What is neuropathic pain?

Neuropathic pain is usually caused by a chronic, progressive nerve disease though it can also occur as the result of injury or infection. People with neuropathic pain may experience a shooting, burning pain which may be constant or occur intermittently in addition to a feeling of tingling, numbness, or a loss of sensation.

It can go away on its own but is often chronic. Sometimes it is unrelenting and severe, and sometimes it comes and goes. It often is the result of nerve damage or a malfunctioning nervous system. The impact of nerve damage is a change in nerve function both at the site of the injury and areas around it.

Neuropathic pain can flare up at any time without an obvious pain-inducing event or factor as neuropathic pain isn’t typically triggered by an event or injury. Instead, the body just sends pain signals to your brain unprompted. Neuropathic pain tends to get worse over time.

Understanding the possible causes can help you find better treatments and ways to prevent the pain from getting worse over time. The most common causes for neuropathic pain can be divided into four main categories: disease, injury, infection and loss of limb.

Diabetes is responsible for 30 percent of neuropathic cases as chronic diabetes can impact how the nerves work. Also, long-term excessive alcohol intake can cause many complications including chronic neuropathic pain.

Cancer treatment may cause neuropathic pain as both chemotherapy and radiation can impact the nervous system and cause unusual pain signals while injuries to tissue, muscles, or joints are an uncommon cause of neuropathic pain.

Each person’s symptoms of neuropathic pain may vary slightly but some symptoms are common; shooting, burning, or stabbing pain, tingling and numbness, or a “pins and needles” feeling, spontaneous pain, or pain that occurs without a trigger, evoked pain, or pain that’s caused by events that are typically not painful, a chronic sensation of feeling unpleasant or abnormal, difficulty sleeping or resting and emotional problems.

To treat neuropathic pain, the underlying disease or condition that’s responsible for the pain must first be identified. The most common treatments for neuropathic pain include over-the-counter pain medication, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Opioid pain medications, anti-seizure medications and anticonvulsants, temporary nerve blocks, implantable device, topical pain relievers and antidepressant medications; tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These may treat both the pain and symptoms of depression or anxiety caused by chronic pain.

There are however lifestyle treatments which include physical activities, relaxation and massage therapies used to relieve symptoms of neuropathic pain.

Taking care of blood sugar levels can also prevent worsening pain and numbness. Also, a multipronged approach can be an effective way to manage the condition as well as a combination of medications, physical therapy, psychological treatment, and even surgery or implants may be used to bring about the best results.

Neuropathic pain can negatively impact your life if you don’t take steps to treat it and prevent worsening symptoms. Over time, this can lead to serious disability and complications, including depression, problems sleeping, anxiety, and more.

Finding the correct treatment options can take time as neuropathic pain often responds poorly to standard pain treatments and occasionally may get worse instead of better over time.

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