Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Warning For Neuropathy Patients

Today's post from zedie.wordpress.com (see link below) is a very short one but is none the less important for that. Depending on the infection in your body from whatever cause, you may be prescribed antibiotics. Some of these antibiotics are called fluoroquinolones and are notorious for causing neuropathic symptoms. Very often it will be difficult to spot the name fluoroquinolone on the box because the brand and pharmaceutical names will be most prominent. If you already have neuropathy, it may be worth asking your doctor if the antibiotics he/she is prescribing belong to the fluoroquinolone family. If so, it may be worth changing them - there are plenty of alternatives. This short post talks about the American FDA requiring that drug companies place a neuropathy warning on fluoroquinolone packaging. This is of benefit to neuropathy sufferers but also patients who may be at risk of getting neuropathy.

Fluoroquinolone Labels Updated to Reflect Heightened Risk for Peripheral Neuropathy.
Author Zedie: US Virgin Islands August 16th 2013


The FDA is requiring that the labels of fluoroquinolone antibiotics warn of the drugs’ increased risk for peripheral neuropathy.

The risk has been observed with oral and injectable fluoroquinolones, but not topical agents. Patients could experience peripheral neuropathy any time during their treatment, and it could persist for months or years or be permanent.

Patients should contact their healthcare providers if they develop symptoms consistent with peripheral neuropathy in the arms and legs, including pain, burning, numbness, or weakness; change in sensation to touch, pain, or temperature; or change in the sense of body position.

Patients who develop these symptoms should stop taking the antibiotic and receive alternative therapies unless the benefit of the fluoroquinolone outweighs the risk.

Source: FDA MedWatch safety alert

http://zedie.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/fluoroquinolone-labels-updated-to-reflect-heightened-risk-for-peripheral-neuropathy/

Winter Warning For Neuropathy Sufferers

Today's post from seacoastonline.com (see link below) is especially relevant for our North American, European and Russian readers, who are experiencing a more extreme Winter than normal this year. Spring may be in the air for many of us (and Autumn in the southern hemisphere but much of the norther half of the world is still in Winter's icy grip. Bad news for neuropathy sufferers. This article (like so many) concentrates on diabetics with neuropathy but applies to us all and gives sound advice for those whose feelings in their feet and hands are strange, at best!
 

Severe winter puts stress on those living with diabetes
Posted Feb. 22, 2015

Manchester, NH — Individuals living with diabetes face increased risk in a severe winter because of cold, damp conditions and must take many precautions to avoid serious side effects.

“People with diabetes should avoid going out in severe cold,” said Cindy Kolenda, BS, CWCN, CFCN, a wound care specialist at Catholic Medical Center. “Their poor circulation can be worsened in cold temperatures, which increases the risk of frost bite.”

What makes cold temperatures even more risky is that some people with diabetes cannot feel their feet. Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur with diabetes. High blood sugar can damage nerves in the legs and feet. About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy, according to the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms may occur at any time and intermittently.

“Diabetes works from your feet to your knees,” explained a 69-year old man participating in CMC’s Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) class. “It started as a tingling feeling in one foot then went to the other.” He likens it to the sensation of having a limb “fall asleep.” His doctor ordered tests for nerve damage. “You lie down and they stick needles from your knees to the bottom of your feet and toes. I had no feeling in the bottom of my feet. On the top of my toes, I felt a little bit there. ‘You have a case of neuropathy,’ I was told. ‘You may have a dead nerve and it won’t come back,’ they told me.”

Many people living with diabetes are vulnerable to foot problems. The American Diabetes Association estimates that one in five people with diabetes who seek hospital care do so for foot problems. Even small foot injuries can cause serious trouble. Poor foot care may lead to amputation of a foot or leg.

About 73,000 amputations were performed in people with diabetes in 2010 according to the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes can lead to peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which reduces blood flow to the feet. Reduced sensation from nerve disease is common. Together these problems can result in ulcers and infections that may lead to amputation.

