches: Pain-Relieving Device for Diabetic Neuropathy
January 6, 2015 by Diane Fennell


(Quell[TM] Wearable Pain Relief Device [Photo: Business Wire])

Quell, a device that can relieve chronic pain in people with conditions such as diabetes, sciatica, and fibromyalgia, was unveiled this week at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), taking place in Las Vegas from January 6–9.

Roughly 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have some form of the often painful condition neuropathy (nerve damage), according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, and surveys of people with diabetes reflect rates of chronic pain ranging from 20% to 60%.

Created by NeuroMetrix, Quell is lightweight, wearable device that uses noninvasive neurostimulation technology to reduce chronic pain. The device, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use without a prescription, can be worn both during the day and at night, and users will have the option of using their smartphone to track and personalize their pain treatment.

“Recent studies have shown that chronic nerve pain dramatically reduces the quality of life in people with diabetes,” notes Shai N. Gozani, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroMetrix. “We believe that Quell may help many of these people reclaim their life from chronic pain.”

Quell is expected to be available for purchase by consumers later this year.

For more information, see the press release from NeuroMetrix.

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/ces-dispatches-pain-relieving-device-diabetic-neuropathy/

DRINKING DECAF OR REGULAR COFFEE MAY BE GOOD FOR THE LIVER

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute report that decaffeinated coffee drinking may benefit liver health. Results of the study published in Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that higher coffee consumption, regardless of caffeine content, was linked to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes. This suggests that chemical compounds in coffee other than caffeine may help protect the liver

Coffee consumption is highly prevalent with more than half of all Americans over 18 drinking on average three cups each day according to a 2010 report from the National Coffee Association. Moreover, the International Coffee Association reports that coffee consumption has increased one percent each year since the 1980s, increasing to two percent in recent years. Previous studies found that coffee consumption may help lower the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

"Prior research found that drinking coffee may have a possible protective effect on the liver. However, the evidence is not clear if that benefit may extend to decaffeinated coffee," explains lead researcher Dr. Qian Xiao from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

For the present study researchers used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2010). The study population included 27,793 participants, 20 years of age or older, who provided coffee intake in a 24-hour period. The team measured blood levels of several markers of liver function, including aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transaminase (GGT) to determine liver health.

Participants who reported drinking three or more cups of coffee per day had lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT compared to those not consuming any coffee. Researchers also found low levels of these liver enzymes in participants drinking only decaffeinated coffee.

Dr. Xiao concludes, "Our findings link total and decaffeinated coffee intake to lower liver enzyme levels. These data suggest that ingredients in coffee, other than caffeine, may promote liver health. Further studies are needed to identify these components."

---

Good Shoes Are A Neuropathy Patients Best Friend

Today's post from neuropathydr.com (see link below) talks once again about the importance of good shoes for neuropathy patients. We've said it before and we'll say it again, your feet have to carry you through life and if the nerves in the feet are damaged, it's vitally important that you find the best footwear you can afford to help them do just that. This article reinforces the message. These days, supportive footwear doesn't necessarily mean ugly and unfashionable - you need to look around and find what suits you best but you still always get what you pay for - buying the best you can afford will pay off in the long run.

The Importance of Great Shoes in Neuropathy Treatment Posted by john on September 24, 2012
 
The shape of your feet changes with age, swelling, as well as peripheral neuropathy.

Are your shoes supporting your feet properly?

One of the issues we see very frequently in the neuropathy patient is fitting shoes comfortably.

It is very easy to take for granted the role that proper footwear has on your level of comfort. That is of course unless you suffer from peripheral neuropathy.

There are all a whole host of other conditions that occur with neuropathy that can slow down or complicate recovery. This includes common things such as flatfoot or having conditions like plantar fasciitis.

There are however some very simple things you can do. Number one, visit a traditional foot and shoe store and have your feet properly measured.

The reason for this is the shape of your feet changes with age, swelling, as well as peripheral neuropathy. Muscle changes, which accompany neuropathy, are responsible for this.

The neuropathy patient should take advantage of the expertise of their clinician too. Ask questions about the most appropriate footwear for you. Learn some basics about proper shoe construction such as the shape of the last and the strength of the heel counter.

