About Nerve Pain
The hundreds of nerves in your body are part of its “electric wiring” system.2 They carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body to perform many actions such as moving muscles, sensing heat and feeling pressure.1 But nerves are fragile, and they can become damaged.
Nerve pain, also called neuropathic pain, results from this damage.3 It can vary from a burning, stabbing or shooting pain to achiness and soreness.4 Symptoms of nerve damage also can include a feeling of numbness or tingling, almost like a “pins and needles” sensation.4 Nerve pain can range from mildly annoying to excruciating.
Nerve pain is common, and for many people it greatly affects their quality of life.5,6 Nerve pain also typically gets worse with more and more use.4 With the many treatment options available at DFW Spine & Pain Institute and the expertise of our specialists, we can help you find relief.
Nerve Pain Causes
Uncovering the cause of your nerve pain is the first step in managing it.3 At DFW Spine & Pain Institute we use a technique called Pain Mapping to diagnose the root cause of your pain. With Pain Mapping, we utilize a number of specific tests to identify the source of your nerve pain so we can create a comprehensive treatment plan to ease your symptoms.
Nerve pain is common in the back but can happen virtually anywhere in your body. Nerve pain can be caused by:3,4,6,7
- Spinal conditions such as a compressed (pinched) nerve or spinal stenosis
- Other orthopedic conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Physical injury, such as from a car accident or a fall
Health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, shingles, arthritis
- Many other factors, including infections or immune system disorders
Nerve Pain Treatments
At DFW Spine & Pain Institute, our providers have special expertise in managing nerve pain, utilizing a wide variety of state-of-the art techniques and technology. Because everyone’s pain is different, we customize our treatments to best meet each person’s condition, needs and lifestyle.
Some of the nerve pain treatments we offer include:
- Nerve blocks. This involves injections of pain medicine to block signals from the nerves that are causing your pain. We offer different types of nerve blocks, such as cervical epidural nerve blocks and brachial plexus blocks. Learn more.
- Injections for back, neck, leg and arm pain. We can inject anti-inflammatory medicine or other medication in the area causing your pain to help reduce swelling and inflammation. Learn more.
- Rhizotomy. In this minimally invasive procedure, we use precisely placed electrodes to destroy the nerve roots that are causing your pain. Also called radiofrequency ablation (RFA), this procedure can treat back pain and other pain conditions. Learn more.
- Minimally invasive spine surgery. If your nerve pain is best treated with surgery, we offer a number of procedures that can be performed with tiny incisions that can mean less scarring and a faster recovery. Learn more.
Start Living a Pain Free Life
If pain is interfering with your daily life, we may be able to help. We offer a Free MRI Review and we’re happy to answer any questions about non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments for pain management.
Contact Us Today
References
1 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Nerve Injuries. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/nerve-injuries. Accessed March 4, 2020.
2 Healthline. How Many Nerves Are in The Human Body? https://www.healthline.com/health/how-many-nerves-are-in-the-human-body. Accessed March 4, 2020.
3 Spine-health. Treatment Options for Neuropathic Pain. https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/treatment-options-neuropathic-pain. Accessed March 4, 2020.
4 Cleveland Clinic. What Is Nerve Pain (and How Does It Differ From Other Kinds of Pain?). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-nerve-pain-and-how-does-it-differ-from-other-kinds-of-pain. Accessed March 4, 2020.
5 Cavalli E, Mammana S , Nicoletti F, et al. The neuropathic pain: An overview of the current treatment and future therapeutic approaches. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2019 Jan-Dec; 33:2058738419838383.
6 MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Peripheral neuropathy. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000593.htm. Accessed March 4, 2020.
7 Healthline. What You Should Know About Neuropathic Pain. https://www.healthline.com/health/neuropathic-pain. Accessed March 4, 2020.
