While several elements affect your life’s enjoyment, few elements will have as significant an impact as neuropathic pain. This is generally described as a burning or shooting pain and tingling or numbness that might go away on its own but is more often than not chronic.
Neuropathic pain is linked to a malfunctioning nervous system or nerve damage on an injury site and the area around it. Some of the common causes of this pain include alcoholism, diabetes, chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, shingles, and amputations.
When most people seek knee pain treatment in Tulsa, they assume this is a simple undertaking and only realize it is neuropathic after getting tested. The doctor in diagnosis will order nerve function, imaging, and blood tests, and skin and nerve biopsies to assess your condition and tailor your management.
Unfortunately, nerves cannot be regenerated, and management of your pain will thus focus on minimizing triggers and ensuring your comfort. Here are the management alternatives for neuropathic pain.
Topical Treatments
The standard topical medication used for neuropathic pain is capsaicin cream. This contains the same substance found in hot peppers and will improve the symptoms of your neuropathic pain. While you might have some skin irritation and burning after applying the cream, this lessens with time.
Other than capsaicin cream, lidocaine patches are also used for the relief of neuropathic pain.
Vitamins and Supplements
In a few cases, neuropathic pain can be worsened and even caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency. Management of your pain might thus focus on supplementation of this vitamin using injections or nutritional supplements.
Alpha-lipoic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, and acetyl-L-carnitine have also been shown to have a significant impact on reducing the incidences and severity of your neuropathic pain. This is particularly so if your pain is linked to diabetes.
Anticonvulsants and Antidepressants
These are, in most cases, the first line of treatment for neuropathic pain. The most common anticonvulsant used in this case is pregabalin while tricyclic antidepressants are the leading ones for antidepressants.
These interfere with specific chemical processes in your spinal cord and brain responsible for the pain sensation you will experience. The dosage of these medications is tweaked to ensure there are no dangerous side effects from the medication, and you have maximum pain relief from them.
Physiotherapy
Some level of muscle weakness and joint issues will result in neuropathic pain. Physiotherapy, in this instance, will go some way in minimizing your discomfort and pain. This is, however, not physiotherapy from any place offering the same but rather one provided by a trained and certified physiotherapist.
This way, you are assured the manipulation methods used will not worsen your existing condition. The above management alternatives might look inconsequential for your pain. They nonetheless make a significant difference more so when used for some time.
Rather than dismiss your pain and opt for conventional therapies, get an expert to assess your issue, and recommend the treatments that will best suit you.
There are times when surgery will be recommended to relieve any growths impinging on your nerves and tumors that can contribute to neuropathic pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and plasma exchange are the new treatment modalities for neuropathic pain.