“Avoid the cold and don’t let your feet get and stay wet,” said Kolenda. “Find boots that are a good fit and protective.” Footwear that is too loose or too tight can cause minor irritations like a blister that if not properly cared for may pose major risks. Diabetes treatment specialists also warn people about how to warm up their feet, indicating that hair dryers, fireplaces, and heating pads are unsafe. Without normal heat sensitivity, it is easy for someone to accidently burn themselves.

The layer between the shoe and your foot is important. Avoid socks with seams as they can cause rubbing and irritation. Do not wear socks that cut into your leg or ankle or that fall down and bunch up in your shoe. Choose a sock that is made of a breathable material, such as cotton, or a wicking material, such as microfiber, to keep bacteria from forming.

CMC cautions people to exercise proper foot care. Wash your feet every day. Dry them carefully, especially between the toes. Rub a thin coat of skin lotion over the tops and bottoms of your feet, but not between your toes. Wear shoes and socks at all times. Never walk barefoot. Always protect your feet by wearing shoes or hard-soled slippers or footwear.

People with diabetes should inspect their feet every day. “Look at your bare feet for red spots, cuts, swelling and blisters,” said Kolenda. “If you cannot see the bottoms of your feet, use a mirror or ask someone for help.” Kolenda said to call or see your health care provider if you notice cuts or breaks in the skin. Also, tell your health care provider if your foot changes color, shape, or just feels different (for example, becomes less sensitive or hurts).

http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20150222/News/150229879

PHYSICISTS SOUND WARNING TO NAIL BEAUTY FANATICS

The daily trimming of fingernails and toenails to make them more aesthetically pleasing could be detrimental and potentially lead to serious nail conditions.

This is according to researchers at the University of Nottingham who have devised equations to identify the physical laws that govern nail growth, and used them to throw light on the causes of some of the most common nail problems, such as ingrown toe nails, spoon-shaped nails and pincer nails.

According to the research, which has been published today, 17 October, in IOP Publishing's journal Physical Biology, regular poor trimming can tip the fine balance of nails, causing residual stress to occur across the entire nail.

This residual stress can promote a change in shape or curvature of the nail over time which, in turn, can lead to serious nail conditions.

Lead author of the study Cyril Rauch said: "It is remarkable what some people are willing to do to make their nails look good, and it is in this context that I decided to look at what we really know about nails. Reading the scientific literature on nails I quickly realised that very little physics or maths had been applied to nails and their conditions."

"Looking at our results, we suggest that nail beauty fanatics who trim their nails on a daily basis opt for straight or parabolic edges, as otherwise they may amplify the imbalance of stresses which could lead to a number of serious conditions."

In their study, the researchers focused specifically on ingrown toe nails which, though recognised for a long time, still lack a satisfactory treatment as the causes remain largely unknown.

When devising their equations, the researchers accounted for the strong adhesion of nails to their bed through tiny, microscopic structures, which allow the nail to slide forwards and grow in a "ratchet-like" fashion by continuously binding and unbinding to the nail.

By also taking into account the mechanical stresses and energies associated with the nail, the researchers came up with an overall nail shape equation.

The equation showed that when the balance between the growth stress and adhesive stress is broken -- if a nail grows too quickly or slowly, or the number of adhesive structures changes -- a residual stress across the entire nail can occur, causing it to change shape over time.

The equations showed that residual stress can occur in any fingernail or toenail; however, the stress is greater for nails that are larger in size and have a flatter edge, which explains why ingrown toe nails predominantly occur in the big toe.

Although a residual stress can be brought about by age or a change in metabolic activity -- ingrown toenails are often diagnosed in children and pregnant women -- the equations also showed that bad trimming of the nails can amplify the residual stress.

Moving forward, Rauch believes this research can be applied to farm animals and conditions associated with their hooves, which can be life threatening.

"Animals such as sheep, cattle, horses and ponies all suffer hugely from hoof conditions, which can have direct effects on the human population. At a time when securing food across the world is important, understanding the physics of hooves has never been so essential to sustain agriculture and food production," Rauch continued.

"I believe that physics can make a difference by promoting a new type of evidence-based veterinary medicine and help the veterinary and farrier communities by devising trimming methods to alleviate pain and potentially remove the cause of serious conditions."