More About Managing Nerve Pain

In our July/August issue, we reported that doctors sometimes prescribe Cymbalta (an antidepressant) or Lyrica (a central nervous system depressant) for chronic nerve pain. Sue Monaghan of Napa, California, adds that prescription Lidoderm patches (a local anesthetic) relieve her husband’s diabetic foot pain. Helen Wilson of Camden, Arkansas, a nondiabetic, takes prescription amitriptyline (an antidepressant) at bedtime. Post readers seeking other ways to manage painful neuropathies (nerve disorders) may also be interested in the following news:

• University of Michigan scientists say that lowering triglyceride levels may help diabetics avoid progressive nerve damage in hands and feet. Triglycerides are a type of fat in the bloodstream. In general, a normal level is less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). To reduce triglycerides, limit sugary and refined foods and get regular exercise.
• A new book, You Can Cope with Peripheral Neuropathy, offers practical tips and information from Mims Cushing, who lives with the disease, and Dr. Norman Latov, Director of the Peripheral Neuropathy Clinical and Research Center at Cornell University.

For 10 lifestyle tips from the authors, visit saturdayeveningpost.com/neuropathy or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Top Tips, 1100 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

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October 22, 2009