What triggers small fiber neuropathy?
The most common cause of small fiber neuropathy is diabetes, and even people with prediabetes can experience it. “There are a lot of people with diabetes who have some burning in the feet, and a lot of the times, the neuropathy is presumed to be related to the diabetes,” Dr. Traub says.
How do you calm small fiber neuropathy?
For example, small fiber neuropathy caused by prediabetes or diabetes is treated by managing blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy weight. When the cause hasn’t been identified, treatment focuses on managing symptoms. Pain-related symptoms are typically treated with medication, including: antidepressants.
How can you prevent small fiber neuropathy from progressing?
Treatments may include : Maintaining nerve health by keeping a healthy lifestyle. This can include exercising, eating healthy, keeping a healthy weight, correcting any vitamin deficiencies, and not drinking alcohol or smoking. Managing blood sugar in cases of diabetic neuropathy, to prevent further nerve damage.
What does it feel like to have small fiber neuropathy?
Symptoms. The symptoms of small fiber sensory neuropathy are primarily sensory in nature and include unusual sensations such as pins-and-needles, pricks, tingling and numbness. Some patients may experience burning pain or coldness and electric shock-like brief painful sensations.
Is small fiber neuropathy progressive?
For many patients, small fiber neuropathy is a slowly progressive disorder that reaches a clinical plateau lasting for years, with progression to large fiber involvement reported in 13% to 36% of cases; over half of patients in one series either improved or remained stable over a period of 2 years.
Can small fiber neuropathy reversed?
To date, there is no cure for SFN, and very few treatments are effective in reversing the neuropathy. Recently, there is a growing interest in using intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) due to some small reports showing positive results.
Is walking good for small fiber neuropathy?
Walking can reduce the pain and other symptoms of neuropathy from the nerve damage in your feet and lower legs. Walking and other light aerobic exercises have various benefits for people affected by neuropathy, which is a wide range of conditions involving disease and damage to the peripheral nerves.