Sometimes, “diabetic” shoes better holds inserts, which your clinician may prescribe. These may also allow for better circulation and less neuropathy pain.

We find that many neuropathy patients have excellent relief by wearing running shoes most of the time. The reason for this is the combination of shock absorption and breathability is helpful for many patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy.

This is one area where consulting the properly trained neuropathy treatment specialist can be of huge benefit!

Do not ignore your shoes!

These are in fact the foundation of your daily recovery homecare programs and are very important in getting you active again, back on your feet!

You will also find our recent radio show on http://beatingneuropathy.com and the associated videos on http://YouTube.Com/NeuropathyDoctor very helpful.

Recover faster from your neuropathy treatment by wearing the very best shoes you can find!

http://neuropathydr.com/the-importance-of-great-shoes-in-neuropathy-treatment/

SHARING MAKES BOTH GOOD BAD EXPERIENCES MORE INTENSE

Undergoing an experience with another person -- even if we do it in silence, with someone we met just moments ago -- seems to intensify that experience, according to new research published in Psychological Science. The research shows that people who share experiences with another person rate those experiences as more pleasant or unpleasant than those who undergo the experience on their own.

"We often think that what matters in social life is being together with others, but we've found it also really matters what those people are doing," says psychological scientist and lead researcher Erica Boothby of Yale University.

"When people are paying attention to the same pleasant thing, whether the Mona Lisa or a song on the radio, our research shows that the experience is much more pleasurable. And the reverse is true of unpleasant experiences -- not sharing them makes them more pleasurable, while sharing them makes them worse."

Thinking about shared experiences like going to the movies or viewing art in museums, Boothby and Yale colleagues Margaret Clark and John Bargh wanted to explore the consequences of sharing experiences that unfold socially but silently.

In their first study, 23 female college students came to the lab and met another participant who would be completing the study at the same time. Unbeknownst to the students, the "other participant" was actually part of the research team and she always played the role of the second participant in the study.

The pair was told that they would engage in several activities, including tasting chocolate and looking at a booklet of paintings, side by side at a table. They were told they would be assigned to complete the activities in random order but, in reality, the student was always only assigned to taste the two chocolates, one at the same time as the second participant and the other while the second participant was looking at the booklet. After the student tasted both chocolates, the experiment ended "early" before they got a chance to look at the artwork.

Although the chocolate samples were presented as two different chocolates, they were actually squares taken from the same bar of 70% dark chocolate.

Students reported liking the chocolate they had tasted at the same time as the other participant more than the chocolate they had tasted while the other participant was looking at the booklet. Although the chocolate pieces were identical, the students tended to report the "shared" chocolate as being more flavorful, which suggests that the mere act of sharing may influence how things are actually sensed or perceived by us.

To find out whether sharing makes any experience more pleasant or actually intensifies specific feelings (positive or negative), the researchers tasked another group of students to taste a bitter "chocolate substitute" (really just 90% dark chocolate, which pre-testing revealed to be unpleasant).

This time, the students said that they liked the "shared" chocolate less. They also reported feeling more absorbed in the tasting experience and more in tune with the other participant when they tasted the chocolates at the same time.

The researchers suggest that sharing an experience with someone else, even silently, may focus our attention, making us more attuned to what we are sensing and perceiving.

"When people think of shared experience, what usually comes to mind is being with close others, such as friends or family, and talking with them," says Boothby. "We don't realize the extent to which we are influenced by people around us whom we don't know and aren't even communicating with."

Ultimately, these findings may have significant implications for social life in a world that is filled with distractors:

"We text friends while at a party, check our Twitter feed while out to dinner, and play Sudoku while watching TV with family -- without meaning to, we are unsharing experiences with the people around us," says Boothby. "A pleasant experience that goes unshared is a missed opportunity to focus on the activity we and others are doing and give it a boost."

