Neuropathic pain causes an odd piercing sensation and may alter the perception of temperature and touch. The condition can be severe enough to impact aspects of your life, including sleep, routine chores, and social interactions. However, timely therapeutic interventions for neuropathic pain Austin can restore your quality of life. Find out what causes neuropathic pain and potential treatments.
What causes neuropathic pain?
Neuropathic pain is often due to impairments in your nervous system. The nervous system consists of neural networks responsible for touch, heat, and pain sensations. Neuropathy happens when there are irregularities in more than one neural network.
The anomalies in nerve tissue cause uncomfortable stabbing pain or numbness in your limbs, fingers, or toes. Neuropathy sometimes contains irregularities around the area. But it can also spread to the central nervous system and affect organs.
Cases of neuropathy vary and have different causes and symptoms. The most common factors causing neuropathic pain include:
Diabetic neuropathy: Diabetes accounts for approximately a third of neuropathic pain cases. Fluctuating blood sugar levels damage the nerves, causing pain in the legs and hands. You can limit your risk by visiting your doctor regularly for checkups.
Health conditions: Health conditions like stroke and Parkinson’s disease cause signaling irregularities between the brain and spinal cord. Inadequate blood circulation triggers ischemic nerve damage in the brain of stroke patients. Without proper management, the pain can worsen due to fiber degeneration.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy can also cause nerve problems which trigger neuropathic pain. The sensations may occur months or years after the cancer treatment. The pain progresses and intensifies with time. However, the sensations rarely occur in the majority of patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Treatment modalities for neuropathic pain
MRI to locate the source of the problem. Nerve electrical reactions gauge how the nerves react to signals from your brain.
After pinpointing the source of the pain, your provider may suggest pain medications or lifestyle adjustments. The diagnostic process will inform the strategy to address pain.
Some of the treatment approaches may include:
Stress management and activity modification
Research confirms that mental distress intensifies neuropathy symptoms. Your provider may develop strategies to alleviate stress to manage neuropathic pain.
Exercise can relieve mental distress and improve the body’s signaling process. You may alleviate symptoms with activity modification to remove stressors in your environment. For example, engaging in your favorite activities will stimulate your mind and help alleviate pain.
Customized physiotherapy
Your provider can plan activities that complement your symptoms and health status. You may need to start with mild physical activities as you gradually increase the intensity over several weeks. Exercise stimulates the body and nervous system, preventing fiber degeneration.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation involves applying thermal energy to destroy the affected nerve. A micro-needle delivers the heat precisely to a target portion of the nerve.
The process destroys the nerve without affecting the surrounding tissue. RFA employs precise controls to stop sensations from returning to the brain. The procedure is painless and highly effective at eliminating severe neuropathy symptoms.
For more on neuropathic pain treatments, call Republic Spine and Pain or use the online button to schedule a consultation today.
