The pain is usually described as a burning sensation and affected areas are often sensitive to the touch Symptoms of neuropathic pain may also include excruciating pain, pins and needles, difficulty correctly sensing temperatures and numbness

: of or relating to the body and the mind especially : of, relating to, or concerned with mental symptoms caused by bodily illness

Somatic pain occurs when pain receptors in tissues (including the skin, muscles, skeleton, joints, and connective tissues) are activated Typically, stimuli such as force, temperature, vibration, or swelling activate these receptors This type of pain is often described as: cramping gnawing

NEUROPATHIC PAIN – Examples include post herpetic (or post-shingles) neuralgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy / causalgia (nerve trauma), components of cancer pain, phantom limb pain, entrapment neuropathy (eg, carpal tunnel syndrome), and peripheral neuropathy (widespread nerve damage)

Let’s take a look at the five stages of peripheral neuropathy and how you can recognize each

• Stage One: Numbness and Pain
• Stage Two: More Regular Symptoms
• Stage Three: The Pain Reaches Its High Point
• Stage Four: Constant Numbness
• Stage Five: Total Loss of Feeling

The main medicines recommended for neuropathic pain include:

• amitriptyline – also used for treatment of headaches and depression
• duloxetine – also used for treatment of bladder problems and depression
• pregabalin and gabapentin – also used to treat epilepsy, headaches or anxiety

At night our body temperature fluctuates and goes down a bit Most people tend to sleep in a cooler room as well The thought is that damaged nerves might interpret the temperature change as pain or tingling, which can heighten the sense of neuropathy Also consider poor sleep quality

Treating Nerve Pain

1. Topical treatments Some over-the-counter and prescription topical treatments — like creams, lotions, gels, and patches — can ease nerve pain
2. Anticonvulsants
3. Antidepressants
4. Painkillers
5. Electrical stimulation
6. Other techniques
7. Complementary treatments
8. Lifestyle changes

The Impact of Caffeine Tolerance Given that people build up a tolerance to caffeine, be aware that if you usually drink caffeine every day and then you stop suddenly, this can actually both cause and worsen muscle pain and headache

These changes can include:

1. Losing weight
2. Exercising
3. Monitoring blood sugar levels
4. Not smoking
5. Limiting alcohol
6. Making sure injuries and infections don’t go unnoticed or untreated (this is particularly true for people who have diabetic neuropathies)
7. Improving vitamin deficiencies

Left untreated, nerve damage may worsen over time It can sometimes start in the nerves farthest from the brain and spinal cord — like those in the feet and hands

It’s usually caused by chronic, progressive nerve disease, and it can also occur as the result of injury or infection If you have chronic neuropathic pain, it can flare up at any time without an obvious pain-inducing event or factor

Neuropathy, often called peripheral neuropathy, indicates a problem within the peripheral nervous system Your peripheral nervous system is the network of nerves outside your brain and spinal cord Your brain and spinal cord make up your central nervous system

Over time, those fibers may undergo degeneration and die, which means the neuropathy is worse because of the loss of more nerve fibers This may cause increased numbness, but it usually causes the pain to get better In this scenario, less pain means greater degeneration

Peripheral nerves do regenerate Simply by addressing contributing causes such as underlying infections, exposure to toxins, or vitamin and hormonal deficiencies, neuropathy symptoms frequently resolve themselves In most cases, however, neuropathy is not curable, and the focus for treatment is managing symptoms

You must tell DVLA if you have peripheral neuropathy You can be fined up to £if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result

Living with peripheral neuropathy is like riding a roller-coaster — especially for those recently diagnosed Managing this painful condition is frustrating at best, and can feel overwhelming at times Patients often experience changing symptoms and debilitating pain

8 natural treatments for peripheral neuropathy

1. Vitamins Some cases of peripheral neuropathy are related to vitamin deficiencies
2. Cayenne pepper Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, an ingredient in hot peppers that makes them spicy
3. Quit smoking
4. Warm bath
5. Exercise
6. Essential oils
7. Meditation
8. Acupuncture

While you can’t reverse the damage from neuropathy, there are ways to help manage the condition, including: lowering your blood sugar treating nerve pain

B vitamins for neuropathy B vitamins are useful in treating neuropathy since they support healthy nervous system function Peripheral neuropathy is sometimes caused by a vitamin B deficiency Supplementation should include vitamin B-1 (thiamine and benfotiamine), B-6, and B-12