Some people live with pain that causes “pins and needles” in their back, feet or wrists. Sometimes this pain even causes an electric shock-like sensation: and because it is unpredictable, the individual is overwhelmed with anxiety as to when it will strike next. This different type of pain is called neuropathic pain - otherwise known as nerve pain - and it affects 15 million Americans and Europeans.
There are many different kinds of pain, but nerve pain - despite being chronic and sometimes disabling - is one that is not well understood. According to a 2004 survey by the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), nearly 34% of Americans have or know someone who has experienced pain that causes tingling, “pins and needles,” burning, or an electric shock-like sensation; yet only 6% of people recognize these symptoms as nerve pain.
The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY), in an effort to educate the public on how to recognize the symptoms of neuropathic pain, is, therefore, passing along the following information from the ACPA.
Facts
Nerves are cells that send information throughout the body. They link together, like electrical wires, to form the nervous system, which is what the brain and body use to communicate. But like wires that short circuit, nerves in the central nervous system can become injured. An injured nerve stops working properly and sends the wrong signals to the brain. This injury can result in a condition called neuropathic (nerve) pain, which causes discomfort to areas of the body - commonly the hands, legs or feet.
Nerve pain is often hard to diagnose because the pain results from a disruption inside the body, not from an injury outside the body. It can be related to a number of medical conditions - such as diabetes, shingles, cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome or a spinal injury.
Symptoms
Nerve pain is a type of chronic pain disorder - the symptoms seem to never go away or occur off and on periodically. The symptoms of nerve pain are hard to describe to a physician because the feelings are very different from pain associated with an injury or that of achy and sore muscles. Many who suffer from nerve pain do not describe this feeling as “painful.” Instead, they may describe it as:
* Pins and needles,
* An electric shock-like feeling,
* A stabbing pain, like a spike being driven into the hand or foot,
* Walking on broken glass,
* Burning pain,
* Tingling, and/or
* Numbness.
Impact
When not properly managed, nerve pain can significantly interfere with a person’s daily life. Simple acts, like walking to the grocery store or putting on socks, can be agonizing. Even a gentle breeze outdoors or the touch of bed sheets can cause pain. Nerve pain affects many aspects of a person’s life. For example, individuals who have nerve pain may:
* Find it difficult to sleep at night;
* Be unable to work;
* Have trouble concentrating
* Become isolated from family and friends, or no longer take part in their hobbies/activities; and
* Feel hopeless and depressed because they do not see relief in sight.
Management
Although nerve pain can be incapacitating and disabling, there are ways to effectively manage it and continue to live a productive life. Successfully managing nerve pain involves:
* Talking to a physician (usually a nerve disease specialist called a neurologist) about nerve pain and about how best to manage it (To obtain a list of nearby general physicians and specialists, go to MSSNY's website at www.mssny.org, click on “Doctor Finder, and type in necessary information; or call the local county medical society.);
* Asking about medicines that are developed specifically to treat nerve pain;
* Learning how to relax and set realistic goals;
* Identifying a moderate exercise program that can be done safely;
* Getting family and friends involved; and
* Finding out more about the disease. First ask your doctor. To get additional information, contact the ACPA at 800-533-3231 and/or log on to its website at http://www.theacpa.org.
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