Does anyone here find exercise helps alleviate nerve pain? I have nerve pain in many places in my body. I do some exercises given to me by physical therapist. I have some DVDs and do mild to moderate exercise. This all takes about 30 minutes a day.

I don't know if it really helps although it is a distraction from pain.

For me it does. Sometimes when the pain starts to get bad I will get on the exercise bike. Effect seems to last about 30min until about 1hr after exercise.

My PN is nerve damage in one leg starting around the area exercised, so I am not sure if it is a local effect or due to brain chemical release.

I have to take pain medication in order to get over the worst of it and get moving, but once I do I can honestly say the most pain-free part of every day is the hour or so I spend walking in the woods. I feel like I coud stay out there all day some days, and even on days where lifting my feet is tiring it is still the best part of the day.

When the pain is particularly bad, I pace up and down, around the house. I think there is something about weight bearing that quiets the nerve pain.

mine is the opposite. walking, lifting arms up, using hands repetitively makes the pain worse both during and after. forget about running, or stationary bike.

I read:
Exercise also reduced the amount of chemicals that promote inflammation. Previous studies have found that these compounds, called cytokines, are related to neuropathic pain.

I do moderate walking everyday and swim in the summer. When I was young I trained people --but now older and too many operations on leg and neck. I do moderate low impact...I feel if you can--- the body is meant to move even if its limited amount like going for a walk. If anything causes pain then stop.

Lifting my arms, carrying things, these activities do increase pain. Anything that requires me to lift my arms above my head is particularly rough. It is only my legs that respond well to activity. PN is a very strange and idiosyncratic disease.

My big problem is clothing with certain fabrics touching my skin. Sometimes the seams in my garments hurt. I do feel better if I can move around somewhat.

I don't think I have lost function in my body.

I walk as often as possible. In the morning, when my feet and legs are painful, I really muster my strength to walk, strangely (but thankfully) in my condition, when I start walking I could not feel the pain until after several minutes, and once I am finished and just standing that is when the pain comes back. I dread the thought of standing. I wonder if anybody has the same experience as mine - walking makes me pain-free but standing makes the pain worst. I really love walking but my breathing and pain after several minutes make me stop.

I understand what you mean by the touch of the clothing bothers you. Its same with me. I wear a lot of fleece pajamas.

I agree that moving is good for us.

yep always stay moving