We all have good days and well, not so good days. Some days your hair looks great and other days, you can't seem to get it to lay right. You're in a great mood one day, and a terrible mood the next. You know all of this and even expect it. But, one thing you didn't expect was for your neuropathy to be so much worse on some days. No, you're not imagining it! The question is- why is it happening?
#1 Temperature
Those with peripheral neuropathy are much more sensitive to the cool air. This is especially true when it comes to neuropathy pain in your feet. When the temperatures drop, your peripheral nerves tingle more. This, in turn, causes you to feel a burning sensation or sharp pain. As well, when you are cold your heart rate slows, which also slows your blood and increases any painful sensations. If you are having a particularly bad neuropathy day and suspect it's because you're cold, raise the thermostat in your home and keep your feet wrapped up in a warm blanket.
#2 Time of the Day
It's not uncommon to feel worse at night, especially when you'd rather be sleeping. This has to do with your hormone levels and the way they fluctuate throughout a 24-hour period. When your body prepares itself to go to bed at night, your metabolism, hormone levels, and many other biochemical processes adjust accordingly. These body changes can heighten your pain sensations. As a quick example, cortisol has anti-inflammatory effects. Your cortisol levels naturally drop through the first half of your sleep cycle, and this has the potential to make your neuropathy pain worse.
#3 Stress
Your emotional state will also influence your pain as well as your perception of the pain. High levels of stress and anxiety can amplify your pain, because you're upset, worried, and focusing on it. Mental stress often becomes physical if left untreated. Living in a chronic state of stress will wreak havoc on both your physical and mental health. High stress levels could be a reason why neuropathy is worse on some days, which is why it's so important to keep your stress under control. If your stress is due to the neuropathy, try to distract your mind with a book or movie.
Neuropathy is a challenging condition that has continued to destroy patient's lives. If you think you're experiencing something out of the range of normal or have further questions, we encourage you to contact us. Traditional treatment for neuropathy include steroid or anesthetic injections, electrode therapy, and sometimes even surgery. Unfortunately, these treatments are often not effective long term due to the complexity of the neuropathy. We can help! Our mission is to help patients just like you with peripheral neuropathy when all else has failed. Reach out and book an appointment!