Anyone had treatment for neuropathy in fingers?

[Eilean]

Have experienced numbness in fingers on both hands, firstly on left and more recently on right. Living in Canary Islands now and was offered electrical nerve conductivity tests. Slightly painful experience on right hand but no pain or feeling on left. Was told its a problem from ulnar nerve. In UK diabetic nurse simply said it was to be expected. I am well controlled @ 5.4 on six monthly review. Surgery might be an option to improve things. Has anyone any experience of any successful treatment?

 

[Mike d]

I'd be reluctant to put it down to diabetes alone .... I'd tend to favour the nerve. Get a set of light weight dumbbells and stretch anytime you can when not using them. Exercise can become a routine, but worthwhile. I'm a big believer in pushing yourself.

 

[deb1960]

I have had surgery for carpul tunnel on both hands long before I became diabetic. It was more related to my thyroid issues. It was more excruciating pain than numbness though.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I have numbness in 3 fingers on both hands.
Had carpel tunnel and dequervain ops. Neither feel anything like this.

Mainly at night although day time it tingles. Numbness is different to neuropathy pain. Friend has neuropathy from radiotherapy in her left hand only. It is pure pain. Her armis totally dead as well and just hangs now. So although it is numb dead, it has excrutiating pain.

I'mcurrently having investigations for my numbness in 3 fingers each hand but it is thought to be ulner nerve not anything else.

 

[Eilean]

Thanks for the replies. The problem has been numbness, tingling and pain which feels like bombs in the fingers. The specialist here said neuropathy stemming from the ulnar nerve in both elbows which could be diabetes related. So I guess panic set in. However in UK the DN said it was definitely a side effect of T2 so no possible treatment. Reason why I mentioned location as specialist is Spanish speaking with English as his second language and speculated perhaps mis-translation. I am grateful for all your replies.

 

[Cal M]

Ulnar nerve tends to affect little to middle fingers, while carpel tunnel is more often thumb, index and middle. There is an over lap often with the middle finger. Ulnar nerve can be trapped, compressed at elbow or neck, median nerve causing carpel tunnel is usually at the wrist. Restricting elbow bend at night sometimes helps, look up ulnar nerve glides on the internet to get these stretches correct. Numbness is the stage beyond pins and needles so is sign of more damage. Intermittent is better than constant. Diabetic neuropathy is blood vessel damage and is extremities ,so finger tips and in any order or all together. Hope this helps clarify symptoms and will help Drs if you can describe it well.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Excellent description, thank you!
You only have to see the difference in the surgery from carpel to de quervains to realise those are two different areas. The painfor those two is very different.
Absolutely correct and spot on for the elbow and last 3 digits for ulner.. my elbows at night are unbelievable painful...but the numbness -annoying as when doing my 3.30ami jections and very sleepy I cant pick the pen up easily at all.

My GP hopeless, he sent me to rheumatology for de quervains. I paid privately to see orthapaedic surgeon and got sorted last Sept when rheumatolgy appt came through and really was a waste of time...
Had to go back to GP with 3 finger numbness but again sent for the nerve conduction tests.... explained it nothing like carpel... but dont know who to see to get the ulner help...
Nights are awful.

Everybody in NHS with me has said though that diabetics are liable to sheaths in hands going narrow..

 

[Brunneria]

If it is elbow problems and trapped nerve issues that is very different from diabetic neuropathy - as @Cal M explains v well.

I had numbness and pins and needles in left little/ring fingers a while back. Got v worried about neuropathy and consulted Dr Google (who was excellent on the subject). Took myself off to a chiropractor who found a trapped nerve. But not in elbow. Mine was in shoulder half way between neck and shoulder joint. The wonderful man gave me a single treatment and advised me on some 'nerve pulling' exercises (lots of vids on you tube), and the problem disappeared within a day or two.

Comes back occasionally, and every time I realise that I am carrying tension in my shoulders, so I focus on posture and those exercises for a few days, and everything resolves. I have lower back issues, and tend to get tension in neck/shoulder as a result. I find it incredible that my lower back problem ends up with pins and needles in my left hand, but there you go, it does.

Not that I am saying that this will work for you, just that there are different things that may cause issues, and that there are more ways to skin a cat...

 

[Mbaker]

What seemed to work for me was a build up to fast walking and static cycling. In the December of 2014, diabetic symtpoms such as living in thre toilet weeing, head fogginess, tingling hands and feet. All of these symptoms have gone with the exercise. I know I have been very lucky, and just sharing in case it helps.

 

[Incyb]

Alpha lipoic acid supplements help. Sorted my numb foot. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28541026/?i=2&from=alpha lipoic acid peripheral neuropathy