Have numbness, pain or muscle weakness? Guidelines identify best tests for neuropathy
 

ST. PAUL, Minn. - New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology find a combination of blood tests and other specialized assessments appear to be the most helpful tests for finding the cause of ...



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(From Topix Neurology)

Found the new criteria....
 

Certainly much, much more than most docs are doing these days?

Read here....about mid-way down:
http://www.aan.com:80/news/?event=read&article_id=6841

Thanks for bringing this up! - j

Thing is--
 

--I consider this old news.

Most of us here certainly know it--it's just too bad that most physicians (at least those who are not specialists--and even some of those) don't.

After all, in our stickies, there's a LOT of info on neuropathy diagnostic protocols, with very similar recommendations, that have been around a while:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/980215ap/poncelet.html

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/...eralNeurop.htm

http://www.dcmsonline.org/jax-medici...uropathies.htm

Makes you wonder why we know this stuff and so many docs don't.

The article talks about the guidelines and says:

..............The guidelines recommend that doctors obtain certain blood tests for all patients with numb, painful feet. "People with suspected nerve problems should talk to their doctors about screening tests, especially blood glucose, vitamin B12 level and serum protein levels, since these tests can often point to common causes of neuropathy," said England.
The guidelines recommend tailored genetic testing for accurately diagnosing certain neuropathies that run in families.
The guidelines further recommend that doctors consider a combination of specialized tests to accurately evaluate neuropathies with autonomic dysfunction. These tests, known as autonomic tests, measure the action of the tiny nerves that control such functions as sweating, heart rate and blood pressure. Skin biopsy may also be useful to diagnose loss of tiny nerve fibers in the skin.
The guidelines were developed in full collaboration with the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.


But it doesn't't have a link to the full guidelines themselves, or suggest where to go to get them.

Dahlek's link to the interview article with the author is more revealing
but still doean't say where to go to see the actual guidelines.

Am I missing something?

BOB and ....
 

Folks, I think all the guidelines are good - but only as good as your doc, the facility, and the complexity of your PN.....

Its great and easy to get the standard bloodwork - but so often this is not the cause..... hopefully a competenent neruo will start there and electrical testing..... and if necessary biopsy.

Genetic testing is very difficult and expesive - as is paraneopoplastic- easily mis-diasnosed if no test has been developed yet for it - is really a wait and see just how bad this gets unfortunately in many cases..

Same with autonomic symtoms, unless they are very obvious such as severe GI issues, cardiac issues, BP issues, etc...... the more obscure tests such as sweat test are not available at most facialitites... and uesless to most of us.....

As least with the stckies we can help rule out some of the obvious.... I see people often ask what they can expect - I would say - ANYTHING!

All have made good and valid points.....
 

But...More importantly? IS that Three, count them THREE! Different medical groups have agreed [?] to develop guidelines!
This is critical when one encounters the usual neanderthal doctor....give him this? And IF IF IF the doc has any real concerns at all they will check out what their 'leading' peers have to say.
This is progress, tho small steps and steps that will take years, if not decades to become common practice..... It is small increments in the right directions.
Too many here have suffered for too long with incorrect diagnoses... It is NOT in our heads! We aren't imagining things! We might, have [just might, tho not always] some more serious [as in inherited or auto-immune] issues where prompt diagnosis and treatment IS KEY to preventing devasating long-term problems.
Guidelines are just a start. The next step is to have those establishing those guidelines TALK TO US! Then maybe they can truly learn about the 'food processors' we have gone thru to get our diagnoses? Now, I can understand WHY they mite not want to talk to us all....we are all soo varied in our neuropathies? But, at the same time, there are heaps and lots of continuous aspects of our problems and our 'treatments' which are very consistent ...until any lucky person finds a really good doctor! But, there are continuous issues about doctors, testing and treatments here which are usually overlooked by the medical 'professions'.
If I sound angry? I'm mildly so now, at times I get VERY ANGRY at the 'medical professions' and how some of these members treat us! I've been fortunate in finding many good docs who are working on my now MANY issues together [sort of-I suspect?] But they are trying. I hate how many folks here are given the 'tranquilizer' treatment and, essentially then, let go. That, to me, is the antithisis of what doctors are sworn to do! Oh well, I can hope always? :hug:'s to all - j