A SIMPLE WAY TO TEST
HOW SEVERE YOUR NEUROPATHY IS!
As mentioned in the understand neuropathy page, neuropathy is a secondary condition that disrupts sensory nerve function, causing reduced normal sensation and can create abnormal feelings such as numbness, tingling, burning, coldness, or pain. Damaged nerve endings lose their ability to transmit normal signals to the brain, making it difficult to sense temperature, pinpricks, or light touch. The sensory nerve endings in the face are similar to those found in the foot. Normally, sensations experienced on the face and foot should feel comparable. Any decrease, or in rare instances, increase in sensation on the foot may indicate the presence of neuropathy. Below are a couple of simple test to see if neuropathy may be present.
Flatware Knife
First take the knife and hold it by the blade end in your hand and touch the handle end to the side of your face just in front of the ear on both sides of your face, it should feel cool, hold for three seconds. Don't hold it too long as your skin will warm it up. If they feel the same you can use either side of your face for this simple test, if not use the side that felt the coolest. Now touch your face again with the handle end and quickly touch the top of your foot at the instep, does it feel the same or is it a less? Now touch on top of your toes? If it feels significantly less cool. Chances are you have small fiber neuropathy. You might want to set the knife a side for a while and try it again to make sure the knife did not warm up from your skin.
Blowdryer
Now, take a hairdryer, set it on low heat and low fan, turn it on and blow the warm air on the side of your face just in front of your ear on the same side that you used for the knife for 3 seconds. Now blow it on the top of your foot at the instep and on the top of your toes again for 3 seconds. Do they feel the same or is there a significate difference in the intensity of the heat?
If there is a significant decrease in your ablility to feel either of these two sensations in your feet in comparison to your face the chances are you do have a small fiber neuropathy. Published research studies have shown that the treatment we provide can reverse this nerve damage and maintain the results.
