I’m currently struggling with what seems to be small fiber neuropathy following a COVID infection. I first got sick on September 1st—it was a mild case with just one night of fever—but by the end of October, I started noticing intermittent tingling in my hands and feet. By late November, this turned into constant pinprick sensations, numbness, and paresthesia in my limbs. In early December, I had such intense paresthesia that I went to the emergency room, though they sent me home since I didn’t have motor issues. By the middle of the month, I was experiencing body-wide muscle twitching, severe night sweats, and sharp pains. I’ve had a brain and neck MRI, an EMG, and nerve studies, plus blood tests, and everything came back clear. My first neurologist was stumped. A second specialist ordered more labs, and I had a positive ANA result, though I know those can be unreliable and need further investigation. Lately, I’ve been feeling a strange internal vibration throughout my body as I drift off or wake up, almost like a phone vibrating under the mattress. My symptoms seemed to settle down after mid-December, and I hoped I was recovering, but they’ve flared up again this week, which has me worried. I’m waiting to follow up on the ANA test; it wouldn’t surprise me if this is an autoimmune response, given the links between COVID and SFN. Has anyone else here dealt with these types of symptoms post-COVID?
Yes, I’ve had this since 2020. I saw a neuromuscular expert who mentioned they’re seeing a significant influx of post-COVID patients.
My symptoms were identical to yours. My physician thinks it was triggered by COVID (either the virus or the vaccine). I’m still dealing with it, but the episodes have become less frequent and less severe over time.
I have. I caught a mild case of COVID in January 2022. About three weeks later, I started getting random burning patches on my skin. This eventually localized to my upper legs and persisted for ten months. It disappeared for a couple of months, then recurred mildly for about a year. In March 2024, I had a two-month flare-up of intense burning in those same spots before it subsided again. Since October, the burning has returned to the usual areas. I’ve also noticed some odd sensations this year: my left foot occasionally feels like it’s going numb even though I can still feel everything, and for a while, I’d wake up with a buzzing feeling in my arms, like an electric current, which would fade after half a minute. Both my EMG and skin punch biopsy results were normal.
Absolutely, I went through the exact same thing. I contracted the original COVID strain back in March 2020. Later that year, I managed to see a neurologist specializing in dysautonomia. A tilt table test confirmed I had POTS, and a QSART test suggested SFN. We prioritized treating the POTS with Mestinon. My SFN symptoms didn’t really become severe until about two years later, at which point they became completely overwhelming. I had moved by then, so I had to find a new medical team. My new primary doctor ordered an EMG, which came back negative—not unusual for SFN, from what I understand. However, because of my previous test results, she prescribed Gabapentin and eventually Cymbalta. Those medications, combined with magnesium (oral and topical) and medical marijuana, have made a huge difference. I still experience flares, but it’s no longer a daily struggle. I’m happy to answer any questions you have!