Neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is usually chronic (long term) pain associated with nerve damage. Nerves are the extensions from brain and spinal cord, and penetrate throughout the body. They take the signals from receptors (like skin and eyes) to brain and spinal cord, or from brain and spinal cord to effectors (like muscles).
Sometimes these nerves got damaged, such damage causes severe pain with following features:
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Burning sensation
- Hypersensitivity to touch
- Pain worsens at night
- Poor balance
- Muscle weakness and twitching
Most affected areas of body are usually hands, feet and localized areas.
Common causes of neuropathic pain may be:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Shingles
- Cancer and chemotherapy
- CNS disorders
- Trauma
- Surgery
- Infections like HIV
Treatment usually includes, gabapentinoids, antidepressants, tramadol, local anesthetics nerve blocks, according to situation. Usually a combination therapy is given.
Person of concern for the treatment should be a primary care physician or a neurophysician.
An important thing is that its treatment takes usually longer time, so treatment should be continued according to prescriber as it may take several months.
