Causes of Neurogenic Pain
Learn about neurogenic pain, its causes, risk factors, symptoms, and how to get help at J. Flowers Health Institute.
Table of Contents
Understanding Neurogenic Pain
Neurogenic pain is a broad term to describe all pain resulting from nerve dysfunction in the peripheral or central nervous system. Several forms of nerve problems and associated pain fall under neurogenic pain, including neuropathic pain (nerve damage pain), deafferentation pain (pain from interruption or loss of sensory nerve transmissions), and central pain (pain from wound or injury in the central nervous system).
Neurogenic Pain Management
Symptoms of Neurogenic Pain
Indications of Neurogenic Pain
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Fainting
- Anxiety
- Pale skin
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Weakness from irregular blood circulation
- Bradycardia, or a slower heart rhythm
- Faint pulse
Diagnosis of Neurogenic Pain
An experienced health care practitioner can correctly diagnose neurogenic pain by elucidating the causes. The first step involves information gathering; patients must share their symptoms and how the pain affects their daily lives. In addition, patients’ medical history, environmental exposure, and risk of neuropathy are considered. Then, a physical examination is carried out to locate the exact source of pain and help determine the cause.
Causes of Neurogenic Pain
Injury or Trauma to the Spinal Cord
Other Causes of Neurogenic Pain
- Car accidents that cause central nervous system damage or spinal cord injury
- Sports injuries causing trauma to the spine
- Medications that affect the autonomic nervous system
- Improper administration of anesthesia to the spinal cord
Neurogenic Pain Risk Factors
- Genetic Disorder: Some disorders affecting the peripheral nervous system can be inherited, such as hereditary sensory neuropathy, hereditary motor neuropathy, and a few others. Genetic blood tests can diagnose hereditary nerve pain disease.
- Age: The prevalence of polyneuropathy in the general population is around 1% and rises to 7% in older adults. Neuropathy is common among people over sixty-five because the overall state and function of the body decline with age.
- Other Risk Factors: Other risk factors include diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, and high body mass index.
Neurogenic Pain Treatment
There is no standard cure for neuropathy in cases where it is hereditary. Nonetheless, clinicians can provide supportive treatment like physical therapy and pain medication to manage the pain.
Medications
Nerve pain medications usually include anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants are medications initially used to help seizures but are commonly used in combination with conventional pain killers for treating nerve pain because they can numb pain signals. Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant, can be used for neurogenic inflammation treatment and burning nerve pain reduction in several cases of nerve pain disorder. Multiple studies have shown gabapentin to be an effective form of treatment for nerve pain.4
Multimodal Therapy
Multimodal therapy combines various treatment methods that target different aspects of nerve pain all over the body. The various treatment methods used may include medications, behavioral interventions, and psychotherapy. The multimodal therapy approach combines therapies or treatment methods with modest results when administered alone but with more significant effects in neuropathy cure when put together.
Get Help With Neurogenic Pain at J. Flowers Health Institute
Contact us at J. Flowers Health Institute today to get help and proper treatment for neurogenic pain.