Welcome to Your Neuropathy Toolkit!

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of cancer treatment. CIPN symptoms vary from patient to patient, but in general, side effects include: feeling of numbness or "pins and needles" in your hands and feet; difficulty picking up an object or buttoning clothing; ringing in your ears or loss of hearing; changes in vision; sudden, stabbing pains in your hands or feet; constipation/difficulty urinating; muscle weakness or cramps; loss of balance or having difficulty walking; and feeling heat and cold, more or less than usual.

To help you manage symptoms, the Zakim Center has developed a "toolkit" of short educational and self-guided videos. Here you'll find self-massage, self-acupressure, guided imagery meditation, exercises, and more. The techniques employed in these videos may help alleviate symptoms, but there is currently no clear treatment for neuropathy that will improve nerve damage. It is important to speak with your oncology team to report any concerns and create a treatment plan that works for you.

We’d love to hear your feedback. Please share directly by emailing Zakim_Center@dfci.harvard.edu

Hand & Arm Self-Massage for Neuropathy

In this 10-minute video, Bambi P. Mathay, LMT, BCTMB, RMT, demonstrates a self-guided massage that may help reduce symptoms of neuropathy in the arms and hands.

Lower Body Self-Massage for Neuropathy

In this 13-minute video, Juliana Berfield, PhD, E-RYT 500, CPT, demonstrates a self-guided massage that may help reduce symptoms of neuropathy in the legs and feet.