Neuropathy can significantly impact a person’s daily life, making it difficult to carry out everyday tasks and routines, such as walking, cooking, dressing, etc. Numbness and tingling in the feet and hands can also cause a loss of balance and coordination, increasing the risk of falls and injuries.
In this blog post, we will explore in detail what neuropathy treatment is, its causes, and various treatment options available for a pain-free life. Let’s begin.
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathy is a common condition affecting the nerves responsible for transmitting messages from the spinal cord and the brain to the remaining parts of the body. Your body feels pain when the chemical and electrical impulses send messages to the brain from the wound. And when a nerve or a group of nerves is hurt or damaged, it leads to neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain, as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), is pain caused by a disease or lesion of the somatosensory nervous system.
Most people assume neuropathic pain only occurs in the hand and feet. But let us tell you that this pain can occur in any part of the body where nerves exist, be it the arms, legs, or back.
Chronic pain can flare up anytime without the presence of a pain-inducing factor. Unlike non-neuropathic pain, which occurs due to an injury or illness, neuropathic pain occurs without a relevant injury. Instead, the body sends signals to the brain without any trigger.
Common Causes of Neuropathic Pain
Most often, neuropathic pain occurs with no apparent cause. But some cases of neuropathy pain can be caused due to: –
1. Multiple Sclerosis
2. Shingles
3. HIV Infection or AIDS
4. Spine Surgery
5. Diabetes
6. Syphilis
7. Exposure to toxins
8. Alcohol or excessive drinking
9. Vitamin deficiency
10.Thyroid Issues
11.Multiple Myeloma
12.Facial Nerve Problems
What are the Symptoms of Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathy symptoms majorly depend on the underlying causes. However, the common neuropathy symptoms are: –
1. Muscle weakness
2. Paralysis (in case of damaged motor nerves)
3. Throbbing, stabbing, and piercing pain
4. Numbness is a sensation of pins and needles or a tingling sensation in your hands and feet that gently spreads to the upper part of the body.
5. Lack of coordination in the body
6. Touch sensitivity
7. Feeling pain in doing easy or day-to-day tasks like putting lightweight on feet, etc.
8. Throbbing back pain
In case the autonomic nerves are affected, the symptoms may include:-
1. Drop in blood pressure
2. Digestive or bowel issues
3. Heat intolerance
4. No sweat at all or sweating an unusually large amount
5. Loss of sleep
6. Difficulty expressing how you’re feeling
7. Difficulty resting
Neuropathy Diagnosis
Neuropathic pain treatment in Cincinnati is focused on finding out the root cause of pain and treating it if possible. Your doctor may ask certain questions about the symptoms and examine you. In the examination, they will test your reflexes, sensitivity to touch, and muscle strength. They will also consider your medical history, including symptoms related to lifestyle, drinking habits, family history of the nervous system, etc.
Your doctor may also refer you for specific tests, including: –
1. A CT/MRI scan to find the underlying cause of pain. These tests detect pinched nerves, tumors, or other abnormalities affecting the blood vessels or bones.
2. Blood tests check the general health of the body and identify vitamin deficiency, diabetes, immune function problems, etc.
3. Nerve conduction studies to find out how quickly your nerves respond and carry electrical signals. One such test is electromyography, which records electrical activity in your muscles to detect nerve damage.
4. Other nerve function tests may include autonomic reflex screens that record how the autonomic nerve fibers work, sweat tests that help know your ability to sweat, and sensory tests recording how you feel vibration, touch, or heat.
Neuropathic Pain Treatment
Antidepressant drugs and anticonvulsant drugs are the first choice for treating neuropathic pain. But it is better to consult your healthcare provider before you take any medicine for treating neuropathic pain. Apart from that, other effective ways of treating include: –
1. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has been gaining immense popularity among the other options. Your physical therapist may provide the following recommendations to treat neuropathic pain:
1. Moderate intensity exercise – Moderate intensity exercises help improve strength and physical function.
2. Nerve gliding exercises – Your nerves require three things to function properly – blood, space, and movement. Exercises contributing to the movement and gliding of the nerves will help manage neuropathic pain symptoms.
3. Balance and coordination activities – Your therapist may also work on different exercises that promote coordination and balance, which neuropathy can easily affect. An improved balance and coordination in the body reduce the risk of falling.
4. Bracing – In some cases, your physical therapist may also recommend bracing for your nerve injury. Braces help in easy movement and protect the injured nerves.
2. TENS Therapy
Your physical therapist may also recommend neuropathy treatment with TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine. A TENS machine delivers a small impulse at the affected area causing pain via an electrode attached to the skin.
This impulse may stimulate the affected nerves, blocking pain signals. Thus, reducing painful symptoms and providing relief.
3. Lifestyle Changes
Consuming a healthy diet, regularly exercising, and saying no to smoking also help improve nerve function and pain symptoms.
Summary
Nerve injury or damage can cause neuropathic pain. Physical therapy can help treat neuropathy and neuropathic pain symptoms and weakness. However, the ability of these treatments to work on the issue will depend on the cause of the neuropathy.
A person can benefit from physical therapy for neuropathy and taking medication to treat its root cause. If you are looking for an experienced and trustworthy clinic for neuropathic pain treatment, you are at the right place. Renew Medical Centre has well-qualified clinicians who will diagnose your issues and provide a great customized solution for chronic neuropathic pain.
