Repost: General Advice for Patients with Foot Pain or Numbness Related to Nerves

Dear Dr. Richard,

I live in London, U.K. My job is in I.T. - so desk based all day.

I came across your blog today, looks very informative. I actually saw the video where you talked about pain around the heel possibly due to back issues.

https://youtu.be/E0E60NpOSHg

Please, could you provide some advice to me? 

I have had foot pain since last 4.5 years that started one morning after some leg exercises in the gym (possibly causing back issue?). I felt heaviness in the left footbed when I sat cross-legged in the office after gym. Now the issue is with both feet - which are very flat, but show arch if I am dangling my feet in the air, rather than standing on them. 

Dr. Blake's comment: This is called a flexible flatfoot. The heaviness is a symptom of nerve dyskinesias, also called abnormal sensations like buzzing, burning, things crawling on your skin, or a rolled up towel under your arch or toes. 

Pain first thing in the morning has always been 3/10 level, never to the level of having to scream. The pain is worse if I walk a lot or stand at one place for more than a couple of minutes. 

Dr. Blake's comment: Yes, standing can be the worst time, since nerves like motion most of the time (like neural flossing exercises). 

The pain is around the heel area and travels up on the calves. Areas of soleus, behind the knee are always sore be it first thing in the morning or last thing in the day. The metatarsals and Achilles also have random tenderness.

Dr. Blake's comment: I always think nerve pain if there is tenderness but not swelling in the tissues. Do you have any swelling when it hurts?

Different types of insoles haven't helped. Recently I got expensive custom-made orthotics done, but I doubt them. Funny enough, I feel more comfortable wearing "Teva jetter lux slide sandals" than ASICS Kayano 25 that I am wearing with insoles. 

Dr. Blake's comment: Nerve Pain around the ankles, called tarsal tunnel syndrome or some version of it, can make patients wear the least supportive shoe or sandal so the sides of the shoe do not press against a sore spot. 

Recently I got MRI of feet done, which showed some bursa, inflammation liquid, little spur under left foot - which doctor said could be present in a healthy person's feet too.

The doctor also said that the plantar F hasn't got enough thickening to say that is an issue. He thinks I might have fat pad syndrome or something coming down from my back. I am currently waiting for my back MRI results.

Dr. Blake's comment: Yes, sounds typically double crush syndrome where the nerve is being irritated from above (even at the neck) and at the foot. The back MRI is a static exam, so will not pick up some back problems, but is a good place to start. You want to find a conservative peripheral nerve specialist, in the states they tend to be osteopaths, who will look at all the possible causes of sciatic nerve involvement. 

I have recently got some tape which my partner wound around my heels and that felt good after walking in that. I will try that for a few days.

Any guidance from you will be greatly received and I will make a donation too at some point as gratitude. 

Regards and many thanks in advance.

Dr. Blake's comment: I think you are going in the right direction. Make sure you are massaging the area three times a day with a gel or lotion for nerve pain, not anti-inflammatory (I have my patients buy Neuro-Eze online). Learn how to neural floss from a physio (my one video is below, but there are various techniques). 

https://youtu.be/g94F8g_jzGg

See if Lidoderm patches can be prescribed for a month trial. Begin 3 weeks experiments of the supplements that help nerve pain. 

1.      Lipoic Acid 300mg 2x/day

2.      Acetyl-L-Carnitine 2000 mg/day

3.      Inositol 500-1000mg/day

4.      Vit B6 50mg/day

5.      Vit B12 1000mcg/day

6.      Vit E (up to 1,600units/day)

7.      Thyroid Natural Supplements

Diet for Nerve Pain

http://www.rsdrx.com/four_f's_diet.htm

Here was the advice I gave to another patient:

 Nerve Pain is helped by some combination of the following (many of these topics are in the blog already):

• Neural Flossing three times daily (find out if sitting or laying techniques more productive)
• Nerve Pain supplements like B12, Vit C, (gradually you add one per month to check effectiveness so you would wait on this right now) etc 
• Some topical nerve cream applied 4 times daily (NeuroEze or Rx)
• Heat over ice
• No sciatic nerve/calf stretching (find out everything postural wise that is tasking your sciatic nerve from beds, sitting chairs, standing habits, workout techniques). 
• Oral meds (start with evening doses only of Lyrica, Neurontin, or Cymbalta). 
• Epidural injections into the L5 nerve root
• Soft based orthotic devices like Hannafords
• See if there is a Calmare Pain Therapy center near you 
• Sometimes TENS and Capsaicin is helpful (but you have to go through 14-20 days of more pain first)

Hope this points you in the right direction. Rich