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Therapy for Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition where the nerve fibers themselves are injured or damaged. Damaged nerves send incorrect signals to the brain and correlating pain centers. Although there is no cure for neuropathic pain, different treatment options are available.

  1. Medications

    • Medications are regularly prescribed for neuropathic therapy. Antidepressants and anticonvulsants are the most common and normally prescribed together to combat pain. Also topical creams may be prescribed to apply to skin for pain relief. Several applications of the cream will be needed in order to feel any type of relief.

    Nerve Blocks

    • Nerve blocks are an anesthetic or steroid which is injected directly into the nerve where the pain is located. The anesthetic blocks the pain signal being sent to the brain. If the brain does not receive the signal, pain will not be felt. The injections are normally short term relief and may need to be administered again in a few months. The agents in the injections reduce inflammation and break the cycle of pain.

    Advanced Treatments

    • When injections or medications do not provide relief there are more advanced neuropathic therapies. Spinal cord stimulation delivers electrical current to the spinal cord and disrupts the pain signals. A device is implanted surgically to the spinal cord and may have either an internal or external power source.

      Spinal pumps are implanted during a surgical procedure and administers pain medication directly to the spinal cord. Morphine is normally the medication used and is added weekly or monthly to the pump reservoir. Both therapies have trial runs first to see if the treatment will be effective for each individual.

    Psychological Therapy

    • Chronic pain can have a devastating effect on your life, leaving you in a depressed emotional state. Certain psychologists have specialized treatments for those in chronic pain and can help you find tools to ease the pain. Using meditation and imaging techniques can help you relax and make it feel as though you can manage and have power over the pain.

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