Whay causes small fiber neuropathy and symptoms of it?

[Lori707]

What are the causes of small fiber neuropathy and what kind of symptoms are there?  

[AireScottie]

I recently joined and just found your question.  Hopefully you've gotten more info since you posted, but here's my favorite site for info on small fiber neuropathy:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000593.htm
Have you been diagnosed with this?

[Bethmm]

Google: small fiber neuropathy a burning problem. It answers a lot!

[Lori707]

It feel I have small fiber neuropathy and asked my neurologist to please give me a biopsy for it. She said NO. I don't understand why not.

I'll go to that website.

[chickiedootoo]

What are your Symptoms?

[Lori707]

Symtoms: whole body pins/needles and burning from scalp,face throughout entire body to the toes. Began 1 1/2 yrs. ago as tingling in my fingers. Then it progressed and I had muscle cramps and twitches all over. I feel like if you stuck my hand into a Christmas tree, it would light up. I get electrical zaps ALL over. Now I have carpul tunnel syndrome. My skin hurts to be touched most of the time. I also get skin sensations of heat and sweating but I'm not sweating. I can't tell the real temperature. Parts of me are freezing cold and others are very warm. I have to ask my husband if it's chilly, regular or warm in the house. Last year I used to have sweats during the night but now I don't sweat and I don't know why. Very very seldom I may feel some light sweat but usually not. I have internal vibrations going through my body. Sometimes I lose the feeling in some skin areas but it comes back. I've had EMG's-SSEP-and other tests including an MRI with contrast of the brain. They can't figure me out. The gave me neurton and that helps a lot but I get used to it and have to increase my dose. Now I take 400mg.AM, 600mg.afternoon and 400mg.at bedtime. The neurologist says it's not a cure but a bandade. All the doctors are at a loss for a diagnose of this. But yet they won't give me a biopsy.  

[chickiedootoo]

How many have you seen and have they done blood work to check and see if you have a vitimin diff.? I am having the some of the same symptoms.

Chickie

[chickiedootoo]

How many Drs. I mean?

[chickiedootoo]

Try neuroskinbiopsy.mgh.harvard.edu/smallfiber.pdf

chickie

[AmyOK]

I was just diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy at the Mayo Clinic, and didn't need to have a nerve biopsy. I guess it can be painful and invasive, so they use other methods initially for the diagnosis. But for me, after 8 years of tests, surgeries, and chronic symptoms of Myelopathy and Chiari Malformation, a nerve biopsy would have been the least of my worries.

To detect the nerve disorder, I had a Thermoregulatory Sweat Test, and an Autonomic Reflex Test which included a quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test, to diagnose damage to the small nerve fibers. They also did a Brainstem Evoked Potential, Sensory Evoked Potential, and an EMG to check some of the other nerve fibers . . . what fun! They ran a whole bunch of blood work to help determine the cause, but in the end they told me it was either idiopathic or hereditary (because my sister has similar symptoms).

I also take Neurontin, and many other meds to treat the symptoms of SFN and my other ailments, including an anti-depressant, narcotic, muscle relaxer, beta-blocker, Aleve, and Alpha Lipoic Acid, if a doctor thinks it will help to relieve the symptoms.

[CazRx]

I have a problem very similar to yours. The only help I got with the problem was
upping my gabapentin to 600 mg 4 time a day. Then, after a while I started with
Cymbalta 60 mg a day. After the drowsiness lessened, I started taking the
Cymbalta twice a day. It does not eliminate the problem. But, it sure makes
it a lot better.

[matrivani]

I would be interested to know if  you have had courses of antibiotics prior to onset of these symtpms. Also if you have amalgam fillings or root canal work. I have very similar symptoms, unexplainable by medical profession and have been looking into the link between the effect of antibiotics and long term medication on the central nervous system and also levels of mercury in the body. In my case i feel there is a definate link.

[matrivani]

I would be interested to know if  you have had courses of antibiotics prior to onset of these symtpms. Also if you have amalgam fillings or root canal work. I have very similar symptoms, unexplainable by medical profession and have been looking into the link between the effect of antibiotics and long term medication on the central nervous system and also levels of mercury in the body. In my case i feel there is a definate link.