Neuropathy At Night

Sometimes you're so grateful to someone else who can put what you're going through into the right words and today's post from lupusadventurebetweenthelines.wordpress.com (see link below) is a case in point. Many, many people with neuropathy will be able to identify with what this lady goes through and knowing that you're not alone is in itself, a comfort. Her neuropathic problems stem from Lupus (an autoimmune disease that, for unknown reasons, causes the immune system to attack the body's own tissues and organs, including the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood, and skin) but as we know, there are more than 100 possible causes of neuropathy. There is no connection to HIV  here but neuropathy is not picky as to what brings it on. Most of us suffer the same symptoms in the end.

Lupus neuropathy in the night watches

Jul 11, 2012

The onset of lupus neuropathy is never welcome, and interrupts some important times of rest in lives of lupus patient it affects. At a patient’s most weary moments, this short-circuiting nerve pain and irritation may flow in disconcerting waves through thighs, knees, calves and feet. For me, neuropathy sometimes comes on suddenly in the night watch, in the wee hours of the morning between midnight and four in the morning, intruding into what would otherwise be a restful, much-needed night’s sleep.
Neuropathy that wakes me is usually too intense and pervasive to ignore, it must be confronted. Sometimes, when it strikes before bed time, I am able to rush to bed and fall asleep ahead of its full onslaught. Other times, after sleeping a while restfully, it intrudes into my sleep like a robber who suddenly wakes the house.

My first waking realization is the pain in my legs and feet, and the gnawing persistence with which it wakes me. I don’t want to wake up, I want to keep sleeping! But, once neuropathy begins during my sleep, there is no escaping it without interaction of some type. Along with intense restless pain in my legs, an inner ache and distress grips my weary malaise-filled torso. There is no position of comfort to be found, no direction to toss or turn that will relieve the distressing sensations surging through me in miserable waves. Sometimes the discomfort extends to the back of my neck and gives me a dull headache.

Getting out of bed is my only bearable option. Moving, walking and getting my wakened body into motion seems to temporarily drown out the sensation in my legs, like turning up the volume on a stereo to drown out a yapping dog’s piercing bark. I walk through the darkened house trying to think clearly enough to come up with an idea for relief. Tylenol? Maybe that will be enough. Ultram? Do I have enough hours to sleep for it to wear off before I have to get up? Hot tea with milk and honey? Maybe increasing my L-tryptophans will put me to sleep naturally. However, sometimes I try those things and go back to bed, only to lay in the dark for another hour still feeling miserable and waiting for relief that doesn’t arrive.

In the worst neuropathy night watches, sometimes I wander out to the living room in my bare feet and pajamas, and spend a half hour doing yoga exercises dark to the rhythm of my husband’s snoring from the other end of the house. Sometimes, I am able to sit comfortably enough to read my bible or a book, but other times, it is necessary to redouble my efforts to distract myself and drown out the neuropathy “noise.” On the very worst nights, I give up trying go back to sleep. I sit down at my grand piano in the dark and turn on the piano lamp behind the piano’s lyre, open a hymnal and start playing.

There, in the gently lit corner of my slumbering house, I quietly play hymns into the early hours of the morning and turn my heart to heaven. If I cannot stop the neuropathy, and I cannot sleep, I resolve not waste precious hours in bed awake and miserable. Instead, if sleep becomes impossible, I would rather sit in the dark playing music to honor and commune with my Almighty, merciful and comforting God. This way, misery is forced to yield to the joy of fellowship with God in my quiet refuge of peaceful musical worship.

http://lupusadventurebetweenthelines.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/lupus-neuropathy-in-the-night-watches/

Neuropathy At Night

Today's post from drmarcspitz.com (see link below) looks at why for many people, neuropathy is so often much worse at night. If you Google this subject, you'll find many articles on the subject but very few that say anything apart from the fact that neuropathy is frequently worse at night - stating the obvious. Finding out why is quite difficult. Dr Spitz offers an explanation that it's due to nitrous oxide, which during the day is distributed through the blood system by movement but at night, stays attached to blood cells, thus diminishing blood supply to the nerve cells.. If anybody knows of an article which goes into this subject in greater detail, please use to contact or comment facility to let other people know.

Why is my neuropathy worse at night?

Let’s face it-neuropathy symptoms are hard to live with at anytime-but it seems that at nighttime the demons really come out. I often hear from my neuropathy patients that their pain, burning and tingling is particularly bad in the evening. Why? The first reason is more obvious. During the day we are often distracted by our daily tasks such as work and chores. Bright lights, noise, computer and TV all act as diversions. In the evening much of the stimuli of the day also go to bed. Thus we are left in a quiet, dark room where we are forced to give greater attention to the condition.

I propose a second, more subtle reason for increased symptoms in the evening. This one is more scientifically based. There is a molecule that circulates in our blood stream, called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has been shown to increase local circulation to the nerves and organs in the body. When we are active, this molecule circulates in our blood system. However when we go to bed, we are more sedentary and nitric oxide stays bound to our blood cells. As a result we can have diminished blood supply to the peripheral nerves.