How Good Is Carbamazepine For Neuropathic Pain

Today's post comes from summaries.cochrane.org (see link below) and is part of the Cochrane Collaboration: Cochrane Medical Summaries data banks. In this study, they look at Carbamazepine to see how effective it is as a neuropathic pain treatment and the conclusions may alarm some people because in their view, there's very little evidence to support the hype over Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro). It is an anti-convulsant (anti epilepsy) drug that is more and more frequently used to treat severe neuropathic pain but the results are anything but conclusive. This article goes on to explain why the Cochrane people are equally doubtful as to its efficiency in controlling nerve pain.

Carbamazepine for chronic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia in adults  Wiffen PJ, Derry S, Moore R, Kalso EA
Published Online:10 April 2014
Neuropathic pain is pain coming from damaged nerves. It is different from pain messages carried along healthy nerves from damaged tissue (a fall, or cut, or arthritic knee). Neuropathic pain is treated by different medicines than pain from damaged tissue. Medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen are not effective in neuropathic pain, while medicines that are sometimes used to treat depression or epilepsy can be very effective in some people. Our understanding of fibromyalgia (a condition of persistent, widespread pain and tenderness, sleep problems, and fatigue) is lacking, but fibromyalgia can respond to the same medicines as neuropathic pain.

Carbamazepine was developed to treat epilepsy, but it is now used to treat various forms of chronic pain. We performed searches (up to February 2014) to look for clinical trials where carbamazepine was used to treat neuropathic pain or fibromyalgia. We found 10 studies involving 418 people involved in testing carbamazepine. Studies were not generally of very good quality. Most were very small, as well as of short duration. Studies lasting only one or two weeks are unhelpful when pain can last for years.

There was not enough good quality evidence to say how well carbamazepine worked in any neuropathic pain condition. Pooling four small studies showed that it was better than placebo, but the result cannot be relied upon. There was not enough information from these studies to make any reliable comment on adverse events or harm.

Carbamazepine is probably helpful for some people with chronic neuropathic pain. It is not possible to know beforehand who will benefit and who will not. 


Abstract

Background:
This is an update of a Cochrane review entitled 'Carbamazepine for acute and chronic pain in adults' published in Issue 1, 2011. Some antiepileptic medicines have a place in the treatment of neuropathic pain (pain due to nerve damage). This updated review considers the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia only, and adds no new studies. The update uses higher standards of evidence than the earlier review, which results in the exclusion of five studies that were previously included.
Objectives:
To assess the analgesic efficacy of carbamazepine in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia, and to evaluate adverse events reported in the studies.
Search strategy:
We searched for relevant studies in MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL up to February 2014. Additional studies were sought from clinical trials databases, and the reference list of retrieved articles and reviews.
Selection criteria:
Randomised, double blind, active or placebo controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the use of carbamazepine (any dose, by any route, and for at least two weeks' duration) for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain or fibromyalgia, with at least 10 participants per treatment group. Participants were adults aged 18 and over.
Data collection and analysis:
Two study authors independently extracted data on efficacy, adverse events, and withdrawals, and examined issues of study quality. Numbers needed to treat for an additional beneficial effect (NNT) or harmful effect (NNH) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated from dichotomous data.

We performed analysis using three tiers of evidence. First tier evidence derived from data meeting current best standards and subject to minimal risk of bias (outcome equivalent to substantial pain intensity reduction, intention-to-treat analysis without imputation for dropouts, at least 200 participants in the comparison, at least 8 weeks' duration, parallel design), second tier from data that failed to meet one or more of these criteria and were considered at some risk of bias but with adequate numbers in the comparison, and third tier from data involving small numbers of participants that was considered very likely to be biased or used outcomes of limited clinical utility, or both.
Main results:
Ten included studies (11 publications) enrolled 480 participants with trigeminal neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and post stroke pain. Nine studies used a cross-over design, and one a parallel group design. Most of the studies were of short duration, lasting four weeks or less.

No study provided first or second tier evidence for an efficacy outcome. Using third tier evidence, carbamazepine generally provided better pain relief than placebo in the three conditions studied, with some indication of pain improvement over mainly the short term, but with poorly defined outcomes, incomplete reporting, and in small numbers of participants. There were too few data in studies comparing carbamazepine with active comparators to draw any conclusions.

