Foot and leg exercises for neuropathy

 

https://www.sitandbefit.org/foot-leg-exercises-neuropathy/

Foot and Ankle Exercise #1 – Keeping heels on the floor, lift your toes off the floor, and tap them vigorously. Repeat as many times as tolerated.

Foot and Ankle Exercise #2 – Keeping heels together and on the floor, lift your toes off the floor as high as possible. Turn toes out, and put them back on the floor. Your feet should form a “V”. Lift your toes again, bring them together, and put them back on the floor. Repeat as many times as tolerated.

Leg and Ankle Exercise – Straighten one knee, lifting the leg an inch or two off the ground. Point and flex your foot and ankle 5-10 times. Circle the ankle clockwise then counter clockwise 5-10 times each. Repeat on the other leg.

Foot Somatosensory Exercise – Roll a small ball (such as a tennis ball) underneath one foot for several minutes and change feet. This gives the feet a great “self-massage” and stimulates the receptors on the bottom of the foot. Those managing neuropathy would benefit from doing this exercise daily.

Hmm.  Maybe this is easier without shoes.  She doesn't mention it in the instructions.  I'm wearing my brown leather "Mary Janes" and they are rather stiff.

Sit and Be Fit TV Host, Mary Ann Wilson, RN

Leg pain, two problems, two solutions (I hope)

About two and a half years ago I developed bursitis (inflammation of the bursa) in my right hip. Although it seemed to happen overnight, I recognized it as a pain that I had off and on since childhood. After it seemed to heal in a year, it started in my left hip, probably because so much dependence on it. I did the ice and exercise routine again, but always took a folding cane with me, avoided stairs and any incline if I were walking. Then in June I read several articles on fish oil being an anti-inflammatory, so figuring it couldn't hurt, I tried it. Maybe it's a placebo, but I'll take it and leave the cane at home, because I can now walk miles and even do the stairs in my home without pain (although I would NEVER do stairs for exercise like I used to). No more Advil. Last week I was talking to my daughter about it, and I guess we'd never discussed it. She'd done the same thing, but for auto-immune related problems and she's been able to give up Aleve, and move without pain. She also said her fingernails were strong for the first time in her life, and I looked at mine, and what do you know, mine were too, and I hadn't even noticed.

 Apparently, I have a mild form of peripheral neuropathy--although I haven't really had an exact diagnosis. I have none of the usual indicators--no diabetes, I'm not overweight, and I don't have high blood pressure, kidney disease or thyroid problems. I'm not missing any vitamins, and I'm not an alcoholic. After all the tests and my doctor coming up with nothing, she sent me to a sports doctor (really fancy facility for all the important athletes). I don't recall him saying neuropathy, but I looked up the prescription, gabapentin, and that's what it's used for. I had no relief for 2-3 months, but finally, I can sleep without leg pain waking me up, so I'm crediting gabapentin. There is a side affect I've had to get used to; I feel a little tipsy in the morning, and that goes away by afternoon. In researching this I figure the neuropathy (if that's what it is) may be from falls, which is another underlying cause. I've never broken anything, but I have gone down stairs bumpty bump and fallen off my bike. And of course, my age. It seems a lot of aches and pains come with age.

Milkweed Balm

After asking my 400+ FaceBook Friends what they knew about milkweed balm, and got ZIP, Nada, Zilch, I did a little research and found that there are two very different plants using that name, plus another used in alternative medicine called milk thistle. The one used by the company I knew about grows "in the United States and Canada, the Common Milkweed (Ascelpias Syriaca), also known as silkweed and butterfly flower, and Showy Milkweed (Ascelpias speciosa). Both varieties provide food and protection for migratin.g Monarch butterflies." The company also uses volunteer pickers because the window for harvesting is very small. The company also makes other products from the fiber of the milkweed plant (the N. American variety) like pillows. The cream is used for pain. The company is in Ogallala, Nebraska.

It seems I have a memory of my mother and her sister picking the flowers in the spring and cooking them. Sort of tasted like broccoli as I recall, but I was a kid and probably said, "Yuk." Milkweed grew along all the country roads we would travel to the farm in Franklin Grove.
 
So far, I've found no definitive research on this product.  Health food and natural healing sites often refer to it, but since there is actual research on milk thistle, it would be nice to see come controlled studies.

 "Know someone going through treatment who needs relief from achy bones, joints and muscles or neuropathy? Milkweed Balm helps ease the pain. Topical, easy to apply and a money back guarantee on our smallest sizes." 

 "All natural Milkweed Balm is made with organic ingredients of jojoba oil, soybean oil, and milkweed seed oil. Cold-pressed milkweed seed oil contains antioxidants, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, and high concentrations of Omega-3 and Omega-7 fatty acids. Milkweed Balm helps alleviate pain topically -- so roll it on where it hurts.

Milkweed Balm has a cumulative effect, so the more consistent you are about application, the less you need for relief. We recommend applying at least twice a day to start, before bed, and in the morning. You can use it whenever you need a boost to keep pain under control."

 http://monarchflyway.com/milkweed-balm-products.html

Other sites and testimonials:  http://www.comforthouse.com/milkweed-balm.html
http://articles.milkweedbalm.com/article/-neuropathy-know-how
http://articles.milkweedbalm.com/article/gentle-safe-effective-milkweed-balm-works-for-more-than-just-cancer-pain
http://lizzysmilez.blogspot.com/2015/05/milkweed-balm-my-answer-for-intense-leg.htm