What to do in the evening to combat exacerbation of symptoms? As with other neuropathy problems, there is no one solution. Here are some suggestions that might help: Doing a few minutes of non-strenuous exercise before bed time such as riding a stationary bike for about 10 minutes, may cut down on symtoms. By the way this may help reduce night cramps as well. Topical products such as Biofreeze, Neuragen and Nerve Health + Relieve Cream, can temporarily bring relief. Physical and mental disciplines such as Tai Chi, Yoga and meditation can strengthen the mind so that we can be less reactive to pain, burning, numbness and tingling.

http://drmarcspitz.com/blog/2009/09/13/why-is-my-neuropathy-worse-at-night/

What Causes Your Feet To Hurt At Night

Today's post from huffingtonpost.com (see link below) is a useful examination of what causes foot pain at night, (a very common problem among neuropathy patients) although it does tend to lean a little too much on 'nerve entrapment' as a principle cause, when very often it's not as simple as that. It also suggests that operations to release nerves in the foot and ankle can often be successful. That may be so in a few cases but if the nerve is damaged, either due to neuropathy or nerve entrapment, an operation won't help much because we can't knit nerves together as easily as that. That all said, it's a helpful article because it may be able to help you differentiate between possible causes of your foot problems and it does explain the various causes pretty well. Worth a 'Sunday morning over a cup of coffee' read!

Common Causes of Foot Pain While Sleeping
By Derek Roach

Has this happened to you? You have gone through your normal bedtime routine and have drifted off to sleep comfortably. Then, seemingly all of a sudden, pain in your foot jars you awake.

While most foot pain occurs during the day while we are up and moving around on our feet, some conditions can cause us discomfort at night while we are trying to sleep. Let’s look at some of the common problems that can cause nighttime foot pain and what you can do about it.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder of the nerves that can cause pain and numbness in the hands and feet. With peripheral neuropathy, you may begin by feeling some numbness in your middle toes and in the balls of your feet after a day spent on your feet.

After awakening you, the pain usually lessens if you get up and walk around a bit, but it usually returns after you lie down again.

Many medical disorders have been linked with peripheral neuropathy, including diabetes, shingles, certain cancers, immune disorders, kidney failure and vitamin deficiency as well as the use of some prescription drugs.

While the specific cause is difficult to determine, doctors do know that the disorder causes partial to complete interruption of the inner core of the nerve fiber (axon) in the foot or ankle.

In many cases of people with foot or ankle neuropathy, doctors have discovered a constriction of this canal and a thickening of a ligament that compresses the nerves. In severe cases, surgeons have been successfully able to decompress the trapped nerves of the foot.

Home remedies for peripheral neuropathy include:

• Regular gentle exercise, including walking, yoga and tai chi.
• Healthy eating with essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall wellness. A deficiency in Vitamin B-12 has been linked with neuropathy.
• Limit your alcohol consumption. Research shows that excessive alcohol may worsen peripheral neuropathy.
• If you have diabetes, carefully monitoring your blood glucose levels may improve your neuropathy.

Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of the tissue around the nerves leading to the toes. Sometimes called interdigital neuroma, the condition often develops when the bones in the third and fourth toes become pinched and then compress a nerve.

The nerve becomes inflamed and enlarged, causing a burning or tingling sensation, cramping and numbness. The pain, which can worsen at night, can be aggravated by improperly fitting shoes as well as by foot problems such as hammertoes, mallet toes and bunions.

Changes in footwear alone often can provide immediate relief from Morton’s neuroma. Look for shoes that provide more room in the toe area, such as box-toed shoes. Avoid high heels and tight shoes in favor of low-heeled or flat shoes with soft soles.

Additionally, custom shoe inserts and orthotic pads also can relieve pain and irritation by lifting and separating the bones, thereby reducing pressure on the nerve. Massage in the painful area also can be effective in reducing pain.

Pinched Nerve

If you experience a throbbing pain in your foot that builds throughout the day and worsens at night, you may be suffering from a pinched nerve inside your ankle or heel.

Research indicates that a common cause of chronic heel pain is nerve entrapment. Frequently a nerve problem is misdiagnosed because the entrapment or “pinching” is taking place in another part of the body, such as the lower back.

If a nerve root in the lower back is compressed, it can cause pain to travel along the sciatic nerve into the leg and foot. The sciatic nerve extends down the back of each leg all the way to the toes and connects the spinal cord with the many of the muscles in the leg and foot.

A pinched nerve can be the result of repetitive motions or from holding your body in one position for a long period. If nerve compression lasts for a long time, the protective barrier around that nerve may break down, causing swelling and numbness in that area. The resulting pain may worsen at night.

Treatment for a pinched nerve varies depending on the severity of your pain. Sometimes rest is all you need to do. Exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles can help as can avoiding the repetitive or restricting activities that caused the compression in the first place.

Restless Legs Syndrome

Are you bothered by an overwhelming urge to move your legs when you lie down at night or do aching, tingling sensations or involuntary jerking motion in your legs and feet wake you up at night?

If so, you may have restless legs syndrome (RLS), an annoying but treatable condition. Studies estimate that as many as one in 10 people have RLS, but unfortunately, many of us live with it rather than seek treatment.

In addition, RLS is often misdiagnosed. Left untreated however, RLS can negatively impact the quality of your life and the life of your partner.

Scientists believe that RLS is caused by an imbalance of dopamine, a chemical in the body that transmits signals between the brain and nerve cells. Thought to be genetic, RLS is more common in older adults and women. Conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, iron deficiency and kidney failure can trigger RLS. About 20 percent of women experience temporary RLS during pregnancy.

Ideas for limiting RLS include wearing compression socks or stockings, sleeping with a pillow between your legs and doing simple leg stretching exercises throughout the day.

In conclusion, if nighttime foot pain is a recurring problem that is interfering with your sleep to the point that it is affecting your daily activities, it is time to seek medical attention. Be sure to keep track of any details in your condition that will help your doctor diagnose the problem. With proper care and treatment, a good night’s sleep can be in your future.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-roach/common-causes-of-foot-pai_b_9745394.html