Vibration Therapy ??
 

I have mild/moderate feet and hand neuropathy from chemo eight years ago.

I can only walk or stand for a limited time length, not extended periods.

My very reputable oncologist is working with a specialized physiotherapist in Europe (don't know name) who has been researching and experimenting with vibration with all different origins of neuropathy (diabetics, chemo, etc).

She wants me to sit with my feet in a vibrating foot bath (like in the photo below) every night for many months for short intervals. They believe the vibration very slowly stimulates new nerve growth and repair very slowly over a long period of time.

I am very skeptical that my feet nerves are going to start to get any better now after 8 years of relative homeostasis. If anything, I see some very small signs of numbness and burning getting worse.

I have spent lots of time and energy down many rabbit holes trying different things that didn't make a difference and had to just stop, draw a line in the sand, live with things and get on with living life.

So I'm not keen on spending months trying something that I suspect is futile.

On the other hand, if I could go on longer walks with my friends or stand on my feet longer while shopping or traveling, it would be worth it.

Because of my flavor of pn, I do not believe the vibration will be uncomfortable or make my neuropathy worse.

Any thoughts or experiences ??

Natalie

That looks like
 

--a version of the "Rebuilder", one of many neuropathy treatment fads that have come and gone over the years.

It involves the use of vibrating foot baths, usually with magnesium salts, with the idea that the chemical ions will at least somewhat penetrate to the nerves and help to "normalize" the ionic exchanges that underlie nerve signaling.

As I recall, some people reported some improvement with this, some didn't; it seemed to be more effective in those whose foot neuropathy could be traced to ischemic/circulatory issues, as occurs in diabetes and certain vascular autoimmunities.

Here's just one of many websites about it--unfortunately, most of these websites are not major medical research concerns (most are commercial):

The ReBuilder

Natalie, you seem to be doing a lot of quite vigorous stimulation. I read your other posts as well.

I would actually find it far too painful. After a usual day, I prefer to soak my feet gently in some warm (not quite hot) water and some epsom salts, or just warm water with magnesium oil afterwards.

Most of the time I feel as if I'm walking on glass shards and the rest of the time it either feels like rocks or doesn't feel anything at all (almost numb).

Then again you have had neuropathy much longer than I have. If you do it, let us know how it goes, please.

Thanks

I can see where my posts make it look like I am doing lots of stimulation.

It's not actually the case.

In my exercise posts, I just listed everything that was possible on offer for completeness.

For me, I need the goldilocks "not too much, not too little, just right" approach.

If I have a lazy day where I'm laying around not doing anything at all or days sitting at my desk and not walking at all for too long, then I need some stimulation. But if I do stimulating things too long, then I have problems as well.

In this thread, I am mainly curious whether anyone has heard of this vibration therapy approach and whether anyone thinks after eight years it is still possible to actually improve the nerves from chemo neuropathy damage rather than just manage something irreversible.

Natalie

Here’s a question for you - Do you have any toe/nail fungus? If you do, that’s another good reason to try this - or fend it off - using Hydrogen Peroxide & Epsom salt foot bath. I use dry vibratory therapy, but this on my feet..sounds (and probably feels..) grand.


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So bizarre you ask this ....

Just in the last month, I have started to develop toe/nail fungus for this very first time.

I haven't yet done anything about this.

I would love to hear whatever you have to say about this.

Natalie