In four studies 65% (113/173) of participants experienced at least one adverse event with carbamazepine, and 27% (47/173) with placebo; for every five participants treated, two experienced an adverse event who would not have done so with placebo. In eight studies 3% (8/268) of participants withdrew due to adverse events with carbamazepine, and none (0/255) with placebo. Serious adverse events were not reported consistently; rashes were associated with carbamazepine. Four deaths occurred in patients on carbamazepine, with no obvious drug association.
Authors' conclusions:
Carbamazepine is probably effective in some people with chronic neuropathic pain, but with caveats. No trial was longer than four weeks, had good reporting quality, nor used outcomes equivalent to substantial clinical benefit. In these circumstances, caution is needed in interpretation, and meaningful comparison with other interventions is not possible.
This record should be cited as:
Wiffen PJ, Derry S, Moore R, Kalso EA. Carbamazepine for chronic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD005451. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005451.pub3
Assessed as up to date:
7 February 2014 - See more at: http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD005451/carbamazepine-for-chronic-neuropathic-pain-and-fibromyalgia-in-adults#sthash.HwZTAeUu.dpuf

http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD005451/carbamazepine-for-chronic-neuropathic-pain-and-fibromyalgia-in-adults

TICKLING YOUR EAR COULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

Stimulating nerves in your ear could improve the health of your heart, researchers have discovered. A team at the University of Leeds used a standard TENS machine like those designed to relieve labour pains to apply electrical pulses to the tragus, the small raised flap at the front of the ear immediately in front of the ear canal.

The stimulation changed the influence of the nervous system on the heart by reducing the nervous signals that can drive failing hearts too hard.

Professor Jim Deuchars, Professor of Systems Neuroscience in the University of Leeds' Faculty of Biological Sciences, said: "You feel a bit of a tickling sensation in your ear when the TENS machine is on, but it is painless. It is early days -- so far we have been testing this on healthy subjects -- but we think it does have potential to improve the health of the heart and might even become part of the treatment for heart failure."

The researchers applied electrodes to the ears of 34 healthy people and switched on the TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machines for 15-minute sessions. They monitored the variability of subjects' heartbeats and the activity of the part of the nervous system that drives the heart. Monitoring continued for 15 minutes after the TENS machine was switched off.

Lead researcher Dr Jennifer Clancy, of the University of Leeds' School of Biomedical Sciences, said: "The first positive effect we observed was increased variability in subjects' heartbeats. A healthy heart does not beat like a metronome. It is continually interacting with its environment -- getting a little bit faster or a bit slower depending on the demands on it. An unhealthy heart is more like a machine constantly banging out the same beat. We found that when you stimulate this nerve you get about a 20% increase in heart rate variability."

The second positive effect was in suppressing the sympathetic nervous system, which drives heart activity using adrenaline.

Dr Clancy said: "We measured the nerve activity directly and found that it reduced by about 50% when we stimulated the ear. This is important because if you have heart disease or heart failure, you tend to have increased sympathetic activity. This drives your heart to work hard, constricts your arteries and causes damage. A lot of treatments for heart failure try to stop that sympathetic activity -- beta-blockers, for instance, block the action of the hormones that implement these signals. Using the TENS, we saw a reduction of the nervous activity itself."

The researchers found significant residual effects, with neither heart rate variability or sympathetic nerve activity returning to the baseline 15 minutes after the TENS machine had been switched off.

The technique works by stimulating a major nerve called the vagus, which has an important role in regulating vital organs such as the heart. There is a sensory branch of the vagus in the outer ear and, by sending electrical current down the nerves and into the brain, researchers were able to influence outflows from the brain that regulate the heart. Vagal nerve stimulation has previously been used to treat conditions including epilepsy.

Professor Deuchars said: "We now need to understand how big and how lasting the residual effect on the heart is and whether this can help patients with heart problems, probably alongside their usual treatments. The next stage will be to conduct a pre-clinical study in heart failure patients."

