Tingling, burning & numbness in feet
September 23, 2016 9:38 PM Subscribe
Tingling, burning & numbness in feet. What could be the cause, and how do I get around until it's figured out?
I got some tests done, no firm answers yet. Will see another specialist (a rheumatologist), but no appointments are available until November-January.
What it is: symmetrical burning and tingling on the soles of the feet, after (now) 30 minutes of walking. Pain is more severe than before, now with added numbness in toes and shooting calf pains. Lasts 3-7 days after walking. What helps: putting my feet up. What doesn't: standing or walking. If I walk for a bunch of shorter periods, I get lower-level symptoms until some critical mass at which point it kicks in.
Clinical neuro assessment: fine, good responses. Electromyography: clear. (I was given a verbal rundown of findings, waiting for follow-up with referring doctor for review of actual report and further referral. Suspicion at this point is a connective tissue disorder, this needs to be confirmed with a specialist in such things.)
ABI: no problem there. Good "pulses".
Blood: Everything within the normal range. Ferritin is normal but a bit low, was advised to supplement.
(However. I noticed a pattern in this test; most red blood things - RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit etc - are only slightly above normal, while WBC is on the high end (but still normal). I was looking through some old blood tests, and that same pattern is there all the time. Apparently this shows up with some forms of vasculitis?)
One thought that's crossed my mind - could there be some kind of micro-vascular damage that was done on that day of long walking, that's maybe being maintained by some kind of local immune reaction? There's pretty much no chance the fancy tests available in the US are going to get done here, not sure how they'd identify microvascular damage.
With no answers yet, the advice I was given was to wear supportive shoes and not walk too much. Would it be completely stupid to take a small dose of daily aspirin, just in case? And would minimal resistance training at home probably be ok? I've been a little afraid to, since the calf pain started.
Walking and public transport are how I get around. I haven't been leaving my place much at all, unless necessary. I walk in 5-10 minute increments, sit most of the time, take breaks on benches... Major impact on quality of life. Not sure how I'm going to do this until November-January.
I got some tests done, no firm answers yet. Will see another specialist (a rheumatologist), but no appointments are available until November-January.
What it is: symmetrical burning and tingling on the soles of the feet, after (now) 30 minutes of walking. Pain is more severe than before, now with added numbness in toes and shooting calf pains. Lasts 3-7 days after walking. What helps: putting my feet up. What doesn't: standing or walking. If I walk for a bunch of shorter periods, I get lower-level symptoms until some critical mass at which point it kicks in.
Clinical neuro assessment: fine, good responses. Electromyography: clear. (I was given a verbal rundown of findings, waiting for follow-up with referring doctor for review of actual report and further referral. Suspicion at this point is a connective tissue disorder, this needs to be confirmed with a specialist in such things.)
ABI: no problem there. Good "pulses".
Blood: Everything within the normal range. Ferritin is normal but a bit low, was advised to supplement.
(However. I noticed a pattern in this test; most red blood things - RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit etc - are only slightly above normal, while WBC is on the high end (but still normal). I was looking through some old blood tests, and that same pattern is there all the time. Apparently this shows up with some forms of vasculitis?)
One thought that's crossed my mind - could there be some kind of micro-vascular damage that was done on that day of long walking, that's maybe being maintained by some kind of local immune reaction? There's pretty much no chance the fancy tests available in the US are going to get done here, not sure how they'd identify microvascular damage.
With no answers yet, the advice I was given was to wear supportive shoes and not walk too much. Would it be completely stupid to take a small dose of daily aspirin, just in case? And would minimal resistance training at home probably be ok? I've been a little afraid to, since the calf pain started.
Walking and public transport are how I get around. I haven't been leaving my place much at all, unless necessary. I walk in 5-10 minute increments, sit most of the time, take breaks on benches... Major impact on quality of life. Not sure how I'm going to do this until November-January.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- LobsterMitten
From your previous questions you're an early middle-aged female, right? My partner recently had exactly this numb/tingling and B12 ruled out. I'm guessing you've realised that the second diagnosis google gives you is MS. My partner (39) finally diagnosed with this last Christmas. Goodness me I hope you don't have it, but keep on at the gp for a diagnosis. MRI is the clincher.
posted by tillsbury at 10:29 PM on September 23, 2016
posted by tillsbury at 10:29 PM on September 23, 2016
You need folic acid for b12 to work, were your folate levels tested too?
posted by fshgrl at 11:01 PM on September 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by fshgrl at 11:01 PM on September 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
Are they running an auto-immune panel? This happens to me -- at a much lesser level, however -- with my thyroid issues (I assume they checked that and it was normal), and it's tied into both that and my Reynauld's disease.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 11:25 PM on September 23, 2016
posted by Countess Sandwich at 11:25 PM on September 23, 2016
I get this on and off in hands and feet. For me I've been getting it since my second full-term pregnancy, my third made it worse. I do have hypothyroidism, treated, but I'm not sure if it's related.
I always assume it's a fluid issue in me. I get it after walking a long way, especially on hot days (in Scotland none if the days are notably hot though) and it resolves well with rest and elevation. When I was pregnant and had a lot more fluid retained it was pretty constant and started up after a few minutes of walking at all.
posted by intergalacticvelvet at 1:27 AM on September 24, 2016
I always assume it's a fluid issue in me. I get it after walking a long way, especially on hot days (in Scotland none if the days are notably hot though) and it resolves well with rest and elevation. When I was pregnant and had a lot more fluid retained it was pretty constant and started up after a few minutes of walking at all.
posted by intergalacticvelvet at 1:27 AM on September 24, 2016
I had similar symptoms, though also accompanied by cramping and a facial tick, and my doctor and I eventually determined that it was a magnesium deficiency, possibly due to magnesium lost via sweating while exercising. Taking magnesium supplements completely got rid of the symptoms after a few weeks and I now take them regularly, with the symptoms seeming to reappear if I run out and go too long without.
posted by XMLicious at 2:37 AM on September 24, 2016
posted by XMLicious at 2:37 AM on September 24, 2016
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posted by FallowKing at 10:03 PM on September 23, 2016 [1 favorite]