Understanding and Navigating Neuropathic Pain

Written By Andrew Ford
Dr Dan, Back Neck & Joint, 'Understanding and Navigating Neuropathic Pain' blog

Understanding and identifying neuropathic pain can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. It requires patience, knowledge, and a strategic approach.

As a pain specialist, I frequently meet patients struggling with this complex pain. The challenge is that it’s hard for them to describe what they’re experiencing because the symptoms are so tricky. Neuropathic pain is often misunderstood and can be incredibly tough to manage. In this blog, I aim to help you understand neuropathic pain: What is it? What causes it? What are its symptoms? And why does it make you want to cry?

Watch this brief overview to better understand the complexities of neuropathic pain and its impact on the nervous system.

The Distribution and Nature of Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is characterised by its tendency to localise along the distribution of affected nerves. Imagine a line drawn along your body representing a nerve; if this nerve is damaged or dysfunctional, the pain can spread along this line. Interestingly, as the pain moves upward along the nerve, it often becomes more diffuse, making it harder to pinpoint.

One common question I receive from patients is: What makes the pain worse? The truth is, neuropathic pain is unpredictable. Unlike other types of pain, which may have clear triggers, neuropathic pain can seem random. This unpredictability is a hallmark of the condition, often leading to frustration and confusion.

Dr Dan, 'Understanding and Navigating Neuropathic Pain' blog, Human with knee pain

The Waxing and Waning of Symptoms

Neuropathic pain is known for its "waxing and waning" pattern. Some days, patients may feel relatively well, while on other days, the pain can be unbearable. This fluctuation can make it difficult to manage daily activities and maintain a consistent quality of life.

Recognising the Symptoms

Patients often describe neuropathic pain with a variety of terms, each capturing a different aspect of their experience. Common symptoms include:

  • Burning: A persistent, often intense sensation that feels like your skin is on fire.

  • Pins and needles: A tingling sensation, similar to the feeling of a limb "falling asleep."

  • Itching: An uncomfortable urge to scratch that doesn’t resolve the sensation.

  • Painful crawls: The feeling of something crawling under your skin.

  • Numbness: A loss of sensation that can take longer to recover than other types of pain.

  • Painful squeezing: A sensation of being tightly gripped.

  • Water running down the leg: A feeling as if liquid is trickling down your skin.

  • Painful cold areas: Regions where the pain feels icy, despite no actual change in temperature.

Dr Dan, 'Understanding and Navigating Neuropathic Pain' blog, Human with back pain

Causes of Neuropathic Pain

Understanding what causes neuropathic pain is crucial for effective treatment. Common causes include:

  • Nerve injury

  • Nerve decompression or dysfunction

  • Vitamin B12 deficiency

  • Diabetes

  • Infective causes: Infections like shingles, which is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, can lead to intense nerve pain.

  • Autoimmune disorders

Evaluating the Pain

When patients come to me, it’s essential to understand the specifics of their pain. Where is it located? How does it spread? For instance, pain that starts in the back and radiates to the toe suggests a different treatment approach than pain isolated to the hands.

The Emotional Component

Neuropathic pain has a unique emotional component that sets it apart from other types of pain. Many patients tell me, "I’ve never cried from other types of pain, but this pain makes me cry."

This is because neuropathic pain engages both the lateral and medial pain pathways in the brain. The lateral pathway conveys the physical sensation of pain, while the medial pathway processes the emotional aspect. The simultaneous activation of both pathways can lead to a profound emotional response, making the pain feel overwhelming.

Moving Forward

Managing neuropathic pain requires a comprehensive approach. By understanding the nature of the pain, its triggers, and its emotional impact, we can develop a more effective treatment plan. 

If you’re struggling with neuropathic pain, remember that you’re not alone. Consulting with a pain specialist who understands and recognises ‘It’s not in your head’ can help you recover from this.

Wish to know more? Follow us on https://www.iniyh.com/ to stay updated on pain conditions, helping patients and providers manage complex pain better.

Andrew Ford
Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.
http://www.andrewford.com.au/
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