What Causes Nerves Pains and How to Handle Them

Nerve pain refers to pain that’s caused by disease or injury that affects the body’s nervous system. It is also known as neuralgia or neuropathic pain. Nerve pain is a discomfort that comes as a result of signal problems from the nerves. This pain is different from the typical kind of pain caused by an injury.

Nerve symptoms and pain vary from one person to another. Some people develop odd triggers that make them pretty sensitive to particular conditions because of the high sensitivity of the nervous system to stimulation. For others, nerve damage can lead to painful body positions especially when sitting or standing.

What Causes Nerve Pain?

Nerve pain occurs due to some damaged nerves in the body that send some false signals that cause chronic pain. Again, the signals might not function well to register the pain linked to an injury normally. When it comes to such cases, the individual might not experience a pain response that indicates injury.

Here are some of the prevalent causes of nerve pain.

• HIV
HIV can lead to painful nerve damage and according to research, nerve pain affects around one-third of individuals with HIV. In this case, nerve pain in the feet and hands is usually the first sign that appears. Treating HIV using antiretroviral drugs can cause nerve damage that results in chronic pain as well.
• Cancer
Cancer and any other kind of tumors can lead to nerve pain. As the tumors develop, they can put pressure on the surrounding nerves. Besides, cancers can also develop out of your nerves. Sometimes cancer treatments like chemotherapy medications can damage your nerves, resulting in pain.
• Shingles
Sometimes a painful condition known as postherpetic neuralgia can follow shortly after experiencing shingles. This kind of nerve pain in the body can be particularly sudden and severe.
• Diabetes
Diabetes is a popular cause of damage to the nervous system in the United States. With time, high glucose levels in the blood can injure your nerves.
• Physical injuries
Physical injuries in the body can result in compressed, crushed, or severed nerves leading to chronic pain. These are some examples of conditions and illnesses that can lead to nerve damage and chronic pain. Others include vitamin deficiencies, stroke, heart disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, chronic inflammatory, hormone imbalances, Lyme disease, alcoholism, repetitive stress, and many others. In some cases, nerve pain can develop for no obvious reason.

Nerve pain treatment

When neuropathy pain is caused by a condition such as cancer, diabetes, or HIV, getting treatments for the underlying illness is usually the priority. However, treatment for the underlying illness may not necessarily assist with your pain. Neuropathy pain might require its treatments, separate from the treatments for the disease that is causing it.

According to statistics the most suitable and effective treatments for nerve pain usually vary, because it largely depends on some specifics such as the underlying cause, the health of the patient, costs, and the risks of any potential side effects. However, medical professionals generally utilize the same set of therapies for neuropathy pain, whether it’s caused by HIV, cancer, diabetes, or any other condition.

Here is a list of some of the basic treatments for nerve pain.

• Anticonvulsants.
These types of drugs were initially designed for epilepsy management, but some of them also help in controlling nerve pain.
• Over-the-counter treatments.
Some prescription topical and over-the-counter treatments such as creams, lotions, patches, and gels can help ease nerve pain. These treatments tend to work best for nerve pain that is isolated in particular areas on the skin.
• Antidepressants.
Some antidepressants can assist with nerve pain management. However, according to research, using them together with anticonvulsants might have more benefits than taking them alone.
• Painkillers.
Powerful painkillers may be the first choice for individuals with incredibly severe pain or neuropathy pain brought about by cancer. However, over-the-counter painkillers might not work pretty well for mild to severe neuropathy pain.
• Electrical stimulation.
Many treatments utilize electrical impulses that block pain messages sent by injured nerves. These treatments include (rTMS) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). These treatments are painless and noninvasive.
• Complementary treatments.
Most people prefer alternative approaches such as acupuncture, massage, and meditation that can help relieve neuropathy pain. Neuropathy Help suggests that a combination of vitamins can also help manage this nerve pain as well. However, if you are considering dietary supplements to treat nerve pain, ensure that you consult with your doctor first.
• Other techniques.
In some cases, medical professionals might recommend anesthetic injections or, on rare occasions surgery to treat nerve pain.

Whatever the cause, neuropathy pain can be a debilitating and severe condition. Individuals who have it require help from a medical professional and prescription treatments as well. However, there are also several non-prescription remedies for relieving nerve pain symptoms. You can use natural techniques alongside your prescribed medication. If your neuropathy pain is moderate, they might be enough on their own to help manage your pain, but if your pain is severe, you should see a doctor.