Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic Pain Q & A

What is neuropathic pain?

Neuropathic pain is a complex condition with more than one cause. Sometimes neuropathic pain results from damage to your peripheral or spinal nerves due to an infection, accident, disease, or surgery. The damaged nerves misfire and send pain signals that can feel like burning, tingling, freezing, or numbness. You might feel a “pins and needles” sensation.

A common form of neuropathic pain is caused by diabetes. This happens when the condition causes nerve damage in your feet and hands, producing a painful, burning sensation. Neuropathic pain also occurs when pain circuits in your spinal cord and peripheral nerves go into overdrive. The result is an unwelcome flood of pain messages.

A similar process happens with what’s commonly called phantom limb pain. This happens when pain signals are still firing, even though an injured limb is gone.

What are the symptoms of neuropathic pain?

Neuropathic pain is ongoing pain that’s often described as burning or electric. It’s associated with other symptoms, including:

• Paresthesia – Numbness, tingling, or a lack of feeling
• Allodynia – Painful sensations from things that typically aren’t painful, such as a chilly wind
• Hyperalgesia – An outsized feeling of pain in reaction to something that’s not painful, such as being touched with the tip of a pen

What causes neuropathic pain?

• Diabetes
• Chemotherapy
• HIV/AIDS and the medications to treat HIV/AIDS
• Inflammation from shingles, Lyme disease, hepatitis B
• Autoimmune disorders, such as celiac disease, vasculitis, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, and Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Metabolic ailments, including hypoglycemia
• Hereditary conditions, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

How is neuropathic pain treated?

Treatment depends on the severity of your condition. Over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen can help ease the symptoms of mild or moderate neuropathic pain. A wide range of prescription medications are available to offer relief in more serious cases of neuropathic pain. Some of these medications work by short-circuiting pain signals or tamping down the inflammation and pain.

You may want to consider other treatment options, including neuromodulation. During this therapy, an electrode is attached along your peripheral nerve to help switch off pain signals. Another option is surgery on your affected nerves.

Dr. Neumann at The Spine Center of Louisiana can advise you whether you’re a candidate for one or more of these treatment options. If you’re ready to take steps to alleviate your pain symptoms and enhance your overall well-being, call or schedule an online consultation today with the experienced team at The Spine Center of Louisiana.