Neuropathy is a health condition that causes chronic pain. A disease or an injury can cause it, and the condition can have a negative impact on your quality of life because it can hinder your ability to move freely. While neuropathy is not curable, many treatment options are available to relieve the pain associated with the condition. One of the newest treatment options for relieving pain associated with neuropathy is the RST-SANEXAS neoGEN-Series®. Once you understand the specifics of your neuropathy diagnosis, you can determine if this treatment can help you manage the condition.
Causes of Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a complicated diagnosis because it can have many different causes. The root cause of the pain associated with neuropathy is damage to the nerves, so the most common cause of the condition is a disease. Neuropathy is often associated with diabetes, but it can also be triggered by certain types of cancer, excessive alcohol use, and multiple sclerosis. It is also important to note that sometimes cancer itself does not cause neuropathy, but rather the treatment to get rid of the disease is sometimes the cause of the condition.
Traumatic injuries can also cause neuropathy. Although disease is a more common cause of the condition, any injury that affects the nerves can trigger neuropathy. The damage from the injury may heal, but people may never recover fully from damage to their nerves. Injuries to the spine, back, legs, and neck are the most common ones to lead to neuropathic pain, and you feel the pain primarily in your legs or arms.
Occasionally, severe infections or limb loss can lead to neuropathic pain. If an infection causes the pain, it may be temporary. The pain is usually chronic if it has any other root cause. The following health conditions can also cause neuropathy.
- Thyroid problems
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Spinal arthritis
- Facial nerve problems
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
Types of Neuropathy
There are two types of neuropathy and knowing which category your diagnosis falls into is essential for choosing the right treatment. Chronic neuropathy is the most common type of the condition. It happens when a disease or injury damages the nerves to the point where the patient feels neuropathic pain throughout his or her life. The pain can often be managed with the right treatment, but patients should expect to experience flare-ups throughout their lives.
While uncommon, acute neuropathic pain occurs in some patients. This happens when neuropathic pain has a direct cause and is relieved when the cause is resolved. Neuropathy can be induced by a deficiency in Vitamin D, and symptoms may resolve once this deficiency is adequately addressed.
Knowing which type of neuropathic pain you have is essential. If the condition is acute, you likely do not need extensive treatment. Focusing on resolving the issue that triggered the neuropathy should help mitigate the pain. However, you will need interventional treatment if your neuropathy is chronic. Treating the cause of the condition may help manage pain, but it will not be effective by itself. Once you are diagnosed with chronic neuropathy, it is important to start seeking treatment immediately so you can start managing the condition to improve your quality of life.
Symptoms of Neuropathy
Many people with neuropathy experience numbness or tingling in their extremities. The most common symptom is nerve pain. The types of pain neuropathic patients experience vary but can range from sharp and stabbing to burning. Some people experience constant pain that is only managed with treatment, while others only have intermittent pain. Although the pain is not always present, it is often severe when it happens and occurs without warning.
Normal nerve pain occurs when there is a root cause for the sensation. For example, when you stub your toe, the nerves in your feet send signals to the brain immediately, so you feel the pain. With neuropathy, your nerves send pain signals to the brain without a stimulus. This causes sudden pain without warning that can range in intensity.
Neuropathy may make you more sensitive to pressure that usually would not cause pain. Simple actions such as brushing your hair or rubbing up against a piece of furniture could cause severe pain. If you notice sudden, severe pain with no apparent cause, you should be evaluated for neuropathy.
You may also experience a chronic feeling of malaise and not feel well in general. The nerve pain that causes neuropathy can also affect your sleep patterns so that you have a difficult time resting. You may also have trouble expressing how you feel and helping other people understand why you have a difficult time walking due to pain or poor balance. Seeking treatment quickly can usually help alleviate some of these symptoms.
Treatments for Neuropathy
Chronic neuropathic pain is not curable, but there are many treatments available to help you cope with the condition. Lifestyle changes may be the first method of treatment. Healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and stretching can all help with pain from neuropathy. You may also find relief with the following types of treatment.
- Over-the-counter medications: NSAIDs can help relieve minor pain. They can be useful for treating intermittent neuropathic pain, but they are not always helpful for constant pain because they do not treat the source of the problem.
- Anticonvulsants: Anti-seizure medications interfere with the way the nerves signal pain to the brain. When the nerve signals do not reach the brain, you do not feel pain. You may need to take an anticonvulsant daily to manage chronic neuropathic pain.
- Nerve blocks: Nerve blocks are commonly used after surgery to prevent certain areas of the body from feeling pain. However, these treatments are temporary. They can be a good solution for intermittent pain, but you will need repeat nerve blocks to help with chronic pain.
- Antidepressants: Certain drugs that are commonly used to treat depression can change how the brain interprets signals from nerves. This minimizes the pain many people feel from neuropathy.
- neoGEN-Series® machine: There are other electrical devices that intercept pain signals before they reach the brain, but the neoGEN-Series® machine treats pain associated with neuropathy using advanced quantum-based technology. The initial effects of each treatment may be temporary, so you may need some regular treatments to manage your pain. However, this machine offers a safe, effective, non-invasive, and non-pharmaceutical treatment with no risk of becoming dependent on medication. This treatment also has no known side effects.
Pain associated with neuropathy can be a debilitating health condition, so it is important to seek treatment immediately after receiving your diagnosis. Once you learn how to manage your condition, you can minimize the painful symptoms associated with neuropathy so that you can live a full, happy life. There is HOPE! The RST-SANEXAS neoGEN-Series® machine can be a beneficial treatment to help manage your pain. Contact us today to find a doctor in your area.
