Treatment of Neurogenic Pain

Neurogenic pain treatment refers to treating the pain due to the dysfunction of the nervous system.

Author: J. Flowers Health Staff

What is Neurogenic Pain?

Chronic pain has remained a widespread health challenge for many individuals and physicians. The World Health Organization (WHO) report indicated that 22% of the world’s primary care patients suffer from consistent chronic pain, making it a serious health problem that health care professionals must address.¹

Chronic pain can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, so addressing the root of the issue and administering treatment is vital.

Statistics on Neurogenic Pain

Statistics show that about 1 in 3 Americans experience chronic pain at some time in their life. Of those, 1 in 5 experience neurologic pain specifically. ²

Impact of Neurogenic Pain

Neurogenic pain is a soothing or burning pain resulting from damage to the nervous system. The pain may arise from the various nervous system levels, including the peripheral nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain. Aside from a soothing and burning pain, individuals who suffer neurogenic pain may also experience a feeling of numbness or a loss of sensation.
³

Spinal Shock vs. Neurogenic Shock

Spinal and neurogenic shock are two distinct conditions that are frequently confused because they can occur following a spinal cord injury. Similarly, they can also share symptoms such as hypertension and bradycardia.

Spinal Shock

The spinal shock causes a temporary loss of motor, sensory, and reflex functions below the level of the injury. Patients may slowly regain some reflexes, sensation, and motor control once the spinal cord has stabilized, and swelling has subsided. However, this is primarily determined by the severity of the spinal cord injury.

Neurogenic Shock

In contrast, neurogenic shock is a sympathetic nervous system disruption that affects the blood vessels’ sympathetic tone. A loss in sympathetic tone would prevent blood from circulating efficiently in the body. The result includes a slower heart rate, low blood pressure, and temperature dysregulation.

Symptoms and Signs of Neurogenic Pain

The symptoms and signs of neurogenic pain include:

Dizziness
Nausea
Vomiting
Having blank stares
Fainting
Increased sweating
Weakness from irregular blood circulation
Anxiety
Difficulty breathing
Chest pain

Causes of Neurogenic Pain

Neurogenic pain can be caused by the following:

Alcoholism
Amputation
Chemotherapy
Diabetes
Facial nerve problem
HIV infection or AIDS
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple sclerosis

Neurogenic and Neuropathic Pain Treatment

Treatment for neurogenic and neuropathic treatment will be detailed below.

Medication

The unique nature of neurogenic pain is reflected in the type of medication used to treat it. Finding the proper medicines for neurogenic pain may take a trial-and-error procedure. It is best to start with a low dose of drugs because side effects are more familiar with higher doses.

Commonly Administered Medications

You should note that it may take up to four weeks for most medications to affect fully. Some common medications for treating neurogenic pain include:

Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
Dopamine
Vasopressin

Prescriptions

Doctors may also prescribe antidepressant and anti-epileptic drugs for patients suffering from neuropathic pain. These prescriptions are meant to address anxiety and depression commonly associated with chronic pain. Topical treatments such as lidocaine or capsaicin in creams or ointments can be applied to the painful area. The use of opioid analgesics for treating neuropathic pain has proven to be ineffective.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy for neuropathic pain is vital for helping patients to manage the pain and function in their daily routine. A regular physical therapy program is designed to help you cope and enjoy an improved quality of life. Physical therapy deals with the physical aspect of inflammation, stiffness, and soreness with exercise, manipulation, and massage.

It also helps the body heal itself, encouraging the production of its natural pain-relieving chemicals. Some physical therapy options you can use include:

Strengthening exercises: You can rely on different strengthening exercises to help support affected areas.
Soft tissue manipulation: Your therapist can use pressure and soft tissue manipulation techniques to help problem areas.
Traction: This is a form of physical therapy that eliminates pressure from affected areas and helps enhance healing.
Manual stretching: Your therapist may use manual stretching routines to stretch out problem areas.
Range of motion exercises: These target a specific joint by utilizing different movements. Your range of motion measures the activity in and around a joint.

Working With a Counselor

Individuals facing neuropathic pain can express their experiences while working with a supportive counselor. The counselor’s goal is to explore your feelings and help you figure out new ways of managing and reacting to pain.

Treatment for depression includes psychological therapies and antidepressants. If you have depression and anxiety, you will be treated first for the one that causes you the most problems. This is because treatments for anxiety and depression are similar. So, treatment for one condition can help the other.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient medical practice. It entails the use of needles to stimulate points in the body.

It is often associated with the addition of manual manipulation, heat, or electrical stimulation. Acupuncture may provide relief for individuals with neurogenic and neuropathic pain. You must consult with your doctor if you are planning on using acupuncture.⁴

Goals of Neurogenic Pain Treatment

The goals of neurogenic and neuropathic treatment are to deliver pain relief, treat the underlying disease, maintain functionality, and help to enhance the quality of life.

Neurogenic Pain Risk Factors

Neurogenic pain risk factors include:

Diabetes (especially poorly controlled sugar levels)
Alcoholism
Vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B
Exposure to toxins
Infections such as Lyme disease, shingles, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B and C, and HIV
Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, in which your immune system attacks your tissues
Kidney, liver, or thyroid disorders.

Neurogenic Pain Complications

Some complications of neurogenic pain can include:

Lack of sensation in your feet and areas may cause injury without you knowing.
Burns or injuries result from loss of sensation to pain and temperature changes.
Falls due to lack of balance are associated with weakness and lack of balance.

The best way to prevent neurogenic pain is by managing underlying conditions such as diabetes and alcoholism that puts you at risk.

Get Help with Neurogenic Pain at J. Flowers Health Institute

At J. Flowers Health Institute, we understand that neurogenic pain can be distressing. As a result, we can help alleviate your neurogenic pain symptoms with our effective treatment options.