Everyone-

I need some assistance with the placement of patches. I have some lidoderm patches and have been using them with very little success. I researched the anatomy site that mrsD suggested but still don't have much luck.

I am primarily seeking relief for the pain in my toes, the burning on the top of my feet and the burning of the shinbones. Can some tell me where to place them? Also, I see that many of you cut them as needed. How do I know if I am cutting them down to much? Maybe that is my problem...

Thank you!!

P.S...I got my rejection letter from Mayo today. I am terribly bummed. I don't know if they could do any better than the neuro I have now but I like to think they would have researched a bit more than he did...

I find that some of my foot pain, is referred from the knees.

I have a bad right knee, and my right foot is correspondingly the worst. I cut one Lidoderm in half, and place in across the back of my knee horizontally, above the crease..so it is on the thigh side. I use them in bursts, as the pain typically stops for me for a while.

With Lidoderms it takes a few days to really numb the nerve that is over-firing. The peroneal nerve and meniscal nerves are in the back of the knee and closest to the skin there. My ortho did a triggerpoint test on that knee when I went there, and showed me where to touch if the nerve was active.
On the lateral side of the knee (outside) right in the middle..if you press hard and get a huge response, that suggests your knee is actively causing pain. (some discomfort when you press this point occurs anyway--so I am talking major response as an indicator)

If I have a severe burning attack, which is not often, I put 1/2 Lidoderm across the tops of my feet. This typically works for me. I usually only need 2 days to stop whatever triggered that.

Where is the pain in the toes? When you move or bend them or all the time? The tips or the whole toe?
I have also used Salonpas --over the counter patches for the toes. I have cut them into strips and put them on the toes themselves, when my discomfort is more "arthritic" than nervey. I also have put Salonpas across the top of the foot at the beginnings of the toes. This sometimes helps. (climbing stairs, walking on rocks --on vacation it is unavoidable-- or wearing new shoes can set the toe pain thing off for me.
I buy wider shoes now to avoid this and that helps too.

If you have EQUAL discomfort in the shins all the time, I'd suspect the back. You can try the Lidoderms there too.
I'd start low and do the lower back for at least 5 days to see if that helps. I rarely put Lidoderms on my back for my feet.
I did use them for my hip tendon injury and that worked pretty well and I avoided narcotics. I also used them for MP in my thigh and they worked very well for that.

I'd also check out "shin splints"... if you have this I'd get medical evaluation so it does not progress.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cy...hinsplints.htm

If you have shin splints, I'd put the patches over the painful sensation. I'd explore Flector patches as well (or you can try Salonpas on them).

My son had a severe ankle problem that flared up when he went to college and had to suddenly walk MILES..it was due to over pronation of that foot.
We had orthotics made, and it went away. So some pain in the lower shin can be due to mechanical problems, not neuro ones.

The patches numb the area and for me take about a hour to work. My toes also hurt and severly cramp, I've had great sucess witha 2" by4" patch across the bottom of my foot on the pad just under the toes and I also put another small patch on the top of my foot justbelow the toes. If the whole foot hurt and tingles then I put a very small patch on either side of my ankle just below the big bone. since lidoderm is so expensive i use the smallest patch that works. If its going to work you should feel better by two hours. I put soft socks on over the patches and generally use them at night to help me sleep.

Thanks mrsd for your response.

As far as pain on both sides, generally all my toes hurt at the same time at about the same level of pain. However, the burning that I have is most often at different levels and not the same on each side. Most of the time my left side of the body seems to be worse that the right.

I did your knee test a didn't get a pain response. I do have water on my right knee but don't beleive it is cause any other pain than my knee pain. I do have success with the patches and the water on the knee...that I have down pat! My ortho wants to dran the knee but I have bigger fish to fry now and the patches take care of the water on the knee pain!! Lately it's the little successes that make me happy!!!

The pain in my toes seems to be at the ends of them. It doesn't hurt in the joints, nor when I move them and they hurt all the time starting with a little bit in the morning and getting worse as the day goes on. By nite time they are pretty bad.

Hi - I use the patches frequently. I use 3 but only cut one in half. I put one over each foot - right down to the toes. I use the 3rd one that I have cut and put it further up my legs where it burns. This usually works very well for me. I would be lost without them. I usually put white cotton socks over this to hold them in place. Otherwise, I find them at the foot of the bed. Oh yeah -I usually use them at bedtime.

Good luck!

Cheryl