Persistent pain is a common symptom of neuropathic pain. It’s usually the outcome of degenerative nerve disease, but trauma or infection can also play a role.
You may not know what triggered your recurrent neuropathic pain. Acute neuropathic pain can occur, albeit it is unusual.
Pain that is not caused by nerves, or non-neuropathic pain, is also known as nociceptive pain, and it is often the result of an injury or illness. To give just one example, if a heavy book were to fall on your foot, your nervous system would immediately convey pain signals.
Injuries and accidents are not typically the cause of neuropathic pain. Instead, it sends signals to the brain whenever it’s uncomfortable.
The pain of this type may be sharp or piercing in nature. This pain may be intermittent or persistent. Lack of sensation or numbness is also common.
Chronic neuropathic pain tends to worsen over time
About a third of the population in the United States is always in pain. Nerve damage causes discomfort in about 20% of the population.
A 2014 study estimated that 10% of the US population had neuropathic pain.
If you can identify the root causes of your pain, you can develop more effective treatments and prevent the pain from getting worse.
What causes the discomfort of neuropathic Pain?
Illness, injury, infection, and amputation are the four most common causes of neuropathic pain.
Disease
Neuropathic pain can be a consequence of or a sign of many different diseases and conditions. The list includes conditions like MS and M. myeloma as well as malignancies of varying types.
However, some people with these conditions may also experience the discomfort of neuropathic pain.
Diabetes is the leading cause of neuropathy, according to research conducted by the Cleveland Clinic. Chronic diabetes may have an effect on your nervous system.
Numbness and loss of feeling in the limbs and fingers, followed by pain, burning, and stinging, are common complaints among people with diabetes.
Long-term heavy alcohol use is linked to numerous health problems, including chronic neuropathic pain. Intense pain and permanent nerve damage can result from heavy alcohol usage.
Extreme facial neuropathic pain on one side of the face is caused by a painful illness known as trigeminal neuralgia. This type of neuropathic pain is rather common and can strike for no apparent reason.
Finally, cancer treatment can cause neuropathic pain. Pain perception may be altered by radiation and chemotherapy, both of which target the nervous system.
Injuries
Injuries to muscles, joints, or other bodily tissues are a rare cause of neuropathic pain. Similarly, injuries to the back, legs, or hips can cause lasting damage to nerves.
The injury might mend, but the harm to the nervous system might not. This could cause pain even long after the initial incident has passed.
Neuropathic pain can also be caused by spinal injuries sustained in accidents or otherwise. Herniated discs and spinal cord compression can cause damage to the nerve fibres in and around your spine.
Infection
Nerve discomfort due to an infection is unusual.
Pain along a nerve for weeks at a time can be caused by shingles, which is caused by the re-emergence of the chicken pox virus. Postherpetic neuralgia is a rare yet painful complication of shingles.
Pain like a bee sting or a burn that you can’t put your finger on could be the result of a syphilis infection. HIV patients may feel this mysterious pain.
Putation unsuccessful
Phantom limb syndrome is a rare but painful kind of neuropathic pain that can occur after amputation of an arm or leg. It’s as though your brain is fooled into thinking it’s still getting pain signals from the severed limb.
But what’s really happening is that the nerves in the area of the amputation are malfunctioning and sending erroneous messages to the brain.
In addition to the limbs, the fingers, toes, penis, and ears can also be affected by phantom pain.
Aside from that…
Other potential triggers of neuropathic pain include
- Vitamin B deficiency
- Condition: palmar-plantar syndrome
- Disorders of the thyroid
- Complications with the facet joints and associated nerves
- osteoarthritis of the spine
Symptoms – What Do They Mean?
While the specific manifestations of neuropathic pain in any given individual might vary widely, the following symptoms seem to be common:
- Searing, burning or piercing agony
- pins-and-needles feeling (tingling and numbness)
- pain that arises out of the blue, or spontaneous agony
Pain that is the result of brushing your hair, rubbing up against something, or being exposed to extreme temperatures is an example of induced pain.