Is Bentofiamine Any Good For Neuropathy

Today's post from healthyselfprograms.com (see link below) is an assessment of one of the commonest supplements recommended for neuropathy - Benfotiamine. There are hundreds of versions of Bentofiamine on the market but does it work? This site says not but you have to take as you find, do your own research and consult with your doctor. One thing is sure, we need to weed out the fake from the genuine - living with neuropathy is bad enough without wasting good money on supplements that have no chance of working. As far as Bentofiamine is concerned; opinions differ greatly.
 

Benfotiamine Review: A Neuropathy Treatment Formula?
 June 4, 2014 by admin 

Benfotiamine is a dietary supplement that claims to treat Neuropathy which is a nerve disorder. Benfotiamine is a natural product (vitamin B1).

In this review of Benfotiamine we will be investigating its properties, clinical studies and has it any hard evidence it helps suffers of nerve condition such as Sciatica and Neuropathy.

With so many “so called miracle pills about” this one seems to pop up quite often and does seem to get a lot of users, But not many good reviews or feedback.

What is Benfotiamine?

Benfotiamine (Vitamin B1) is found in the Allium family of garlic and onion type plants and is extracted from there bulbs, It is generally used for back pain, but has also been used in many natural nerve treatment formulas.



Why Benfotiamine for Neuropathy?

Benfotiamine is normally used to treat back pain and has been promoted as helping patients with nerve conditions such as Sciatica. It has also been widely used in Europe (Germany) since the late 90′s as an effective treatment for back pain.

Side Effects of Benfotiamine

There are no detrimental side effects but users have reported stomach cramps and pains over a longer period of use.

Does it work against Neuropathy?

Benfotiamine can be beneficial for sufferers of type 2 diabetes by creating thiamine which
Helps to prevent kidney disease

There is “no conclusive evidence” that Benfotiamine can help people who suffer from neuropathy…

Clinical Studies

There are some clinical studies: But most have only been tested on rodents and most have no followup!
Clinical Study 1 – Random placebo Source & results
Clinical Study 2 – High Blood sugar Source & Results
Clinical study 3 – Diabetic Neuropathy Source & Results

Although there is no conclusive evidence that this dietary supplement can help relieve Neuropathy and other nerve disorders, it still deserves a try if you are looking to experiment, as there is no detrimental side effects it may be able to help you!!!

But would also recommended a doctor or health profession opinion before you try this, especially if you are using other prescribed medications.

Recommended products

If you are going to give this a try we would recommend buying just Benfotiamine! Do not buy supplements with other miracle ingredients. You first want to know if it can help you before mixing it with anything else.

http://www.healthyselfprograms.com/benfotiamine-review-neuropathy-treatment-formula/

Kinesio Tape Any Good For Neuropathy

You can't avoid Kinesio tape, wherever you look on sports programmes these days. Today's post from updates.pain-topics.org (see link below) looks at the plusses and minuses of this material as regards muscular and skeletal pain. because so many people with neuropathy suffer abnormal strains on their joints and weakening of their muscles, it may be worth investigating this stuff further. However unlikely it may seem, anything that protects vulnerable areas for neuropathy patients may be worth a try. According to this article however, the jury seems out as to whther it's just fantastic marketing or not. Please contact the blog if you have had any experience with this sort of tape.

Kinesio Tape for Pain? The Science is Sticky.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

 

Anyone who watched even snippets of the recent Olympic Games on TV probably noticed the intriguing, brightly-colored strips of tape adorning shoulders, arms, legs, abs, or other anatomy of many athletes. Apparently, the stretchy cotton bands called Kinesio® Tape are liberally applied when and wherever performance-robbing musculoskeletal pain strikes. But, is this product a clever marketing ploy, a sporty fashion statement, a colorful placebo, or the real deal? And, is this something that non-athletes with pain should look into?

According to news articles and information at the Kinesio website, the tape was designed several decades ago by Kenzo Kase, a Japanese chiropractor and acupuncturist, to support injured muscles, increase range of motion, and decrease pain. Ostensibly, Kase considered rigid athletic tapes inadequate and believed his patients needed something with “a texture and elasticity very close to living human tissue.”

According to Michael Good, International Director of the Kinesio Holding Corporation, the tape has been used in Olympic competition since 1988, but according to news reports it got a huge boost when the company donated 50,000 rolls of the product to 58 countries for use on athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sales of the product tripled soon afterward.

