PainCare Florida Physicians

Nerve Injury Pain

PAIN CONDITION

Nerve Injury Pain: Causes, Treatment & Pain Relief

Nerve injury pain, also known as neuropathic pain or neuralgia, occurs when nerves are damaged or dysfunctional.[1] Unlike typical pain from injury or inflammation, nerve pain is often described as burning, tingling, or shooting.[2] In some cases, there is numbness or paralysis.[3] Nerve injury pain can result from damage to the peripheral nerves, which extend outside the brain and spinal cord, or from damage to the central nervous system itself.[2]

Understanding nerve pain and its treatment options is crucial for effective pain management.

About Nerve Injuries

Pain can arise from either peripheral or central nerve damage. Peripheral nerve injuries involve nerves that spread throughout your body to your limbs and organs.[4] Nerves within the central nervous system consist of the brain and spinal cord.[4] The nerves in either system can sustain damage due to trauma, surgery, physical injury or health conditions.[4] These injuries can lead to conditions commonly associated with neuropathy, where damaged nerves result in chronic pain or loss of function. Damaged nerves send false alarms to the brain, causing you to feel pain or sensations even without a pain source.[5]
Central nerve injuries occur within the brain or spinal cord, often leading to pain conditions that include neuralgia, characterized by sharp, severe pain along the path of the damaged nerve.[1] Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is an intense form of nerve injury pain that can develop after a traumatic event, leading to persistent, debilitating pain.[6]

Nerve Injury Pain Symptoms

Nerve injuries typically manifest as pain and discomfort directly linked to the affected nerves.
The specific symptoms can vary depending on the nature and extent of the injury but often include:
  • Tingling [7]
  • Sharp or jabbing pain [8]
  • Chronic pain [5]
  • Paralysis [3]
  • Reduced muscle control [3]
  • Numbness or loss of sensation [3]
  • Atrophy (tissue wasting) [6]
  • Muscle tightening [6]
  • Burning pain [6]
  • Throbbing pain [6]
  • Muscle spasms, weakness or tremors [6]
  • Reduced mobility or ability to move affected limb [6]
  • Hypersensitivity [1]

Nerve Injury Causes

Nerve injuries are caused by trauma or medical conditions.

Possible nerve damage causes include:

  • Degenerative diseases [4]
  • Traumatic injuries [9]
  • Spinal cord injury [10]
  • Complex regional pain syndrome [11]
  • Peroneal nerve injury (foot drop)[12]
  • Peripheral nerve injury (cut, tear, bruising, puncture, overstretching, injection or electrical shock)[12]
  • Post-surgical pain [13]
  • Repetitive stress injuries [14]
  • Accidents [9]
  • Falls [9]
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome [15]
  • Sciatica [1]
  • Pinched nerves (radiculopathy) [2]
  • Myelopathy [16]
  • Brachial Plexus injury [3]
  • Diabetes[9]
  • Autoimmune diseases[9]
  • Cancer [2]
  • Compression[2]
  • Toxic chemical exposure [11]
  • Excessive alcohol intake [11]
  • Nutrition deficiencies [11]

Pain Management Treatments

Managing nerve injury pain requires a comprehensive approach. Conventional treatments may include topical analgesics and oral medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, anticonvulsants, or antidepressants, which can help reduce pain and improve nerve function. Physical therapy and lifestyle changes can be beneficial, like maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise.
For more severe or chronic pain, interventional pain management techniques such as joint injections, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, or other advanced procedures like Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy may be necessary. Pain pumps (epidural or intrathecal pumps) also reduce pain by targeting the nerves with low-dose anesthetic.[17] Botox has shown promising help for nerve injuries as it has an analgesic effect and blocks nerve communication.[18]

When to Consult a Nerve Injury Pain Care Specialist

If you’re experiencing unrelenting nerve injury pain and conventional treatments alone have failed to provide relief; pain management may be the solution you’ve been seeking. Pain clinics offer comprehensive care and tailored treatment plans addressing your condition and pain levels. You’ll have access to various advanced conventional and interventional options to ensure you receive the most effective treatment.
Early intervention by a pain specialist may help prevent nerve pain progression and complications, ensuring optimal neuropathic pain management and improving quality of life.

Resources:

  1. Nerve pain (neuralgia). Health Direct [Internet]. Published May 10, 2021. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/nerve-pain 
  2. Parker H, McPhillips A. Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage – WebMD: Neurological Symptoms. WebMD [Internet]. Published April 15, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/brain/nerve-pain-and-nerve-damage-symptoms-and-causes 
  3. Brachial Plexus Injury: What It Is, Symptoms, Treatment & Types. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22822-brachial-plexus-injury 
  4. Cleveland Clinic Staff. Neuropathic Pain. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Published 2015. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15833-neuropathic-pain 
  5. Slideshow: Nerve Pain Explained. WebMD [Internet]. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-neuropathy 
  6. Mayo Clinic Editorial Staff. Complex regional pain syndrome – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Published May 10, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crps-complex-regional-pain-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20371151 
  7. WebMD Editorial Contributors. Treating Nerve Pain Caused by Cancer, HIV, and Other Conditions. WebMD [Internet]. Published December 3, 2009. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/treating-nerve-pain-caused-cancer-hiv#1-2 
  8. Neuropathic Pain & Neuropathic Treatment. American Pain Consortium. Published 2024. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.americanpainconsortium.com/conditions/neuropathic-pain-neuropathy/  
  9. Mayo Clinic Editorial Staff. Peripheral nerve injuries – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Published 2017. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-nerve-injuries/symptoms-causes/syc-20355631 
  10. Gao Z, Pang Z, Chen Y, et al. Restoring After Central Nervous System Injuries: Neural Mechanisms and Translational Applications of Motor Recovery. Neurosci Bull [Internet]. 2022;38(12):1569-1587. Accessed August 18, 2024. doi:10.1007/s12264-022-00959-x Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9723055/ 
  11. Harvard Health Publishing. When nerves get damaged. Harvard Health [Internet]. Published April 3, 2019. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/when-nerves-get-damaged 
  12. Peripheral Nerve Injury. John Hopkins Medicine [Internet]. Published 2019. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/peripheral-nerve-injury 
  13. Moawad H. What to Know About Neuralgia. Verywell Health [Internet]. Published 2024. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.verywellhealth.com/neuralgia-8671886 
  14. Cleveland Clinic Staff. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. Published March 18, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17424-repetitive-strain-injury 
  15. Nerve injuries of the hand and nerve palsies.  UF Health [Internet]. Published 2023. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://ufhealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/nerve-injuries-of-the-hand-and-nerve-palsies 
  16. Myelopathy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Published 2019. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/myelopathy 
  17. Sein M, MD, Peer-Reviewed P. Spinal Cord Stimulators and Pain Pumps: Implantable Systems for Neuropathy. Spine-health [Internet]. Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/spinal-cord-stimulators-and-pain-pumps-implantable-systems-neuropathy 
  18. Kumar R. Therapeutic use of botulinum toxin in pain treatment. Neuronal Signaling [Internet]. 28 September 2018; 2 (3): NS20180058. https://doi.org/10.1042/NS20180058 Accessed August 18, 2024. Available from: https://portlandpress.com/neuronalsignal/article/2/3/NS20180058/76656/Therapeutic-use-of-botulinum-toxin-in-pain
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