Nerve pain can be a symptom of many different conditions, including cancer, HIV, diabetes, and shingles. For some, nerve pain is frustrating; for others, it’s devastating and life-changing. Whether it feels like burning, pinpricks, or sudden shocks of electricity, nerve pain can disrupt your life at home and at work.
Countless nerves in the body convey sensations to the brain, including pain. While we might not like pain much, it does have an important function: it prevents injury. When your foot begins to step on a nail, it’s the pain sensation that alerts your brain to the danger. That’s how it’s supposed to work, at least. But in people with nerve pain, that messaging system isn’t working correctly.
Since you can’t take away the external threat (there isn’t one), you have to treat the internal source of the pain or the experience. What makes the nerves behave this way? Usually, it’s damage from a physical injury or disease. These are only a few examples of diseases and conditions that can cause nerve damage and nerve pain.
Others include repetitive stress, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances, heart disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Lyme disease, alcoholism, thyroid problems, B12 deficiency, multiple myeloma and amyloid, and more. In some cases, nerve pain develops for no apparent reason.
Symptoms of nerve damage can vary from person to person. Sometimes, the nerves become hypersensitive. Something that normally feels painless — a breeze on your arm, the sensation of a bed sheet on your body — becomes painful. Damage to the sensory nerves doesn’t only cause pain. It can also result in numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Extreme cases, nerve damage can cause paralysis and affect things like digestion and breathing. The severity of nerve pain is usually linked to the severity of the underlying disease. So in general, nerve pain tends to be worse as people get older.
If you think you might have nerve pain, you need to see your doctor now. Sometimes, the cause might be fairly clear, especially if you have already been diagnosed with a condition known to cause nerve pain, like HIV, cancer, or diabetes. But in other cases, the cause of nerve pain can be hard to sort out.
Because so many conditions can trigger nerve pain, your doctor might need to run a number of lab tests. You’ll also need a thorough neurological exam, and possibly other tests — like CT scans, MRIs, nerve conduction studies, and electromyographies.
Sometimes, a doctor will recommend a biopsy of the skin or a nerve to examine the nerve endings. When nerve pain is caused by a condition like diabetes, HIV, or cancer, getting treatment for the underlying disease is obviously the priority. But treatments for the underlying disease might not necessarily help with your pain.
Nerve pain may need its own treatment, separate from treatment for the disease that’s causing it. The most effective and suitable treatment for nerve pain varies because it depends on the specifics — like the patient’s health, the underlying cause, the risks of potential side effects, and the costs.
However, doctors generally use the same set of treatments for nerve pain, whether it is caused by cancer, HIV, diabetes, or other conditions. These include medications, such as anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and analgesics, as well as lifestyle changes like exercise, stress management, and sleep hygiene.
Don’t assume that nerve pain will go away on its own. Don’t assume that following the treatment for the underlying disease will resolve it. Instead, talk to your doctor about treating your nerve pain directly or indirectly.
If you’re struggling with nerve pain caused by diabetes, cancer, HIV, or another condition, there is hope. At Michoes Medical Centre, our experienced healthcare team is dedicated to providing personalized care and treatment options for nerve pain. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards relief from nerve pain.
Call us at +256 414 222 333 or visit us at Plot 2340, Mbuya Road, Kampala, Uganda. We’re committed to helping you manage your nerve pain and improve your quality of life. Don’t wait any longer – get the care you need today!
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