Neuropathic pain is a complicated kind of chronic pain brought on by harm to or malfunction of peripheral or central nervous system nerves. This pain is brought on by abnormal nerve signaling, as opposed to nociceptive pain, which is brought on by tissue damage or injury. It is often described as shooting, burning, tingling, or electric-like pain. This pain can be debilitating and can have a bad impact on a person's quality of life.
Peripheral Neuropathy: The peripheral nerves are responsible for transmitting signals from the central nervous system to the rest of the body, are impacted by peripheral neuropathy.
Postherpetic Neuralgia: Following an epidemic of shingles (herpes zoster), neuropathic pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia, develops. It is characterized by persistent pain in the area where the shingles rash occurred.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: CRPS is a chronic pain condition that typically affects the extremity, such as the arm or leg. It is believed to result from abnormal nerve activity and inflammation, often triggered by an injury or trauma.
Trigeminal Neuralgia: Trigeminal neuralgia often affects the trigeminal nerve distribution and results in severe facial pain. It is characterized by sudden, severe, and repetitive episodes of sharp facial pain, often triggered by everyday activities like eating or speaking.
A thorough review of the patient's medical history, a physical examination, and specific diagnostic procedures are required to diagnose neuropathic pain. To evaluate the underlying cause and the degree of nerve injury, the healthcare professional may do neurological examinations, imaging tests, nerve conduction investigations, or skin biopsies.
Neuropathic pain should be addressed seriously since it can drastically lower a person's quality of life. You must speak with a doctor if your neuropathic pain is persistent or worsening. Signs that neuropathic pain may be serious include
Medication: Opioids, topical creams, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants may be used to treat symptoms and control neuropathic pain.
Physical therapy: Targeted exercises, stretches, and modalities can help improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance overall functioning.
Psychological support: To help manage the emotional and psychological effects of chronic pain, counselling, CBT, and relaxation techniques are all effective.
Interventional pain management techniques can be effective in treating neuropathic pain when conservative measures are inadequate. These may include
Nerve blocks: Local anesthetics or steroids are injected near the affected nerves to provide pain relief and interrupt abnormal pain signaling.
Spinal cord stimulation: A device is implanted near the spinal cord, delivering electrical impulses to modify or block pain signals from reaching the brain.
Radiofrequency ablation: Heat generated by radio waves is used to temporarily disrupt nerve signals and alleviate pain.
At Kerur Pain Care, we understand the impact that neuropathic pain can have on your daily life. Our devoted team of medical specialists focuses on diagnosing and treating neuropathic pain and provides individualized strategies catered to your unique requirements. We work to reduce pain, increase function, and improve your general well-being using pharmaceutical management, physical therapy, and interventional pain methods. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards finding relief from neuropathic pain.