- Feeling nervous or out of place all the time
- Having a hard time unwinding or falling asleep
A mental health problem caused by factors such as chronic discomfort, lack of sleep, and difficulty expressing feelings
What method do you use to deal with it?
One of the goals of treating neuropathic pain is to identify the underlying sickness or condition responsible for the pain and treat it, if at all possible.
The primary goal of your doctor will be to lessen your suffering, make it easier for you to go about your everyday life in spite of the pain, and improve your overall quality of life.
Listed below are some of the most often used treatments for neuropathic pain:
Nonprescription analgesics
NSAIDs like Aleve and Motrin are occasionally used to alleviate neuropathic pain.
Many individuals suffering with neuropathic pain, however, report that traditional painkillers are unhelpful since they don’t address the underlying cause of their discomfort.
Prescription Medications
When compared to the treatment of other types of pain, neuropathic pain is often less well treated with Pregabalin 50mg. And because of the potential for addiction, some doctors may be hesitant to prescribe them.
To alleviate pain, even more, analgesic creams can be rubbed in. Some examples are capsaicin patches, patches containing lidocaine, and ointments and lotions that are available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Antidepressant medication
- The use of Generic Lyrica for the relief of neuropathic pain has shown promising results.
- Patients with this condition usually take one of two antidepressant classes:
- tricyclic antidepressants
- Medications that block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
- Both the physical discomfort and the accompanying emotional distress caused by chronic pain may be alleviated with the help of these methods.
Anticonvulsants
Common medications used to alleviate neuropathic pain include anticonvulsants and anti-seizure medications. The most common indication for Generic Lyrica is for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Experts speculate that anti-seizure medications work by blocking pain impulses and aberrant communications, but this is not yet fully understood.
Paralysed by a blockage in the nerves
Your doctor may decide to inject medicines, such as steroids or local anaesthetics, directly into the nerves they believe are responsible for the abnormal pain signals. These building blocks are temporary, therefore they need to be repeated to keep going.
Tools that can be inserted under the skin
In this extensive procedure, a surgeon will insert a device inside your body. There are devices used in the brain and devices used in the spine.
Once a device is implanted, it can send electrical signals to the brain, spinal cord, or nerves. It’s possible that the symptoms could be alleviated or prevented altogether if the impulses were able to stop the incorrect nerve messages.
These devices are often reserved for patients who have not responded favourably to traditional forms of treatment.
Adjustments to one’s way of life
Physical, relaxation and massage therapy have all shown promise in alleviating neuropathic pain’s distressing side effects. Tension in the muscles can be reduced with this kind of treatment.
Your doctor should also be able to give you some pointers on how to cope with the discomfort you’re experiencing.
Some people with neuropathic pain, for example, may experience a worsening of their symptoms after being sedentary for a long period of time. This could make it difficult to perform desk tasks.
Physical therapists and occupational therapists can teach you techniques for sitting, stretching, standing, and moving that will reduce pain.
What can I do to alleviate the pain?
Your doctor may be able to reduce or eliminate your neuropathic pain if he or she can determine its cause and treat it.
One common cause of neuropathic pain is diabetes. Taking care of your diabetes through things like diet and exercise can help reduce neuropathic pain.
- Keeping blood sugar levels stable can prevent tingling and pain from worsening.
- Treatment that uses more than one approach
- Using a combination of approaches, the disease can be controlled.
Prescription medication, physical therapy, psychological counselling, and possibly even surgical intervention or implantable technologies may all be utilised in combination for optimal results.
Outlook
Neuropathy can have a negative impact on your life if you don’t take steps to treat it and prevent the symptoms from worsening.
Anxiety, sleeplessness, sadness, and other mental health issues are just some of the consequences that might arise from this.
Fortunately, doctors and researchers are learning more about what triggers this disorder and how to treat it. As a result, we have more effective therapeutic options to choose from.
Finding the right treatment for you can take some time, but with the support of your doctor, you can find some respite from the distressing symptoms of this condition.
