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Treatment for Neuropathy

Neuropathy involves any disorder that affects the nerves of the peripheral nervous system or, in some cases, the cranial nerves. These disorders can either affect the entire neuron, or they can affect only specific parts of the neuron. Most commonly, these disorders are polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, myelopathy, autonomic neuropathy, encephalopathy and mononeuritis multiplex.

  1. Narcotics

    • Narcotics or opioids are a common treatment form for neuropathy. These most include methadone and ketobemidone. Opioids help treat the chronic pain that is commonly associated with neuropathy by blocking the pain sensors in the body. Narcotics must be administered under close medical supervision, as the chances of dependency and addiction developing are quite high for most opioid medications.

    Botox

    • Botox (otherwise known as botulinum toxin type A) is also often used for its analgesic affects on neuropathy. Botox injections can help treat the chronic pain suffered by those with neuropathy for up to 14 weeks after the initial injection.

    Alpha Lipoic Acid

    • Alpha lipoic acid is a common dietary supplement that is also believed to help treat certain types of neuropathy. This supplement can be taken orally or given as an injection. Once administered, lipoic acid can drastically decrease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, including the burning pain and paresthesia.

    Infusion Pumps

    • When the pain associated with neuropathy reaches extreme levels, an infusion pump may be recommended as a treatment option. An infusion pump is a surgically implanted device that administers medication directly to the spinal cord. Most commonly these medications are ziconotide or clonidine. However, infusion pumps come with a high risk for infections such as meningitis after implantation.

    Anticonvulsants

    • Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin and pregabalin have also shown some success in the treatment of neuropathy. These medications work by strategically blocking different calcium and sodium channels in the nervous system. This helps to relieve the pain and other symptoms associated with many types of neuropathy.

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