Understanding Neuropathic Pain
Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director and Head (Parkinson's Disease Unit) - Department of Neurology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket (India) - said: "Neuropathy is a type of pain that arises when there is damage or abnormality in the nervous system.
This pain can affect the sensory nerves, which carry sensory signals from body parts to the brain, or the autonomic nerves, which are involved in automatic body functions (such as regulating heart rate, blood pressure, sweating). Neuropathic pain is characterized by pain that can occur anywhere in the body and is often characterized by burning, stinging, itching, or prickling. The pain can be localized (located in a small area), diffuse (radiating to many different areas), or localized to a specific area.”
Neuropathic pain can result from a variety of causes, including infection, injury from an accident, diabetes (which causes nerve pain due to long-term high blood sugar), or other neurological conditions.
Types of nerve pain
According to Dr. Kumar, neuropathic pain can be classified into two main types depending on the extent and extent of nerve damage: mononeuropathy (a single nerve is damaged) and polyneuropathy (multiple nerves are damaged simultaneously).
Common types of nerve pain include:
Radicular pain: Nerve compression due to spinal deformity and pain in one or two specific vertebrae.
Neuralgia: Pain due to nerve ganglion damage or dorsal root ganglion damage.
Neuropathic pain: Pain caused by damage to peripheral nerves.
What causes nerve pain?
“Neuropathic pain is a painful condition caused by damage or disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system,” adds Dr. Kumar.
Common causes include:
- Brain, spinal or nerve injury.
- Poor blood supply to the nerves.
- Vitamin B12 or thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency.
- Use chemotherapy drugs.
- Phantom pain after amputation.
- Heavy alcohol use.
- Certain infections can cause nerve pain, such as shingles, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, stroke, and vasculitis.
Treatment options
“Treatment of neuropathic pain is often a combination of medications, interventions, lifestyle changes, and psychotherapy,” says Dr. Kumar. “Each patient may require a different treatment plan, so it is important to consult a specialist to develop an appropriate and effective treatment plan.”
