Small fiber neuropathy - Skin Biopsy - Help!
 

Dear friends,

I don't have any diseases that may cause small neuropathies (such as Diabetes, EM, etc...). The cause for my neuropathic pain in my case was a stupid exercice with dumbells plus a stupid tui-na massage (which is a very strong and deep chinese massage to the whole body), which worsen my condition and seemed to spread my pain to the whole torso (It all started after these events).

So in my case and since I'm feeling slightly (from month to month) better from day to day (my symptoms went from burning sensations to a kind of "salty sensation on the skin")(despite it's 5 months since it all started) I am not likely to develop a Chronic neuropathic pain? Is this correct? I hope so :(. I did a EMG and everything was normal.

I have scheduled a skin Biopsy and 'm afraid it will turn out to be positive, for small neuropathic pain. Even in case this turns positive, as I have no chronic disease, can I believe this is reversible? What do you think? Can I do one biopsy again, maybe one year after this, to see if the nerves are growing back, and this way having sure that I'm recuperating from my nerve lesion, and my pain is going to disappear?

What I would like to know is when the nerves reinnervate does this means that the neuropathic pain stops?

If one's has a normal EMG and a normal Epidermal Nerve fiber density tes (Skin Biopsy) there is no neuropathic pain? And this way I could Be sure "the pain" is from my mind? (I am beginning to doubt my sences :()

Even Idiopathic neuropathic pain can be tested by a EMG or a Skin Biopsy?

Thank you again,

Filipe

PS: I have a 10 month baby that needs a healthy (both phisicaly and mentaly) father. Here In Portugal there is little information concerning neuropathic pain, that's why I really appreciate so much your help.

PS2: Sorry about my English

Welcome to NeuroTalk Filipe! :Wave-Hello: I'm sorry for your pain! :hug: I don't have that condition myself but there are many more here who do and can offer advice and support.

Enjoy that baby! :D Lucky you!! I just love babies.... :circlelove: :D

By the way, your English is just fine! :)

The skin biopsy will reveal if you have small fiber neuropathy. At this point, if all your tests are negative, you probably aggravated something with the activity or massage.

Don't panic right now. Wait for your results. Stress only increases your perception of pain.

Thank you for replying me. You are very kind :) My only doubt is:

If the EMG is normal and the Skin biopsy that I'm gonna do is also normal (negative for small neuropathic pain), can I infer that the prolonging of my pain is psicossomatic? Maybe due to anxiety (whose levels I realise are extremely high.) If this is the case I will deal with my problem differently. That is way I'm so worried and stressed out.

Welcome filipe. Your English is very good. Just know that you are not alone and that we understand.....

No Filipe, you can not assume that your pain is psycho-somatic. There are other things that it could be. One step at time. First see what the skin biopsy says.

Hi Cyclops,

But I don't have any chronic desease that justify my pain. I did a stupid exercice with dumbells.

What I wanted to know is that I may damaged my small nerve fibers (which made me feel neuropathic pain), but those fibers are already fine. And I'm prolonging the pain because of stress and fear...

Resuming: If the cause for the neuropathy is gonne does it means the pain should be gonne too?

A Chronic Disease could take several years to find, you're not sure that you don't have one either. Sit tight, if you're feeling pain that is interfering with your life you need to get that under control, get the bothersome symptoms under control until you can find out the true cause of all this pain.

You should never assume you're having Psycho-Somatic pain, what if there is a true physical cause and you pass it up because you're thinking a somatoform disorder is the cause?

Filipe...

did you ever ice your injury? Continue with ice packs for 20 minutes once or twice a day? What did you do in the beginning of your symptoms? Many injuries that occur in the gym doing exercise are strains...and respond to ice pack treatments.

Injuries can take a while to heal. Chronic disease can take years to diagnose. It took 5 years to come up with a still changing diagnosis for what is causing my PN. There are no quick answers. I wish I could give you some.