Someone asked me last week if I had any tips about the neuropathy they get after chemotherapy. It’s not my subject at all, but I did find a potentially useful article about a study done on compression and cold socks and gloves so I share it with you in case anyone else needs that info.
You can see the full study here. But here is some of the summary in the Natural Medicine Journal:
“peripheral neuropathy is the most common side effect of chemotherapy, affecting up to 60% of all cancer patients receiving chemotherapy…. often described as a ‘glove and stocking’ neuropathy since symptoms are often felt in the hands and feet. It is characterized as (i) a gain of sensory neuronal function, where patients experience sensations of ‘pins and needles’, tingling, and neuropathic pain
Study Objective
Comparison of cryotherapy, compression, and placebo in prevention of taxane-induced neuropathy in breast cancer patients. The primary goal was to select the best intervention.
Key Takeaway
Compression appears a superior treatment; it produced better results and was better tolerated.
In other words, using compression mittens and stockings/socks might really help if this is something you or someone you know suffers with. The jury is still out on using compression alone, and cold/cryotherapy is still seen as a better known preventative, but not many people like the cold treatment so compression may be worth a try. Talk to your health professionals about it and ask for a size-too-small gloves and some compression socks – chilled would probably be even more effective if you can bear it! Maybe try holding a cold pack with your gloves on, 30 secs on, 30 secs off etc. Let me know if it helps, I hope so x
Have a look at the research on PEA (palmitoylethanolamid) on neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy, such as after chemotherapy or in diabetes. Doses of at least 900mg per day required.
Good tip, thanks Rika. I shall look that up.