What kind of Dr does a skin punch biopsy for nueropathy?

[SLEEPY101]

I wasnt able to find this on google. Do I have to be referred to a Nuerologist to get a punch biopsy done? Is it hard to convince a Dr to do this test? I had a nerve conduction test a few years ago. It was negative and then nerve damage was dismissed. My burning it a lot worse now. I hope I can get some more testing done. I don't know if my GP will refer me to a nuero or if she will want me to wait for my new Rhuemy visit in March. I want to get the ball rolling. I am on nuerotin it helps the numbness but not the pain.

[irish]

I don't know a lot about this and didn't do a search, but I would assume that since you have neuropathy you would see a neurologist and he would order the kind of biopsy he wants done. Chances are you will have to be seen by a surgeon who would do the biopsy.

I know that when I had a muscle biopsy done it was such a tricky thing to do that I was sent from the university to another surgeon who pretty much did nothing but muscle biopsies. This doc was one of several docs in the metro area that did most of the muscle biopsies. Apparently much more technical than one would guess. Everything is always complicated. Can't go from point A to point B without a lot of zigzagging on the way. Hope you have good luck. Someone will show up who knows the whole story. Irish

[Shell]

Hi,

My neurologist ordered the skin biopsy for me and I went to Johns Hopkins to have it done.  I live in the area, and the analysis of the sample was done at Hopkins, so that made it easy for me.  There are not many labs that analyze skin biopsies for SFN.  I know of Hopkins and Therapath--perhaps other members know of other labs that process them.  Your doctor can arrange to have your specimen collected locally and then sent to Hopkins for analysis.  The instructions and many other details are on their website.  To me, it was very easy and basically painless.  The "worst" part was a tiny shot to numb the three areas--above my ankle, above and to the side of my knee, and the top of my thigh on the side.  Then you just need to keep the areas bandaged, clean, and dry initially as there is a small hole until it heals. 

Here's the Hopkins link:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/specialty_areas/cutaneous_nerve_lab/

Good luck,
Shell