Guest guest Posted January 16, 1999 Report Share Posted January 16, 1999 LindLee Your description of your mother's numbness of her feet and the treatment by packing them in ice raises a danger signal. In your mother's case, the presence of diabetes with numb feet makes a diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy quite likely. Any neuropathy can be associated with RLS and diabetic neuropathy is probably the commonest type. Placing the feet in cool water has been used to allay the pain of diabetic neuropathy, but packing them in ice is dangerous. Typically, diabetics have small vessel disease (sclerosis) in their legs and feet. Ice causes constriction of arteries and arterioles. This decreases the blood flow to the foot which is frequently already compromised because of the sclerotic vessels. Tissue damage could be hastened by packing an ischemic (blood poor) foot in ice. You also don't put a diabetic's foot in hot water because the heat increases the local need for blood which the sclerotic vessels cannot supply. The same warning as to hot and cold applies to any type of arteriosclerotic disease of the extremities, diabetic or non-diabetic. Dr. Levin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.