Heat and Chronic Pain Conditions
Any rise in temperature means worsened symptoms, which means a hot summer day can make pain exponentially worse. This problem is so common, it has a name: Uhthoff's Syndrome. Once the heat backs down, symptoms tend to disappear.
Neuropathy — like most chronic pain — often gets worse as temperatures drop. Blood flow slows in your outer extremities when your body is exposed to cold. Nerve pain — especially in your hands and feet — increases as your circulation decreases.
For long outdoor ceremonies, in particular, standing for too long with the heat can flare your neuropathy. Avoid this by staying hydrated, dressing in cool clothes, wearing a hat or sunglasses, and research the venue's seating.
Heating an area speeds up circulation, which can bring more nutrients to damaged tissues. More heat and added nutrients helps tissues to have more of what they need to start healing. This is because heat dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow.
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.
Nerve pain is often worse at night. The touch of sheets or the pressure of lying down may be terribly uncomfortable. If you can't sleep because of your nerve pain, make sure to mention it to your doctor. Modifying lifestyle habits or taking medicine could help.
Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can feel as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. You may be very sensitive to touch or cold. You may also experience pain as a result of touch that would not normally be painful, such as something lightly brushing your skin.
Vitamin B helps our body to naturally produce the white blood cells it needs to fend off diseases that can threaten our nerve health. Think soybeans, brown rice, and other vitamin-B rich foods. Vitamin B has also been shown to help reverse nerve pain, which is often caused by inflammation.
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.
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.
Mentholatum Deep Heating (for the skin) is used for temporary relief of minor aches and pains caused by strains, sprains, arthritis, bruising, nerve pain, simple backache, or pain in the lower spine.
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.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is sometimes described as the most excruciating pain known to humanity.
Pinched Nerve Pain is Usually Short-Lived
In most cases, symptoms improve and nerve function resumes to normal within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
Each peripheral nerve is in itself complex; it has a very dedicated role relating to its own particular area of the body. Once this is damaged it is difficult to treat it because of the complexity of the nervous system.
Avoid caffeine four to six hours before bed, and minimize it daily to allow your body time to become tired. Less caffeine will help with overstimulated nerves that can intensify nightly pain. Turn off electronic devices such as your smartphone and TV an hour or more before bed to help your brain wind down.
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.
Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, can reduce neuropathy pain, improve muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.
Neuropathic Pain Treatment. Anticonvulsant and antidepressant drugs are often the first line of treatment. Some neuropathic pain studies suggest the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Aleve or Motrin, may ease pain.
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.