Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. But the experience of pain is different for everyone.
You may hear people describing their pain as shooting, burning, tingling, itching, throbbing or sharp, dull and so on. These qualifiers are often used to diagnose nerve pain or chronic neuropathic pain.
You may find your pain management doctor using terms like hyperalgesia (pain that is out of proportion with the stimuli) to describe neuropathic pain. For example, if a slight touch feels like shooting pain, nerves are likely to be involved.
Causes of Chronic Neuropathic Pain
There are more than 100 types of nerve damage that cause nerve pain but common causes include –
- Injury or Trauma – Injury may cause compression of the nerves, leading to nerve damage and pain. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched cervical nerves, and crush injuries.
- Diabetes – Most people who suffer from diabetes struggle with nerve pain. Nerve pain is often a common symptom that leads to a diabetes diagnosis. Diabetes-related nerve pain appears as numbness or a burning pain, especially in the toes and feet. It’s essential that you see a pain management doctor as soon as you experience diabetic nerve pain.
- Nutritional Deficiencies – Lack of some nutrients and vitamins and alcoholism can cause nerve damage and pain as well.
- Disease – Many diseases, such as HIV, Herpes, hepatitis C, and Lyme disease can cause nerve pain.
Regardless of the cause of your nerve pain, at Pain and Spine Clinics, doctors can help you feel more comfortable and live pain-free.
Symptoms of Neuropathic Pain
Common symptoms include –
- Hot or cold sensations
- Shooting pain
- Burning or tingling
- Itchy or sensitive pain
- Pain on one side of the body
- Incontinence or bowel problems