Health Conditions
Feet Tingling When Lying Down: Causes & Treatments
Do you experience tingling feet when lying down? It can be a bit of an odd sensation, and it’s not something that most people talk
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Ian Goldbaum, DPM
A disease of the small fibers of the nerves, sensory fiber neuropathy is a neuromuscular condition that affects millions of people. It might be caused by a variety of factors, such as diabetes or prediabetes. It can also happen on its own. The most common symptoms of small fiber neuropathy are tingling in the feet, and numbness in the skin’s capacity to feel the temperature. Also, lack of pain sensation or pain signals sent erratically even when no stimulus is present. As a result, obtaining a diagnosis for small fiber sensory neuropathy may be difficult. Small fiber sensory neuropathy therapy is also difficult to deal with.
Small fiber sensory neuropathy was indeed a rare but devastating neurological condition of the peripheral nerves.
The peripheral nervous system does not reside in the spine or the brain. This network’s nerves transmit temperature, pain, and other signals to the spine and brain. They regulate blood pressure, digestion, and heart rate, and also connect the spine and brain to the muscles.
If some of the peripheral nerves are injured, they can repair. However, some damage needs therapeutic therapy or surgery to repair.
Small fiber sensory neuropathy (SFSN) is a kind of nerve disease that mostly affects sensory nerves. It also has an impact on the sweat glands, blood vessels, the gastrointestinal system, and the heart.
Diabetes, autoimmune diseases, pollution, and trauma are all likely causes of small fiber neuropathy.
Small fiber sensory neuropathy symptoms are mainly sensory in nature, with pricks, pins-and-needles, tingling, and numbness being examples. Some people may experience scorching anguish or coldness, and also electric shock-like brief uncomfortable feelings.
Because SFSN does not have big sensory fibers that transmit signals to the motor nerve fibers or brain that control muscles, these people do not experience balance issues or muscular weakness. These sensations often begin in the foot and progress upward. This could spread to other regions of the body in extreme cases.
Small fiber neuropathy was really a genetic disorder that affects both the nerves and the muscles. This is an autosomal dominant condition, which means that just one faulty gene in each cell is necessary to cause the disease. In certain cases, a host of the variant transmits it onto the progeny. Other events occur as a consequence of new gene changes, however, they are more prevalent in people who have no family background in fibromyalgia.
The inheritance pattern is hidden when the genetic etiology of the small fiber neuropathy is unclear or when the sickness is triggered by another disorder.
Clinicians employ a variety of medical examinations to identify small-fiber neuropathy. The doctor will begin the diagnosis process by evaluating the medical patient’s history and performing a physical examination. A doctor may ask about a person’s family medical history, as well as any present or former health concerns that may be contributing to symptoms.
A skin biopsy, according to many medical experts, is the “gold standard” diagnosis for small fiber neuropathy. Skin biopsies are minimally invasive procedures in which a practitioner collects a large number of tiny skin samples for laboratory processing.
Skin biopsies are medical procedures in which your doctor takes two tiny specimens of your skin. These are frequently retrieved from hip joints and ankles.
The skin samples will be examined under a microscope by a pathologist. Small fiber neuropathy can be diagnosed if the specimens contain less little nerve fibers than healthy skin.
A doctor may request further tests, such as a nerve conduction exam or electromyography, in some circumstances. Although these tests cannot diagnose small-fiber neuropathy, they can be used to rule out other peripheral neuropathies or any muscle issues.
Doctors may use laboratory tests to search for signs of glucose intolerance, vitamin deficiencies, immune system dysfunction, and liver or kidney problems in a person’s urine as well as the person’s blood.
Small fiber neuropathy treatment is usually customized to the cause of the disease. When patients control or receive therapy for the fundamental medical issue that is generating their nerve damage, they may discover that their symptoms improve or disappear entirely.
This applies to those who have diabetes or any other metabolic disorders, and it requires controlling maintaining a healthy weight, blood sugar levels, and eating a healthy diet.
Regular exercise and quitting smoking can help to heal relatively narrow blood vessels that supply important nutrients to the nerves.
Immunosuppressives are drugs that lower inflammation and activate the immune system of persons with autoimmune disorders. These medications reduce inflammation and immune system activation in the body.
There is no recognized treatment for lightweight neuropathy. The purpose of the treatment is to reduce symptoms, correct underlying issues, and prevent further nerve damage.
The most common medications used to treat small fiber neuropathy include:
Physical therapy and occupational therapy can help improve symptoms of small fiber neuropathy. Physical therapy may focus on exercises that improve muscle strength and flexibility. Occupational therapy can help patients learn different ways to carry out everyday activities that have become difficult due to symptoms of the condition.
If symptoms persist or worsen, surgery may be recommended. For instance, anti-seizure medications are sometimes used in combination with a surgery called peripheral nerve stimulation. In this procedure, doctors implant electrodes under the skin near the spine and connect them to the vagus nerve via wireless communication with an external device. The electrodes stimulate the vagus nerve and can ease symptoms like pain and tingling sensations associated with small fiber neuropathy.
If you are experiencing symptoms of small fiber sensory neuropathy, it is important to speak with your doctor as soon as possible. With the right diagnosis and treatment plan, you can manage symptoms and live a healthy, full life.
Overall, there is not currently a cure for small fiber neuropathy and symptoms can be severe and debilitating for some individuals. However, by managing underlying conditions, adopting healthy lifestyle habits, undergoing therapy as needed, and in some cases, undergoing surgery, many people are able to find relief from symptoms and improve their quality of life.
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