Neuralgic pain
What it is
The neuralgic pain is a pain caused by a damage which directly affects a peripheral nerve. Neuralgia differs from nociceptive or inflammatory pain because it is not the tissue that is affected and stimulates the nerve, but it is the nerve itself that has suffered the damage.
The causes of damage can be different (for example a trauma, a surgical operation, a disease); symptoms are also very variable, and the treatment requires different approaches. The neuralgic pain may have a great impact on the quality of life and on the health of those who suffer from it.
Who is most affected
It is estimated that neuralgic pain affects about 6-8% of population. However, some people are more affected, such as those suffering from diabetes, the elderly, people who have undergone surgery or who have an infection from shingles, those with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (a disease that targets the myelin sheath covering our nerves).
Symptoms of neuralgia
The symptoms of neuralgic pain may manifest themselves several days after the nerve damage or even after months. Sometimes the neuralgic pain can be triggered by a minor stimulus on a previously damaged area.
The neuralgic pain can be constant or intermittent, spontaneous or provoked (for example, by normal movement or by touching a "trigger area", which triggers intense pain in a wider area). It can be of very variable intensity: from very intense and sudden to a strange and unpleasant sensation.
Sufferers describe it as a deep, pricking pain or as a numbness or a feeling of pins and needles. Sometimes it is perceived as a change of temperature, like a “burning" or "freezing" sensation.
Some typical manifestations of neuralgic pain can be:
- allodynia, pain caused by a stimulus that normally does not cause pain;
- hyperalgesia, more intense pain due to a stimulus that usually causes less severe pain;
- painful anesthesia, pain felt in a numb area;
- acquisition or loss of sensitivity.
DIAGNOSIS
The diagnosis of neuralgic pain is mainly based on the evaluation of symptoms reported by sufferers and their clinical history. Often this type of pain is not immediately recognized.
The most common neuralgias
Face neuralgia is caused by the trigeminal nerve and is characterized by brief and intense pain attacks, which start from the area near the ear. The pain lasts a few minutes and the attacks can last weeks or months. If the disease gets worse, the time between attacks decreases. This disorder arises especially after the age of 50, but it can occur at any age, especially with women. Trigeminal neuralgia may be not caused by another disease, or it may be secondary to a pathological condition.
Sciatic nerve neuralgia is also very common. Pain is caused in 90% of cases by a disk hernia that compresses the sciatic nerve root. About 5-10% of people with backache suffer from sciatica. Sciatica is more common in older people, those of high stature or doing physical work. The pain radiates from the pelvis to the calf and can reach the toes. There may be numbness or paresthesia. Usually the pain increases when lifting the leg.
Another type of common neuralgic pain is the intercostal pain. It appears in the thoracic area and starts from the intercostal nerve and is generally continuous and stinging (like a burning sensation). Often intercostal neuralgic pain arises after a surgical operation involving incision of the chest. It can affect debilitated elderly people and not have a known trigger. Other causes can be traumas, pregnancy and lipomas.
The neuralgic pain: how it is managed
The goal is to soothe pain, but also to make it tolerable, to allow sufferers to have a good quality of life. If neuralgia is mild, you could try Spididol, an analgesic and anti-inflammatory self-medication. This type of medicine could provide relief from sciatica or trigeminal neuralgia pain. If neuralgic pain does not respond to classic analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, it is important to consult your doctor who will evaluate the treatment to be followed.
Prevention and remedies
have a healthy and balanced diet,
avoid excessive alcohol consumption,
avoid smoking.
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