[filipe]

Dear friend,

My name is Filipe and I'm Portuguese.

I'm really very depressed with everything. I've got a 10 month baby that needs a healthy father . My case is really a strange case, or a pure bad luck case. I'm gonna tell you everything and I hope you can tell if my symptoms are real or if they are psycossomatic, or if you think I have Neuropathic pain or not, or if it is reversible or not in my case. Because right now I see Neuropathic Pain as a real ghost and my fear is controling my life.

First of all let me tell you that I'm getting better from day to day. I don't feel burning sensations. I only feel sometimes a "pins and needles" sensation caused by presssure especially when I have tight clothes.

I started exercising with dumbells at home one year ago. One of the exercises made me feel something like an electric shock on both elbows. i started feeling parestesias that turned out to be a burning sensation on both forearms including the hands, and stopped exercising in May 2009. I went to the doctor's who told me it was a tendinitis.I began physiotherapy, and immobilised my arms to make them rest but the pain didn't go away. After one month of physyotherapy I had a tui-na (a very strong massage) massage to the whole body. I felt much worse with that. During the massage I felt electric shocks on my elbows and shoulders. Since that my neropathic pain symptoms have reached its highest level. I felt my skin hyper sensitive, I had a glove sensation on my hands/ arms, and my hands felt very "stiff" and burning. It was a nightmare. After 3 months since I stopped exercising I went to a neurologist and did an EMG that was normal. But the pain was still here. I started taking Lyrica. Then I did a magnetic resonance to my cervical. The result was that all was fine, however, I had a strange reaction /allergy to the MRI. I didn't do contrast. Since then, I got a strange dermatographism, and my pain seemed to spread to the whole body. Both have been decreasing,

My problem now is that it's been seven months since I've stopped that exercise and the pain, although weaker, is still here. I'm afraid I'm the one that is extending this sensation because I got very depressed and scared with the situation. I also still feel the hands "stiff". My blood analysis are fine , so I have no disease.The doctors say I'm fine and I don't need a skin byopsy. I took lyrica only two months.

What scares me nowadays is the fact that I almost sure I damaged my small fibers nerves, so despite I'm getting slightly better from my symptoms (or I think I am) and they are intermitent I'm affraid I already developed a Chronic Neuropathic Pain. I'm also taking Antidepressives and Anxiety pills, and I'm affraid they are the ones who are taking my pain away, is it possible?

So I ask you, do you think I developed a chronic neuropathic pain? Is Dermatographism a symptom of neuropathic pain? Should I perform a skin Biopsy? I'm affraid there is no way of knowing for sure if I have a chronic neuropathic pain because my nerves healed and my brain still receiving pain signals... Wit a normal EMG and a negative Skin Biopsy for nerve fibers loss, there is no reason for neuropathic pain, and no desease right? Even Idiopathic neuropathic pain can be seen on EMGs or skin Biopsys, right?

By the Way is the sensitive of a Skin Biopsy the same as LEPs (Laser Evoked Potentials)?

Thank you, and sorry for the long story,

Filipe

[mrsD]

Thanks for the more complete story, Filipe.

So...this is how doctor's narrow down triggers.
In your case, you were fine before the strain at the gym with the dumbells? Then you were a bit better, until the massage?
This says to me you might have some "strain" which is going to take time to resolve and get better.

Is this accurate? What this says, is that something triggered your symptoms. They didn't come by themselves. People with chronic illness, typically don't have a big trigger like this.

I had a massage years ago on my back, --I went with a friend -- and the masseuse triggered my shingles in my neck (which I had a couple of years before)....I had 3 days of pain, which slowly resolved.

I would use cold packs on your back and neck daily. I'd get enough rest and not strain yourself further. Eat healthy foods, avoid alcohol in excess and try to relax. If you get worried, and anxious, it will make pain worse. This happens for everyone.

There are patches you can get for your back. Some are RX only like Lidoderm. (these are numbing agents) I don't know if you have those in your country.

Others like Salonpas are international in many countries.
They can reduce inflammation and take the pressure off the nerves. ( I did some Googling and Salonpas are in Portugal).
http://www.salonpas.us/salonpas.php

I use these alot for my pain flares and they work for me.
You would apply them to your back where you think you strained yourself. neck or upper torso.

Sometimes an injury takes a while to heal up. Sometimes it needs help too. I'd take some fish oil too to reduce the inflammation and see it that helps.

[filipe]

Thank you for your reply, but can you tell me in your personal opinium, if I have Chronic neuropathic pain? PLEASE...... If nerves regrow then pain should stop?

[mrsD]

Filipe,

No one can diagnose you on the internet. But based on your
story, it appears that you have an injury and it might heal up.

We all develop issues as we age. Strains, and especially tendon strains take a long time to heal. Tendons are constantly being stretched, and if you damaged one or more you will be re-injuring them if you overuse them daily. That is why it is important to rest them, and only gently stretch until they heal.
Tendons have nerves in them, attached to them, to give warning when overused. So it takes some time.

I'd follow the protocol for strains, which is RICE.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/rehab/a/rice.htm

You can ask your doctor if physical therapy will help. Physical therapists know how to get you to move without further injury. They use infrared, inferential current electrial stimulation and ultrasound to speed healing.

Reading the internet can be good and bad. If it is leading you to have too much fear, and worry, then you should cut back on that. At this time you have had most of the medical support available. If in 6months you are not better, then I would be concerned. But if you have a slowly improving state, then that is very hopeful. You have already had some improvements. So just stay conservative and see what happens.

[diagnonsense]

They did an MRI of your C-spine.. how about your L or T spine?

I hate how they pick and chose parts, like people are fragments.