My Neurologist rang me yesterday to check how my painful feet have been since my last appointment with her a few months ago.
Even though they still hurt when I over do things, they are improving slowly.
I know I was fortunate to find one of the good ones as she said to carry on with the every other day B12 injections. But also said she would get my GP to prescribe Chili Cream to rub into my feet. Diabetics use it apparently.
Was wondering if anyone had tried it with any success? wedgewood
This article might be of interes
dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...
Thank you Gambit62.
Interesting article. Especially the mindfulness which I learned about while doing a course at the pain clinic. I am finding the techniques beneficial the more I look into it, especially for my back.
And I definitely won't be using the Chilli juice 😁
What is actually wrong with your feet?
Capsaicin has most certainly been used in some pain conditions. I first read of it, quite a lot of years ago, in relation to erythromelalgia.
This PubMed search should find about six papers on capsaicin and erythromelalgia. Just change the search terms to something else, if appropriate for you:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?te...
Here is just one paper which attempts to look further at the mechanisms involved:
Capsaicin, Nociception and Pain
Abstract
Capsaicin, the pungent ingredient of the hot chili pepper, is known to act on the transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1). TRPV1 is involved in somatic and visceral peripheral inflammation, in the modulation of nociceptive inputs to spinal cord and brain stem centers, as well as the integration of diverse painful stimuli. In this review, we first describe the chemical and pharmacological properties of capsaicin and its derivatives in relation to their analgesic properties. We then consider the biochemical and functional characteristics of TRPV1, focusing on its distribution and biological effects within the somatosensory and viscerosensory nociceptive systems. Finally, we discuss the use of capsaicin as an agonist of TRPV1 to model acute inflammation in slices and other ex vivo preparations.
Here is a Cochrane review of Capsaicin. They search medical databases looking for high-quality studies and collating the results. They ignore poor quality studies that can often give strongly positive results through chance. cochrane.org/CD007393/SYMPT...
Their conclusion - "There is (...) very low quality evidence that it benefits those with HIV-neuropathy and peripheral diabetic neuropathy."
Thank you fbirder
Thanks for that. I will definitely give it a go. After all if it doesn’t work for me, it does no harm . 👍
Hi,
I have read that Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) may be helpful in managing neuropathic pain.
I haven't found any scientific articles about this so please do your own research.
NHS link about neuropathy mentions ALA and Capsaicin
nhs.uk/conditions/periphera...
"My Neurologist rang me yesterday to check how my painful feet have been"
Her care makes me feel wistful; I saw multiple neurologists and only one of them showed any real interest.
I take ALA (3x600 mg daily) for my axonal neuropathy. It is used in Germany for diabetic neuropathy. I asked my neurologist about it and he said "It might help and can't do any harm".
Before I used to get really bad attacks by the evil, needle-wielding, goblin. Watching TV in the evening, or lying in bed at night, I would get sudden stabbing pains in my feet and toes. The worst ones felt like a red-hot needle being rammed up the side of my big toenail - suddenly. I would jerk and gasp in pain. At night I could only sleep with the help of codeine on the bad nights - about three or four times a month.
After the ALA I've not needed codeine at all. It doesn't stop the goblin, but it seems to happen far less often at night and has reduced the severity as well.
I also used to get bad days where it felt as if I were walking on broken glass. These days the glass has been replaced by pebbles.
I know that exact feeling fbirder, I described it the same, walking on broken glass, now pebbles. But it isn't as severe as it used to be, only when I over do things & fail to let it beat me.... But it always does.
I used to call it "Pricklefoot" - could only explain it by saying it felt like jumping barefoot off a high wall straight onto a hedgehog. (Not that I've ever done that.) It would make my eyes water and render me speechless, and could happen at any time out of the blue.
I was very lucky in that it wasn't that frequent - and disappeared after B12 injections started. Not tolerable pain at all.
So glad you got the neurologist you needed - and best of luck with the chilli cream!
Thank you Cherylclaire.
I know I am definitely very lucky to find a good Neurologist. I went in fully armed after reading all the problems many faced on here, but she has been really supportive & understands fully.
I know it is still a bit of a sticky wicket in the UK, but my wife uses CBD oils and creams by Rx from her physician on her feet for her diabetic neuropathy with great success. The CBD made from cannabis is much more effective than that derived from hemp. Smoking does not seem to have the same effect for the pins and needles, although it has completely eliminated my tremors and spasms, but has greatly increased our consumption of potato and cheese crisps! LOL
😁
CBD oil is available in the UK even from health shops & I have tried it for my back, but couldn't stand the taste. I didn't know they did it in a cream though. I'll look into it thank you.
I use sublingual CBD oil. So far I'm not certain they're doing anything. And, at £45 a month, it's a bit of an expensive trial.
Wow that is expensive!
The oil I tried for my back was from California, I can't say whether it would've worked as the taste put me right off it.
Yes, it's expensive because I go for the highest dose. Another two months and I'll take a holiday from it to see if I can notice any difference.
It will be interesting to see if it has helped you.
My wife uses the oil and cream topically on her feet, bottom and top and up to the ankle. Oral administration seemed to have minimal if any effect. And again, this is legal (in USA) medical marijuana by physician prescription CBD and THC compounds. The topical administration has no "high" effect. OTC CBD product derived from hemp, although wildly popular, and lots of anecdotal positive reports, do not seem to work as well.
******Update******
Well I got the cream & tried it yesterday.
I squirted too much out the tube & stupidly rubbed the excess on top of both feet.
Carried on doing what I was doing & around 3 hours later, it hit me.
It did nothing for the soles of my feet, but the tops were just like I'd been badly sunburned.
I quickly had a shower to wash it off, changed my footwear, but still they burned.
All was ok this morning till I put the same trainers on as yesterday, now I've had to wash them also!
Don't think I'll be using it again, or if I do there's no way I'll be using as much & applying to the tops of my feet! 🙄😁
B12/folic and crohns
B12 help
B12 injection appointment
