Heat Therapy for Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy, a condition where nerves in the body have been injured and may continue to degenerate, may cause a lack of sensitivity in extremities and/or pain. Neuropathy refers to degenerative nerve damage.

The brain and spinal cord are two parts of the body’s nervous system, and the nerves that spread throughout the body are peripheral to those, making up the third but equally important part. It is the damage to these nerves that cause symptoms of mild to extreme pain.

There are a variety of causes of peripheral neuropathy which may include trauma due to accidents, medications (including chemotherapy), and diabetes among others. To see a list of possible causes visit the Mayo Clinic website.

Linked to this article are some recommended life-style and home remedies, one of which is to reduce stress. I am not sure why heat therapy is not mentioned as a home remedy for relaxation to help deal with stress. Heat is known to relax tight or tense muscles. Massage is often recommended to help relieve stress, but that is expensive -- $35 to $70 per session. A microwave heating pad is relatively inexpensive, and if it is a Maine Warmer, it should provide daily relief for years.

Check it out, and feel free to mention Maine Warmers’ heating pads in your conversations with others as one Back Warmer and enjoy the coolness under your feet without the discomfort of harsh ice cubes. Foot Warmers can also provide heat or cold therapy.

way to relieve stress. These "Warmers" can be frozen and used for cold comfort. If this type of neuropathy causes burning feet, try freezing a Maine Warmer and chilling out with a comforting cold pack.

When using heat on areas where there is nerve damage it is important to test the heating pad to make sure it isn't too hot. Microwave heating pads will cool down once they come out of the microwave, so there isn't any worry of overheating. It is important to be extremely careful when using an electric heating pad as it may become hot, and the lack of feeling in the feet may make burns more likely.