Question regarding small-fiber burning primarily in both palms
 

My small fiber neuropathy has typically been most painful in both of my palms evenly. When I get a flair both palms begin to burn together in sync.

My feet, on the other hand, do not bother me that much.

I was originally diagnosed with a symetric distal small fiber neuropathy that has remained idiopathic.

Does the fact that my small fiber discomfort is primarily in my two palms suggest to anyone a potential cause or test that I might pursue?

Thanks!

Two things come to mind:

1) something going on in your neck?

2) possible Thoracic outlet syndrome.

Also do you use some soap or chemical that gets on your hands?
The palms are an acupressure point. Do you lift weights or stress the hands somehow with exercise?

http://healthefitness.com/view_article.asp?id=13

I am not sure about the attribution to organs in the body, but when I cannot sleep sometimes I put a strong magnet in each palm and it seems to relax me. I have a thread here on magnets and how to use them:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...hlight=magnets

When pain or discomfort occur in a specific place (target) and not "all over" a strong magnet can sometimes help alot. I've used magnets for over a decade now for some things.
The really strong ones available now that are not expensive, don't need to be worn, etc. 20min on the target is often enough to help.

Also burning sensations really respond quickly to Biofreeze. It will block burning for hours.

Many thanks for your insights, Mrs. D.

Important question:

I know that I have some cervical spinal stenosis going on from C-5 to C-7 with some possible nerve root compression. I say possible because repeat nerve conduction studies have been normal, yet issues show up on the CT Myelogram of the spine.

If there is spinal compression going on, then can that cause a small fiber neuropathy in the hands? I always thought that spinal compression issues affect the large nerves only (hence the nerve conduction tests to check for compression). Whereas I thought that small fiber neuropathy was more an issue of the unmyliated nerve fibers in the skin and unrelated to compression issues.

Could you please clarify?

I should also mention that I have significant "cracking and popping" in both wrists when I rotate them. I do not know what is causing that either (everyone says something different). To me it feels like tendons "snapping".

Thanks!

Though it is more likely--
 

--for radiculopathy to cause issues with the larger, myelinated nerves, it is possible for compression issues in the spine to have effects on smaller, unmyelinated snesory nerves.

Many of these nerves originate from the dorsal root ganglia (which is where their cell bodies are--their axonal fibers can stretch out from there up to several feet), so if there are issues of compression around the dorsal root ganglia, often through posterior disc bulge, there may be small fiber effects.

[QUOTE=mrsD;807600]Two things come to mind:

1) something going on in your neck?

2) possible Thoracic outlet syndrome.






Mrs D:

I wonder if I might actually have a Thoracic Outlet Syndrome for the following reason. In reaching this I noticed that it can be associated with a "Gilliatt-Sumner" hand.

This is a hand in which there is muscle wasting in the fleshy muscle at the base of the thumb. On one of my hands that is exactly what appeared a number of years ago. When I open my hand widely and then look at the palm side there is a deep grove in the muscle at the base of the thumb that does not hurt.

However, this does not appear on the other hand.

Thoughts?

Hi Glenn! Is it possible for there to be posterior compression of the ganglion nerves that can cause widespread neuropathy. For example, it starts in the legs, then feet, then back, and then abdomen? It occurs in the matter of 4 months? Just curious. Thanks

I would think--
 

--that a widespread neuropathy of that nature would more likely involve an autoimmune attack on the epitopes of the dorsal root ganglia.

But that doesn't mean that compressive issues might not also contribute--the so-called "double crush phenomenon". It is harder to imagine compressive forces being "equal" across that wide a range of spinal areas, though.

[QUOTE=Apollo;809779]


... getting back to the above question?

I don't really have alot of experience with TOS. But we have a very nice forum here about it.

From what I see that hand symptom is connected to TOS.

TOS can be neurological, with entrapment of nerves. Or a circulatory compromise, or both.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

I would post there, and also visit.