Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic Pain is caused by damage or disease which affects the somatosensory nervous system. It can be associated with abnormal sensations or pain from normally non-painful stimuli. It can be continuous or episodic components.
The common symptoms include burning, coldness, the sensation of pricking pins or needles, numbness, and itching.
It is challenging to treat the pain entirely, but it is not life-threatening. This pain can lead to disorders in the peripheral nervous system or the central nervous system. This pain can occur with a combination of different forms. This can be classified into three types:
- Peripheral neuropathic pain
- Central neuropathic pain
- Mixed neuropathic pain
Cause
Neuropathic pain is joint in cancer, affecting the peripheral nerves or a side-effect of chemotherapy, radiation injury, or surgery. Central Neuropathic Pain is caused by spinal cord injury, sclerosis, or strokes. Peripheral Neuropathic Pain is caused by diabetes, metabolic disorder, herpes infection, etc.
Injuries to tissue, muscle, or joint are very uncommon causes of this pain. But some problems in the back, leg, and hip problems or injuries can cause lasting damage to nerves. Injury can be healed, but the damage to the nervous system may not be cured. Herniated discs and spinal cord compression can damage the nerve fibers around your spine, which can cause neuropathic pain.
Infections rarely cause pain. But some conditions like shingles which are caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus, can cause neuropathic pain. A syphilis infection or HIV can also lead to it.
Phantom Limb Syndrome is caused when the arm or leg has been amputated, which can lead to neuropathic pain because your brain still receives that pain signals from the amputated part. There are other causes like Vitamin B deficiency, Thyroid problems, facial nerve problems, or arthritis in the spine.
Diagnosis
The doctor will consider your medical history and do a physical exam on you. If they suspect that you have a nerve injury, they will try to find neuropathic pain symptoms in you. They will try to find the cause and then trace the symptoms.
Symptoms
There are many symptoms in of this Pain which include:
- Spontaneous Pain
The person will feel the pain without any stimulation.
- Evoked Pain
This pain can be caused by non-painful stimuli, cold, gentle brushing against the skin, pressure, etc., and is known as Allodynia. It can also be caused by painful stimuli, which are pinpricks or heat, and is known as Hyperalgesia.
- Dysesthesia
It is an unpleasant, abnormal sensation, whether spontaneous or evoked.
- Trouble in sleeping
Getting trouble while sleeping
or emotional problems due to disturbed sleep and pain.
- Hypoalgesia
Those pains are lessened in response to a typically painful stimulus.
Treatment
Various medications are used to treat it. These medicines are approved by FDA to treat other conditions and are now identified as being beneficial to treat neuropathic pain. Some patients find antidepressants helpful to treat neuropathic pain. Some patients also use some Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
When these medicines are also not effective, then heart arrhythmia can be of some benefit for some patients. But there are side effects because of which it has to be monitored closely.
There have been many arguments for promoting narcotics as a medicine for treating Neuropathic Pain. There are no recommendations for using drugs for the treatment. The cure of pain depends on the cause of the pain. But the reduction in pain can take months to years.
Anti-seizure medications are also often used to treat neuropathic pain. It is unclear how and why anti-seizure drugs work for this condition, but researchers believed that this medicine interferes with pain signals and stops faculty transmissions. Doctors can also inject steroids, local anesthesia, or any other pain medication into your nerves which can be responsible for the wayward pain signals. These are temporary, so you have to repeat them regularly to keep them working.
Doctors can use Implantable devices in your body used in the brain and some parts of the spine. Once the devices are implanted, it sends electrical impulses in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves to stop the irregular nerve signals and control symptoms. These devices are used in people who are not responding to other treatment options.
If your doctor identifies the underlying cause of your pain, then you can measure to eliminate or reduce the pain. For example, if diabetes is causing neuropathic pain, you can take a healthy diet and regular exercise, which can help you in reducing the pain or in removing it. You can also take a multi-pronged approach which is an effective way to manage the pain, consisting of medications, physical therapy, psychological treatment surgery, or implantation.
Risk factors
Nerve problems caused by Carpal tunnel syndrome or any other conditions can cause neuropathic pain. Trauma or nerve injury can also lead to it. It can also be caused by diabetes, vitamins, cancer, HIV, stroke, sclerosis, and cancer treatments.
Natural Treatments
Several natural treatments can be done to minimize the effect of neuropathic pain. I’ll be mentioning some natural treatment below:
- Vitamins
Vitamin deficiencies cause some neuropathic pain. You should increase vitamins in your diet, and doctors may tell you to take vitamins.
- cayenne pepper
It contains capsaicin which has pain-relieving properties. It decreases the intensity of pain signals sent through your body. You can use Cayenne pepper in your diet or can take capsaicin supplements. You should consult your doctor before using it.
- Warm bath
You should take a warm bath instead of a cold bath. It can soothe the pain symptom and increase blood circulation.
- Acupuncture
It can help you by stimulating the pressure points of the body. It can change the pain experience or threshold. It allows you to provide an energy balance to your body which affects your emotional well-being.
Neuropathic pain can negatively impact your life, but if you don’t take steps to treat or prevent the pain, it can worsen. It is not treated on time; then, it can lead to severe disability and complications, including depression, insomnia, anxiety, and more. Researchers are trying to find a way which can effectively treat the pain. You and your doctor can work together to find relief from the symptoms of this painful condition.