Dealing with Pain and Numbness of the Feet Well here we go again, racing towards another holiday season. As we race around, we may take a few things for granted. One of those things is our feet. A patient recently complained that his feet were “killing” him and wondered why his feet did not hold up better. I reminded him that he was 74 years old and, actually, his feet looked pretty good; imagine if you had a pair of shoes that lasted 74 years—what would they look like?! God does not make junk! However, things happen and pain and numbness can result not just in problems with the feet, but also by reducing your ability to walk and increasing your weight, which can lead to diabetes. It can also affect your balance; if your feet are numb or painful, you may become unsteady and risk falling. Your legs, knees, and ankles may become weak or stiff, which can affect your balance as well. Symptoms may include: • Heaviness in the legs • Difficulty getting up from a chair • The need for a railing when going up steps • Easily catching a toe on the carpet When you have neuropathy, weakness may become more obvious as it progresses. You may also experience muscle twitching or cramping of the feet or calves. Clawing of the toes is a sign of neuropathy that results from uneven forces pulling on the muscles that affect the toes. Sensory changes from neuropathy may include: • pain • numbness • pins and needles • stinging • prickling • crawling • burning • cold • itching • buzzing • aching • squeezing • tightness • stiffness • deadened or “feels like I’m walking on two stumps,” as an elderly lady once told me. Typically, these symptoms are more bothersome at night and make it difficult to sleep. The symptoms sound weird, honestly, and patients who complain of them are often not taken seriously. Those who are not familiar with neuropathy may consider these patients depressed or think that they are exaggerating their symptoms. Symptoms may also include a wide distance between the feet, unsteady walking, or a tendency to stumble. Patients try to compensate for the loss of sensation and coordination of the feet by using their eyes, but balance is rapidly lost in the dark, or in the shower when the eyes are closed. Uneven terrain outside can also be a real problem when it comes to keeping your balance. Unfortunately, many of these problems lead to falls, which can be quite serious. Patients end up with hip fractures, skull fractures, or worse! It is still common practice to prescribe Neurontin or Lyrica to help with these problems and they can ease the pain. However, these medications can also cause dizziness and increased swelling in the feet and legs, and many patients tell me that they do not help with the numbness. Luckily, there is now something else that can be done: Anodyne Infrared Light Therapy. Anodyne pads are placed on the legs with Velcro straps; it must be close to the skin to be effective. These are left on for 20-30 minutes. Then, the patient performs some gentle stretching and exercises to the legs. We may also do some balance training as well. Of course, we test the patient first to determine the loss of sensation, and this is important. We re-test periodically to ensure that it is working to restore sensation. We can measure balance very accurately as well with our new Neurocom® Balance Master System. If you are concerned about wasting time in the waiting area, do not worry. Patients here rarely wait more than 5 minutes because we know that you have better things to do than sit around the waiting room. If you are concerned about the cost, there’s no need to worry there, either. You are free to call in with your insurance information and we will let you know exactly what is covered. We accept Medicare, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Healthscope, Maryland Physician’s Care, and many others. If you or someone you care about has pain or numbness of the feet, isn’t it time to finally do something to get you back on your feet? We can help you handle your problem. The testing and treatment are painless—no need to worry! Call (301) 759-4263 and enjoy life again. Stop suffering! Try therapy first at TriState Hand & Occupational Therapy. You will come in a customer and leave a friend. Call us today. Tips • Check your feet every day. Look at your bare feet for red spots, cuts, swelling, or blisters. If you cannot see the bottoms of your feet, ask someone for help, or use a mirror; a good one is available through Walter Drake by calling 1-800-525-9291 or online at www.wdrake.com, item # 304425. • Ask your doctor about Medicare coverage for special shoes. • Wash your feet every day. Dry them carefully, especially between the toes. • Keep your skin soft and smooth. Rub a thin coat of skin lotion over the tops and bottoms of your feet, but not between the toes. • If you can see and reach your toenails, trim them when needed. Trim your toenails straight across and file the edges with an emery board or nail file. • Protect your feet from hot and cold. Wear shoes at the beach or on hot pavement. Don’t put your feet into hot water; test water before putting your feet in it, just as you would before bathing a baby. Never use hot water bottles, heating pads, or electric blankets—you can burn your feet without realizing it! |
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