What Is Autonomic Neuropathy?

[Suthrngal]

Wondering if these nerve firing and pins and needles in feet are a form of neuropathy. I can not find info on it. I have POTS (6 years) and these symptoms strted in April. Also tiny spasms in my legs (bad stuff ruled out). Ideas?

[Guest Alex]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autonomic-neuropathy/DS00544

This Mayo article explains it fairly well.

I had a nerve conduction study (NCS) for my pins and needles and it came back perfectly fine. Such a study though can only rule out problems with your motor and sensory nerves.

You may want to look into:

- a test called QSART (quantitative sudomotor autonomic reflex test) - this tests your small nerve fibers) - see this link for more http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu/learnaboutpn/evaluation/autonomic/qsart.shtml

- a skin biopsy - I believe this is the golden standard for diagnosing or ruling out small fiber neuropathy

Also, this article may be of interest to you

http://www.ccjm.org/content/76/5/297.full

Small fiber neuropathy: a burning problem.

I have recently posted a long list of articles on small fiber neuropathy - I'll bump that thread and you can see if any of those make sense to you.

Hope this helps,

Best,

Alex

[Guest Alex]

bumped the thread, but here is a link to that as well

http://forums.dinet.org/index.php?/topic/23676-small-fibre-neuropathy-sfn/

[Suthrngal]

Tha

[TCP]

I had ME/CFS from 1984, then the peripheral neuro started in 2007...it progressed to auto neuro and I would say they all go hand-in-hand. The nerves in the torso will affect heart/lungs/bladder/bowel/BP etc. Basically the nerves are inflamed and they control muscles and blood flow in arteries/veins. I get a complicated mix of symptoms and the docs only know a bit about it. I've found out more on the internet and how to treat it. Movement helps with the muscles and circulation and make sure you have magnesium for the spasm.

My doctors never diagnosed it, I told them what I had and in the end they agreed with me! Do what you can with diet and supplements etc.