massage for Small fiber Neuopathy?
 

Hi,

Has anyone had success with massage for painful SFN? And if so should it be gentle and not aggressive.

Cliffman :)

Hi Cliffman, I've been using massage as part of my "treatment" for several months now. It doesn't directly help to relieve pain for me - I use it as part of my "stress reduction" program - and find it very helpful in that regard.

I believe that reducing overall stress and anxiety is a very important part of dealing with PN (at least for me).

My experience is that it has to be very gentle. I have been flared up very badly from a good massage.
What is supposed to be healing about massage is that it helps bring circulation to the muscles and moves lymph around. I thought it was just what I needed so went. I had a very good massage, but when I got up and started walking out to the car, I felt all my muscles tightening, twitching, and extreme dizziness. It seemed to activate whatever is circulating through me. I was terrible for days. Then I tried again a few times thinking maybe this was some kind of a detox reaction.... it was bad. I found someone new who is very gentle and spends a lot of time on my feet.
I find that reflexology and the points on the feet are the best possible relief for the nerve pain in the rest of my body, with out having my arms and legs touched. It's amazing really.
For Christmas I got the homedics foot massager and it helps to calm the crazy nerve impulses. It isn't as good as if someone does the accupressure points on my feet, but it definitely does something to my nervous system. I think it was $40-50 and I think everyone with nerve problems should have one (unless your feet are completely numb because it has a heating mode).

I had the same reaction to massage as Healthgirl which made me very sad as deep tissue massage was something I have always loved and used for aching muscles and stress relief.

Where I differ from Healthgirl is I can't even have my feet massaged (including reflexology) or use any apparatus on them as burning is immediately triggered and continues up my legs. My feet are still very sensitive and being able to wear socks is a big deal for me so perhaps you will be ok with it. (I haven't tried a homedics foot massager though so maybe it would be different)

I can have a gentle massage but I don't really get much benefit from it physically or mentally so I won't spend the money.

Overall positive for massage
 

My experience was in the early first days and the massage chased the pain around if that makes any sense. Chiro's wife was rehab trained in massage and the clinic was all her. On an intensity scale of 1-10 she operated around 5 or 6. Helped me to understand releasing muscles,diet,balance,Tens unit, etc. Good Luck, Ken in Texas.

It sounds like the census is massage if gentle may be OK but overall it has the potential to raise the pain levels.

Thanks everyone......
Cliffman :hug:

Massage with Small Fiber Neuropathy SFN
 

I have found that , although massage feels good when it's done, it seems to aggravate and cause much pain the next day. I am a deep tissue massage veteran and used to be a work out for the therapist, but since my flu shot - small fiber neuropathy medical crisis, I can no longer tolerate it at all.

What happened with the flu shot...was that the cause of your SFN or I'm I not reading correctly?

Cliffman :)

I cannot imagine anyone even touching my feet much less massaging them. I cannot wear socks as it is excruciating. The neuropathy is now spreading to my legs, hands, and back. Massage sounds like torture to me.

Sorry to hear it's spreading...is it SFN? Mine spread very fast. Hands hurting a lot? Sorry your pain...

Cliffman :hug: