Speaking of heat, heat and ice packs will often relieve some kinds of nerve pain in the legs. If the pain is new or may be caused by an injury, try ice first. For chronic nerve pain in the legs, or to relieve diabetic nerve pain in the legs, heat can help blood flow and bring comfort quickly.
The Mayo Clinic says, “Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes is diabetes. People with peripheral neuropathy generally describe the pain as stabbing, burning or tingling.
Unfortunately, chronic nerve pain rarely goes away completely. However, a combination of multidisciplinary treatments, such as physical therapy, regular exercise, medication, and pain management treatment can hopefully provide significant relief.
And what better way to get blood flow moving than with a good old fashioned walk. It's the perfect low-impact aerobic exercise for everyone. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. The more you exercise on a consistent basis, the better your chances are at reducing your nerve pain.
Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve. Sharp, aching or burning pain, which may radiate outward. Tingling, pins and needles sensations (paresthesia) Muscle weakness in the affected area.
The main nerve traveling down the leg is the sciatic nerve. Pain associated with the sciatic nerve usually originates higher along the spinal cord when nerve roots become compressed or damaged from narrowing of the vertebral column or from a slipped disk.
The signs of nerve damage
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock. Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs. Regularly dropping objects that you're holding.
Regeneration time depends on how seriously your nerve was injured and the type of injury that you sustained. If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of 'rest' following your injury.
Vicks VapoRub also has other popular off-label uses—and these have more support than use of the product on the feet to improve a cough. Vicks is sometimes used on the feet to relieve neuropathy pain, treat toenail fungus, and soften callouses.
High levels of stress and anxiety can amplify your pain. Physical stress and exertion can increase your nerve pain as well. Strenuous exercise and the accompanying soreness can contribute to nerve pain during the night. Living in a chronic state of stress will wreak havoc on your physical and mental health.
How Long Have You Had the Pain? If you experience pain or discomfort from a pinched nerve for more than three days and you're not finding any relief from over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other treatments, this is a red flag.
Nerve damage can become permanent
The pain may reach a high point before reaching a state of constant numbness. Once your nerves become too damaged, they can't send signals to your brain. The constant state of numbness can make walking difficult 一 if not impossible.
Cooler Temperatures
When the temperature drops, your perception of pain often shifts. This perception can cause pain. Here's why. Your peripheral nerves that signal to your brain whether it's cold or hot can also send pain signals.
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.
A nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test — also called a nerve conduction study (NCS) — measures how fast an electrical impulse moves through your nerve. NCV can identify nerve damage. During the test, your nerve is stimulated, usually with electrode patches attached to your skin.
Magnesium decreases nerve pain. Clinical experience, as well as research in nerve pain conditions such as pancreatic cancer, has shown that magnesium can be an effective treatment for pain.
Although some people find relief on their side, others find it when sleeping on their back. Try sleeping on your back with knees elevated. If you find that doesn't work, switch to a side sleeping position.
Some recommended sleeping positions include sleeping in a recliner, sleeping on the back with a pillow underneath the legs, and sleeping on one side of the body with a pillow between the thighs.
Nerve Pain
It's best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided. The heat will increase blood flow and help tissues heal faster.
Deeply stroke the skin of both feet moving in an upward direction toward your knee. Next squeeze and massage all of the tissue of your feet starting between the toes, include the front and back surfaces of your feet. Squeeze, press and massage the entire foot as deeply as you can without causing pain.
Pain relievers
Tramadol (Ultram) and tapentadol (Nucynta) are opioids that can help with neuropathic pain. However, there is evidence that both medications can cause side effects, some of which are serious. These include: nausea and vomiting.