Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain is a complicated and often chronic pain condition. It can happen when there is damage on the nerves that transfer information between the brain and the spinal cord.
When you have neuropathic pain, your pain isn’t triggered by a certain activity. The body just sends pain signals to the brain unprompted.
People with neuropathic pain may experience tingling, freezing, burning, or out of the blue stabbing pains. It can happen constantly or intermittently. There can also be numbness or loss of sensation on the limb.
What Causes Neuropathic Pain?
There are different causes of neuropathic pain and they are categorized into four – disease, injury, infection, and loss of limb.
• Disease
Neuropathic pain can be a symptom or a result of a complication of a disease. Diabetes, cancer, and multiple sclerosis are just examples of conditions that can cause neuropathic pain.
• Injury
Injuries to the back, leg, or hip can cause lasting damages to the nerves, leading to persistent pain even after years of the injury. There are also spine conditions that may lead to neuropathic pain. This includes herniated discs and spinal cord compression.
• Infection
Shingles, a disease caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, can cause weeks of neuropathic pain. People with syphilis or HIV may also experience unexplained, persistent pain.
• Loss of limb
After losing a limb or any body part, some people experience what we call phantom limb syndrome. It’s a rare kind of neuropathic pain where the brain still thinks it’s receiving pain signals from the removed limb or body part.
How we treat Neuropathic Pain
The treatment plan for neuropathic pain depends on many factors including the underlying cause and the severity of one’s condition.
For mild to moderate cases, over-the-counter and prescription medications may be recommended. Neuromodulation may also be suggested. It is a form of therapy on which an electrode is attached along the peripheral nerve to help switch off pain signals.
If there is very little to no relief from these conservative measures, our specialists may then recommend surgery. The surgery is for the implantable device that can send electrical signals to the brain, spinal cord, or nerves. These impulses can stop irregular nerve signals and consequently, stop the symptoms.
To find out what treatment option suits you, speak with one of our specialists at South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. For a same day or next day appointment, please call (772) 288-2400.