At the recent London Games, Kinesio Taping was even more conspicuous among athletes in almost every sport. It is apparently waterproof (many swimmers were wearing it) and sweat-resistant; one of the Chinese sand volleyball players was adorned in so much tape that she looked like a living billboard for the product. Having all of those Olympians wearing the tape will probably boost sales even further, Good observes.

According to the company website, Kinesio® Tape is used to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce pain, optimize performance, prevent injury, and promote improved circulation and healing. Another promotional website for the product  goes so far as to claim:
 
“Kinesio Tape is used for anything from headaches to foot problems and everything in between. Examples include: muscular facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre- and post-surgical edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury method, and as a support method.”

However, some clinicians are not impressed with such claims, or the tape. In one of the news articles, Amy Powell, MD — associate professor of sports medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine and board member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine — observes that results in actual patients are inconsistent.

Powell states that there is a set of people, primarily with shoulder injuries, who respond well, “but it could also be the idea that any kind of tape would offer them structural support in the shoulder.” She believes the tape might be useful, especially in helping patients to do their physical therapy, but it probably is not the miracle product that Kinesio claims. “I think the company advertises it as more of a cure, but I see it as more of an aid,” she says.

However, some researchers think the company might be making lofty medical claims for what is, essentially, a piece of sticky, stretchy cloth. A team of investigators from New Zealand reported last February 2012 on a first-ever meta-analysis of evidence for the effectiveness of Kinesio Tape [Williams et al. 2012, see ref below].

Their search discovered 97 studies examining the product of which only 10 met inclusion criteria for analysis; ie, the articles reported data for effects of Kinesio Tape on a musculoskeletal outcome and had a control group. Two studies investigated sports-related injuries (shoulder impingement), and just one of these involved injured athletes. Trials involving musculoskeletal outcomes in healthy participants were included on the basis that these outcomes may have implications for the prevention of sports injuries.

The researchers’ analysis found that the efficacy of Kinesio Tape in pain relief “was trivial given there were no clinically important results.” Furthermore, there were inconsistent results for range-of-motion outcomes, with small beneficial effects seen in 2 studies, but insignificant results in 2 other studies. There were some likely beneficial effects relating to grip force, muscle strength, and muscle activity, but it was unclear whether the changes were beneficial or harmful.

The researchers conclude that “there was little quality evidence to support the use of [Kinesio Tape] over other types of elastic taping in the management or prevention of sports injuries.” Although, they concede that, based on all of the anecdotal support for the product, further well-designed experimental research might be warranted.

In one of the news articles, Kinesio’s Michael Good agrees that the science has not caught up with the anecdotal evidence of positive results that athletes have reported with the product. Meanwhile, Dr. Powell says that the lack of hard evidence may not matter in the athletic community, “Anything that [athletes] perceive as an edge, they'll try, whether it's scientific or not. And the athletes are convinced that [Kinesio tape] is really helpful,” she says. “It wouldn't be the worst placebo in the world; it's not doing any harm.”

So, perhaps Kinesio is just “placebo tape” after all. To some it may not matter, but for those who prefer evidence-based medicine the efficacy of this product seems undetermined, and this does not recommend clinical use of the product in patients with pain.

And, there is another sticky issue [excuse the pun]. As with other unproven complementary modalities, successful application of the therapy may depend highly on the individual skills of specially qualified practitioners.

Through a self-started international association, Kinesio promotes its proprietary Kinesio Taping Method and sponsors “Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner” training programs. This is probably quite a profit center for the company, and might be a way of claiming that if the tape does not work as promised the person applying it is probably not adequately trained. However, the company further protects its product claims (and the need for continuing training) by stating at the website, “Even certification is only the beginning of a lifelong process of learning.”

REFERENCE: Williams S, Whatman C, Hume PA, Sheerin K. Kinesio Taping in Treatment and Prevention of Sports Injuries: A Meta-Analysis of the Evidence for its Effectiveness. Sports Med. 2012(Feb);42(2):153-164

http://updates.pain-topics.org/2012/08/kinesio-tape-for-pain-science-is-sticky.html