Tingling and Burning: Fluoroquinolones and Peripheral Neuropathy

Tingling and Burning: Fluoroquinolones and Peripheral Neuropathy

by Dr. Sharon Orrange on August 19, 2013 at 9:56 am

Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics that include levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin,and moxifloxacin (Avelox). Antibiotics are over-prescribed for viral upper respiratory infections and before you think to yourself “I’ve been sick for awhile, maybe I should get an antibiotic,” be aware of some of the risks.
Don’t get me wrong, these are great antibiotics with broad coverage that save lives when used for the proper indications. But levofloxacin made news a few years ago for a rare but reportable risk of Achilles tendon rupture. Now this class of antibiotics, the fluoroquinolones, will carry a new warning for peripheral neuropathy. Huh?
•  Peripheral neuropathy, or neuralgia, means nerve disease or damage.
•  Peripheral nerves take messages from the brain and spinal cord to muscles, organs and other tissues.
•  These nerves affect pain sensation, movement and balance.
•  Hypersensitivity to painful and not painful (light touch) stimuli occurs with peripheral neuropathy.
•  Tingling and numbness in hands and feet is an early sign of peripheral neuropathy. You may also have burning, hot and cold, and stinging shooting pain (good times, huh?)
•  News came out last week that the FDA is requiring drug labels of all fluoroquinolone antibiotics to warn about the serious adverse effect of peripheral neuropathy. The nerve damage may occur from these antibiotics and may be permanent.
•  Is this new news? Not really, but the FDA wants a stronger warning. It’s exceedingly rare, and in premarketing studies reports of tingling, weakness and neuropathic pain occurred in less than 1% of folks taking the drug and usually ceased after stopping the medication.
•  What you should know is that any of these drugs should be stopped immediately if you if experience pain, burning, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness.
•  Stopping the medication if you get these symptoms can prevent the development of an irreversible

Your Toxic Exposures and Good Neuropathy Care

Your Toxic Exposures and
Good Neuropathy Care  
One of the things that is new to many patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain is the effect that daily exposure to multiple environmental toxins can have.
For example, the average person is exposed to numerous chemicals everyday in our air, water, and even our food. Some of these substances may pass through the body harmlessly, yet others may linger in fatty tissues, creating a whole host of health problems.

But this is tricky. With rare exception, most accumulations are slow or insidious. Exceptions could be exposure to large amounts of acute toxins, such as solvents.
Note these toxins can be anything from radon gas in the house to chemical pesticide residues on food, to antibiotic residues, which are now commonly present in water.
Living healthily means you need to avoid as much toxic exposure from your environment and food as possible. So let?s talk about some of the most important things we can do.

Perhaps the most important source of toxins you can correct immediately is filtering your drinking water. We strongly recommend a pitcher or whole house type water filter with a carbon filter..."John Hayes Jr." <info@perfectpracticeweb.com>