Different Types Of Neurological Pains How To Tackle

Neurological pain is considered one of the most distressing and also one of the most challenging to treat and forms a major chunk of the patients seeking aid in pain and palliative clinics.

There are a multitude of reasons for neurological pains of which 10 common causes are listed below.

1. Peripheral Neuropathy

These are common types of neurological pain characterized by burning/ electrical sensation in the hands and feet and may be associated with sensory loss and paraesthesia. Feet is more commonly affected than hands. Pain is symmetrical, slow onset, progressive and ascending type. There is no associated neck or back pain.

Common causes include uncontrolled diabetes, HIV, certain medications, chemotherapy, B12 deficiency and idiopathic.

Treat underlying cause. Antiseizure and anti-depressant medications can help.

2. Radicular pain down the legs or arms

Shooting type of pain caused due to nerve root irritation. The pain radiates along the path of the nerve. It's very common. The most common cause is a disc prolapse which irritates the nerve and produces symptoms. Irritation can be due to direct mechanical irritation or due to an inflammatory reaction caused by the prolapsed material (nucleus pulposus containing inflammatory factors as Sub P and NO2). Prolonged irritation and decreasing blood supply make these nerves hypersensitive producing prolonged radicular pain.

Pain is typically burning, electric, sharp and lancinating. Pain aggravates on leaning forward. The affected nerve can be identified by proper neurological examination. MRI can be used to identify the herniated disc.

Treatment includes epidural steroid injection, medications(antiseizure, antidepressants, opioids), physical therapy, and surgery in refractory cases.

3.Carpel tunnel syndrome