2024-01-18 08:50:37
Severe burning or like electric shocks under the skin – this is how nerve pain is often described. Causes can be independent diseases, but neuralgia is often the result of other diseases. Find out which medications and home remedies can help with nerve pain!
© Getty Images/MarianVejcik
Quick overview: Frequently asked questions and answers
How do you know you have nerve pain? Typical signs include a burning sensation in the affected areas or shooting pain. Unusual sensations such as tingling or numbness are also often observed.
Are there over-the-counter medications for nerve pain? Herbal remedies to treat nerve pain are available at pharmacies. However, the medications recommended in the guideline for the treatment of nerve pain require a prescription.
Does the psyche influence nerve pain? Nerve pain can have a negative impact on the psyche, which in turn increases the perception of pain. A holistic treatment therefore often also includes psychotherapeutic approaches.
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What is nerve pain?
Nerve pain (neuralgia) is pain that occurs when nerves are diseased or their function is restricted. A well-known example is a herniated disc, in which a disc presses on a nerve root and irritates it.
Nerve pain that can be traced back to damage or disease to the peripheral nervous system itself is technically referred to as neuropathic pain. The nerve pathways are then not only the “transmitters” of pain stimuli, but also the cause of pain. Only a single nerve (mononeuropathy) or several nerves can be involved. Then experts speak of polyneuropathy.
Common causes of neuropathies are autoimmune diseases such as diabetes mellitus or injuries and inflammation of tissue and nerves. Neuropathic pain affects approximately 6.9 to 10 percent of the population.
What does nerve pain feel like?
Nerve pain can vary depending on the cause. In addition, the symptoms can change over the course of an illness and vary in intensity. However, the following symptoms are often characteristic:
- burning, drilling or stabbing constant pain
- electrifying pain attacks
- Worsening of symptoms at rest
- Pain when lightly touched or water on the skin (allodynia)
- general increased sensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia)
- Sensory disorders and abnormal sensations (such as numbness, “pins and needles”)
Side effects of nerve pain
Painful nerve damage can affect the quality of life of those affected. Many patients suffer from other complaints such as sleep disorders and concentration problems.
Chronic pain can also have a negative impact on the psyche and lead to stress, anxiety and depression.
Treating nerve pain
Treatment for nerve pain depends on the underlying causes. For example, if there is a pinched nerve caused by a herniated disc, the nerve can be relieved through surgery.
Chronic neuropathic pain, on the other hand, is often a therapeutic challenge. However, by combining medication and physical measures, at least a significant improvement in quality of life can usually be achieved.
Nerve pain: which medications help?
Medications used to treat neuralgia inhibit the transmission of pain in the spinal cord. For example, the following have proven successful:
- Antiepileptics/anticonvulsants (gabapentin and pregabalin)
- Antidepressants
- Selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (duloxetine)
- Opioids
- Lidocaine patches
- Capsaicin patches
In individual cases, cannabinoids can also be considered as off-label therapy, i.e. use that deviates from the actual indication. However, their effect is only small.
It should also be noted that all of these prescription medications can cause side effects such as fatigue, dizziness or memory problems. When using it, the benefits and side effects should be carefully weighed up.
Studies have shown that therapy with alpha lipoic acid can reduce pain, discomfort and numbness in people with diabetic neuropathy. The sulfur-containing fatty acid has antioxidant and nerve-regenerating properties.
Non-drug pain therapy for neuralgia
A central component of a multidisciplinary therapy concept is often pain psychotherapy. Those affected learn coping strategies to better deal with the pain.
These include, for example, biofeedback procedures. For example, the skin temperature is measured with a sensor. Patients must try to control skin temperature, as this often reduces the perception of pain.
It can also make sense to keep a pain diary in which triggers for pain attacks are recorded. These can then be better avoided. Some people with nerve pain also benefit from transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or acupuncture.
Nerve pain: home remedies and other tips
Home remedies alone are not suitable for treating nerve pain. However, they may be able to help relieve the pain. However, when it comes to nerve pain, the measures that help vary greatly from person to person. Those affected should therefore try out what is good for them – and what is not.
Self-treatment methods for neuralgia include:
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Heat applications: For some sufferers, the symptoms improve with a hot water bottle or a warm bath. In some cases, this can make the pain worse.
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Cold applications: Other patients, however, benefit more from cold. For example, cold packs, cooling ointments or liquids such as cold rubbing alcohol can have a soothing effect. Alternating showers or Kneipp treatments may also be suitable for nerve pain in the legs.
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Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle tension or autogenic training lead to physical and mental calming and improve physical well-being.
In general, people with nerve damage should eat a healthy diet and avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a neurotoxin that attacks the nerves.
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Nerve pain: Many possible causes
Nerve pain can have many different causes. Possible injuries include injuries, bruises, inflammation or illnesses. If the function of the nerves is disturbed, they continuously send pain signals to the brain, which significantly increases the sensation of pain.
Depending on the cause, two types of pain are distinguished:
Central nerve pain
The pain comes from the central nervous system (CNS), i.e. the brain and spinal cord. Possible causes are:
Peripheral nerve pain
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the part of the human body’s nervous system that lies outside the central nervous system – for example, the nerves in the arms and legs. Diseases that can cause peripheral nerve damage include:
- Alcohol abuse
- Herpes zoster infection (shingles)
- diabetic neuropathy
- HIV-Neuropathy
- Injuries (bruised or severed nerves)
- Trigeminal neuralgia (severe nerve pain in the face)
- Impingement Syndrome
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Morton Neuralgie
- Bannwarth syndrome (Borrelia infection)
- Phantom pain, for example following an amputation
- CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome, formerly known as Sudeck’s disease)
Nerve pain in the leg, foot, head or back
Nerve pain can occur all over the body or just in certain areas.
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Nerve pain in the leg or feet: Various triggers such as injuries or inflammation come into question. In many cases, burning feet are due to nerve damage caused by diabetes mellitus.
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Nerve pain in the head: Especially in Facial nerve pain often occurs when the fibers of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) become damaged or irritated. Then experts also speak of trigeminal neuralgia.
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Nerve pain in the back: Suddenly shooting Nerve pain in the back usually indicates a herniated disc. However, other causes such as sciatic neuralgia are also possible.
Diagnosis: How is nerve pain diagnosed?
In order to get to the bottom of the causes of nerve pain, all symptoms are first recorded in the medical practice and a physical examination is carried out. Patients are often asked to rate the level of pain on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximum imaginable pain).
This is followed by further neurological examinations and special tests:
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Quantitative sensory testing (QST): Test procedure in which skin sensitivity is checked using cold, heat, touch, pressure, blunt pricking and vibration.
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Neurographie: Method for determining nerve conduction velocity. To do this, electrodes are attached to certain parts of the body and the electrical signals from the nerves are measured.
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Somatosensibel Evozierte Potentiale (SEP): The procedure is used to examine the entire emotional pathway from the skin through the spinal cord to the brain.
In addition, imaging procedures such as MRI or CT as well as laboratory or cerebrospinal fluid tests can be used.
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