I think it might have been Glenn who mentioned this to me once in an email. I am curious to know what exactly are flares? Is this when ones neuropathy settles somewhat into a pattern, and then something causes it to "flare up", only to have it settle down again? In reading about neuroapthy, I have heard this term quite a bit....

--especially those with some sort of nutritional or autoimmune component (if that can actually be determined) are prone to "flaring", or what might be called, in the MS model of autoimmunity, "relapsing-remitting".

Such up-and-down symptom patterns are, of course, common in autoimmune conditions, in which the antibody load and attack on tissue fluctuates over time.

Moreover, with nerves, increased symptoms can often signal some form of healing attempt--it's not uncommon for nerve growth cones fighting through tissue to produce signals the brain has difficulty interpreting, and these feel like pain, or shooting, or tingling, or the sensation of something on the body that isn't there . . .it's often difficult to tell what's happening overall except in long-term retrospect (the reason many of us keep diaries).

Flares have been handy (although unwelcome) for me.

Once I am not in a flare and one comes, I then examine what has changed in my life. New shoes, over-exertion, re-introduction of a food, virus infection etc. This is how I isolated potatoes and how they can cause burning for me, as well as MSG.

I do think autoimmune flares would be harder to detect. They might come up after a flu shot or some other invasive situation.
But they may seem more random in general.

I will say my new Dr. Scholl's memory foam slip ons have been great. I am having much less foot pain/discomfort at night on the days I wear them alot around the house.

Hi Hope,

Flares come when:
I exert myself to much
When raining outside
Sitting to lone
Walking to much
Fan blowing or air conditioner air is on me to much
When I am not feeling well, it seems to make it worse
And just sometimes it just happen.

I do seem to have pain 24/7 but flares seems to put me out of commission.
Not sure if this is what you were asking but thought I give it a shot.

hi there

I have frequent flares with my lupus, but although a flare can worsen my PN (new area of motor damage usually) getting over the flare generally help my PN any because by that time the damage is done and I just have to live with the new motor loss.

So, although other areas of my lupus improve, my PN never does, if this makes any sense at all.

cheers
raglet

I have to say....the good days are cherished. The burning, aching days are not. I do have a bad back, so there hasn't been clear evidence that it isn't a contributing factor to my foot pain. I always had a hard time understanding how nerves in the feet can be disrupted, without pain moving along the nerves eminating from the lower back.
I believe that alcohol can also be a nasty little reminder of PN hiding in the feet.