Neuropathy, as stated above, is a rare complication resulting from inflammation in the blood vessels that lead to nerves. A more common form of neuropathy is one in which the person develops numbness or a burning sensation in a glove-and-stocking distribution without any obvious blood vessel disturbance. In most cases this second type of neuropathy improves with the effective treatment of arthritis.Inflammation can create local pressure that squeezes or pinches nerves and thereby causes numbness or weakness. This nerve compression can result from swelling or from structural changes occurring in the joint. Nerves that travel near joints in the elbows and feet are sometimes compressed in RA, the most commonly pinched nerve being the median nerve that runs through the wrist. When the wrist becomes swollen, pressure increases in the joint, and the nerve becomes compressed. This causes numbness and tingling in the middle three fingers, a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also develop if the nerve becomes bent or kinked. Chronic inflammation sometimes changes the alignment of the wrist and so causes the nerve to deviate from its normal path. People who don’t have RA can also develop carpal tunnel syndrome. It occurs most commonly in people who keep their wrists bent in the same position for long periods of time (such as people who work at computer terminals).Wrist splints often help decrease symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in RA patients. Other means of decreasing inflammation, such as anti-inflammatory medications or wrist corticosteroid injections, are also helpful. If the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are severe or persistent, surgery may be required.*29/209/5*

Many sufferers of IBS complain of insomnia although rarely is it due to actual pain. Many say they are aware of wind but it does not really cause discomfort, only a feeling of extreme wakefulness. Judith’s story is typical:I know by early evening what the night will bring. After my meal I start to feel restless and sometimes slightly uncomfortable in my tummy. When bed time comes my mind is weary and I long for sleep but I feel so wide awake. The pattern is so familiar now I just have to accept it. I get up and down and have a hot drink or a snack and then so predictably about 3 a.m. I can feel rumblings in my gut and – it is like someone pressing a switch – I can then fall asleep. I sometimes find that eating something quite substantial helps to speed the process up a bit. I also find that massaging my feet very firmly and -1 know it sounds odd – having a cold shower and then getting back into a warm bed sometimes does the trick.Judith’s cold shower may not be such a strange idea; it is accepted that food allergy symptoms are much worse if you are hot. It is also understandable that the bowel can cause sleeplessness even when their is no discomfort; bacteria in the gut produce chemicals which make us sleepy, so if there is an imbalance in the gut flora this effect may be reduced.Other causes of insomnia include excitement, worry, itching, pain, lack of exercise and fresh air and breathing problems.What Can I Do?It is unlikely that you will find anything that is consistently helpful other than taking good care of your nervous system. This begins when you get up in the morning. It is a mistake to habitually sleep late if you have a bad night. This disturbs the normal body rhythm and because you miss the effect of the light in the brightest part of the day you end up feeling jet-lagged all the time. You can always rest later in the day but force yourself out of bed and keep to a routine.*66\326\8*