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