peripheral neuropathy results question

[Guest guest]

Hi All -

 

I have a new patient with complete numbness in her feet, to the point where she

walks without confidence because she cannot feel her feet.  A little over 1 year

ago she passed out 3 days in a row (due to COPD, which has since resolved since

she stopped smoking) and hit her head each time, and has had the neuropathy

symptoms since then - originally burning and pins-and-needles pain, then lack of

sensation after a few bouts of heavy drugs.  She has also had laminectomies on

most of the vertebrae in her lumbar spine, and now has relentless low back pain,

stiffness, and soreness.

 

To be honest, I'm not sure if the laminectomies or the head injuries are the

source of her symptoms, so I decided to start with treating the low back and

feet, and then later that evening questioned doing that instead of doing a scalp

treatment.  To my surprise however, sensation in her feet returned that evening,

after just one treatment - she is now experiencing intermittent pins and

needles, which she describes as mildly uncomfortable, but no burning.

 

My question is this - is it usual for paresthesias to return, on the journey of

healing from complete numbness?  If so, can I expect her symptoms to get more

uncomfortable before they go away?  I'd never treated anyone with frank numbness

before, and I am going on the assumption that having some sensation in her feet,

even if uncomfortable, is a positive improvement over having none - but what can

we expect as we continue treatment?  If she were your patient, would you also

treat the sensory line on the scalp?

 

Thank you for your help,

Andrea Beth

 

Traditional Oriental Medicine

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635 S. 10th St.

Cottonwood, AZ  86326

(928) 274-1373