How to Treat Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain is chronic and complex and is often linked to tissue injury. It is caused by damaged or dysfunctional nerves. A nerve fiber injury impacts nerve function in that nerve plus areas around the injured tissue. The damage in these nerve fibers creates chaos by sending the wrong signals to the parts of the brain that control pain. Symptoms of neuropathic pain include excruciating burning or shooting pain that feels like a sudden electrical shock, tingling, numbness and increased sensitivity in the affected area. Neuropathic pain is one of the hardest to treat, so here are some tips that can help you manage your pain.
Things You'll Need
- Narcotic medication Anticonvulsant medication Antidepressant medication Muscle relaxant Capsaicin cream
Instructions
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Use a nerve block injection to stop pain. In this procedure, an anesthetic is injected into the affected nerve. The goal of this injection is to stop the transmission of pain signals to the brain and the spinal cord. If the nerve block is successful, temporary pain relief can be achieved for five to eight hours. Most nerve blocks are discontinued if pain relief can not be achieved from the first injection or if there is no improvement with additional injections.
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Use narcotics such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine to control pain. Try using an opioid medication if other medications have failed to bring pain relief. Know that the risk of addiction is small if a narcotic is taken as prescribed. Many patients have found high doses of narcotics quite effective in alleviating their suffering.
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Use an anticonvulsant to reduce electrical and shooting pain. Common anticonvulsants include gabapentin, clonazepam and lamictal. Anticonvulsants must be taken on a daily basis to manage symptoms. There is a risk of seizures if an anticonvulsant is discontinued suddenly.
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Use antidepressants such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline. Low doses of antidepressants may be used to treat anxiety or depression that frequently occurs with chronic painful conditions. Antidepressants may also help control overactive nerve signals to the brain. Drowsiness is a common side effect of these medications and can be beneficial if pain is causing insomnia.
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Use muscle relaxants to ease painful muscle spasms that are often associated with neuropathic pain. Common muscle relaxants include carisoprodol (Soma), Methocarbamol (Robaxin) and cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril).
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Apply topical capsaicin cream to the painful area three to four times a day. Results can usually be seen after multiple applications of this pepper cream over several weeks.
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Enroll in psychological counseling to cope with chronic neuropathic pain. Your psychologist will teach you new ways to manage pain such as meditation, visualization and controlled breathing techniques. These psychological tools can help you feel that you are in control of your pain.
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