I Hate Cold Feet!

Kennedy’s Disease has a number of symptoms. One symptom hardly ever listed is neuropathy. Until about twenty years ago, it was never mentioned.

Wikipedia explains peripheral neuropathy as follows:

Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of or trauma to the nerve or the side effects of systemic illness.

The most common form is (symmetrical) peripheral polyneuropathy, which mainly affects the feet and legs. Neuropathy may be associated with varying combinations of weakness, autonomic changes, and sensory changes. Loss of muscle bulk or fasciculations, a particular fine twitching of muscle, may be seen. Sensory symptoms encompass loss of sensation and "positive" phenomena including pain. Symptoms depend on the type of nerves affected (motor, sensory, or autonomic) and where the nerves are located in the body. One or more types of nerves may be affected.

Common symptoms associated with damage to the motor nerve are muscle weakness, cramps, and spasms. Loss of balance and coordination may also occur. Damage to the sensory nerve can produce tingling, numbness, and pain. Pain associated with this nerve is described in various ways such as the following: sensation of wearing an invisible "glove" or "sock", burning, freezing, or electric-like, extreme sensitivity to touch.

Medical News Today describes sensory neuropathy as:

Sensory nerve damage can cause various symptoms, such as an impaired sense of position, tingling, numbness, pinching and pain. Pain from this neuropathy is often described as burning, freezing, or electric-like, and many report a sensation of wearing an invisible "glove" or "stocking". These sensations tend to be worse at night, and can become painful and severe. On the contrary, sensory nerve damage may lead to a lessening or absence of sensation, where nothing at all is felt.

Today, neuropathy is more widely accepted as a symptom for many of us living with Kennedy’s Disease. Knowing about something is one thing, but living with it is something else.

Let me digress for a moment and say, “I hate cold feet!”

Neuropathy also explains why we have so much trouble maintaining our balance while standing for any length of time. The sensations are not being transmitted to the brain quickly enough for the body to respond.

One change that has bugged me in recent years is my cold feet. Until recently, I never used a blanket except a light one in the winter. I was the one that my wife stuck her freezing cold feet on when she first crawled into bed. About fifteen years ago, I noticed that I needed a blanket all year round. Even worse, my feet never seem to feel warm. In bed, I can have three blankets on my feet and they still feel cold. I now have to wear socks to bed in the fall, winter and spring. I also need an electric blanket during the winter ... something I never used before.

Guess what? Even though they feel cold, when I touch my feet, they are warm. Even more frustrating is when I know my feet are warm to the touch, I still cannot go to sleep. They ache because they ‘feel’ so cold.

Something else that has happened in recent years is I occasionally wake up with a burning sensation in the heels of my feet. Unless I rub (massage) my heels for a few minutes, the sensation will not go away.

However, I found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Ten months ago, I experimented with something called “deep massage.” Every evening I massage my feet for 15-20 minutes. I wrote about it last September and again in a January blog article. My feet are still ice cold, but the tingling, numbness and pain are gone—hopefully for good.

I know—‘man-up’. Accept it and get on with life! Nevertheless, it still feels good to complain about it occasionally.

Follow up on an Experiment

My September 17 article, Unexpected Benefit, explained the results of my experiment of daily foot massages.

“For several years, the bottoms of my feet and toes have been numb or tingly. I tried different techniques to stimulate the nerves, but nothing seemed to work. In early August, the feet were particularly bad. One evening, I used my hands to massage my feet. The feet were more sensitive than I thought they would be when I performed a deep tissue massage. At times, it was slightly painful. Yet, they felt better afterward.”

Modern Reflexology reported the follows signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy:

• Gradual onset of numbness and prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can even spread to the entire length of your legs and feet.

• Sharp shooting, jabbing, throbbing, freezing or burning pain

• Unable to control movements.

• Touch sensitivity that sometimes reaches extreme levels.

• Weakness of muscles or paralysis if motor nerves are affected.

It has been five months since I started the daily massages. It only takes 5-10 minutes. My feet no longer tingle and are not numb. I can feel all my toes and they have better movement. When I massage the feet, it is no longer painful. It is actually enjoyable. I also notice that my feet do not feel as cold. That would make sense since the massage should be stimulating the circulation. It is nice to be able to feel the bottom of my feet and toes. It makes standing easier.

I still experience an occasional numbness in my right pinky finger, but it is not constant. However, my finger strength has improved with the daily routine.

Has anyone else tried this? What is your experience and results?

Photo: Modernreflexology.com

Unexpected Benefit

In June, I noticed my pinky finger on the left hand felt numb. I tried several exercises, but the sensation was still there. About a month later, I noticed the right pinky finger was a little more numb. It was not as pronounced as the left, but still noticeable.

For several years, the bottoms of my feet and toes have been numb or tingly. I tried different techniques to stimulate the nerves, but nothing seemed to work. In early August, the feet were particularly bad. One evening, I used my hands to massage my feet. The feet were more sensitive than I thought they would be when I performed a deep tissue massage. At times, it was slightly painful. Yet, they felt better afterward.

I kept up the evening massages and noticed a positive pronounced difference in regards to sensations. The tingling and numb feeling is barely noticeable. The toes also have more feeling. By the end of August, something else became apparent. I no longer had the numb feeling in the pinky fingers on both hands.

It is mid-September and the bottoms of my feet and my toes are remarkably better. I have not experienced the numbness in my fingers for at least three weeks. I will continue my evening massages and let you know if anything changes. But, for now, I like the results.

Photo: Modernreflexology.com