Increased pain with warmth and reddening anybody?
 

I have the least burning pain in my hands and feet when they are cold, and I actually like to have cold hands. When I have more pain my hands are invariably warm and have a reddening due to increased circulation. Does anybody else notice this effect and why does it happen?

My PN is very old now, and has considerably healed, but cold is still comfortable and heat painful. My wife can't understand how I like to walk barefoot on our tile floors in the morning!

Cold generally reduces the rate and intensity of nerve firing whereas heat generally stimulates nerve firing. That would be no problem with normal nerve patterns, but with our damaged nerves heat just causes the brain more distress from the increased abnormal stimulation. Over the years, that's been the general experience in these forums, that cool is soothing and heat increases pain.

Neuropathic pain is in the brain, not the nerve endings, and is self sustaining as the brain target areas get more and more irritated and hypersensitive. In general, anything you do to reduce the irritating signals to the brain will reduce pain long-term.

A caution is that cool is good, but freezing isn't. Please always take care not to further damage your already damaged nerve endings. The same applies to microelectric stimulation therapy and other types of massage. A little soothes and heals, but too much can irritate and prevent healing.

Hi leondas
Just read your post re cold and hot feet
Yes these have been my problems for 10 years
If they are cold , it goes right into my bones , may be it's only a phantom pain but oh boy how painfull, next step is to heat them up very slowing and the blood flowing back into ones feet oh dear another time of pain
I have a basin of cold water beside my bed and that helps at night time when the feet are too hot ,
I massage my feet about 20times per day which does help
I am on neurontin and lamotrigene, dont know if either one helps , maybe its in my mind
hope this may be of some comfort to you

Thanks, David
 

I appreciate your explanation of the heat/cold effect. I am also cautious about too much cold; actually cool feels the most comfortable with my burning pain in hands and feet. Tom

Burning hands & feet
 

I have had anti-MAG peripheral neuropathy for about 7 years. I lived in a place where it got hot in the summer and I would be miserable. Now that I am in the Pacific Northwest, I am finally comfortable most of the time. I just try to keep cool and not get heated. I probably won't get heated floors (most people install them here to keep their feet warm!) :)