What Do I Do If I Have Nerve Pain?

Updated on August 10, 2020

Diabetes, cancer, HIV, vitamin deficiency, and other conditions, can cause nerve pain. The ability to do things with ease can become disrupted by this illness due to the intensity of pain that comes with it. After some time, mental disorders such as depression and anxiety may manifest themselves within a person suffering from nerve pain. 

Even if there is no known cure for neuropathic pain, some of the remedies discussed below can help you cope with the problem.

1)            Supplements And Vitamins

If there is a deficiency of vitamin B12 in your system, you can experience nerve pain, and to alleviate it, you need to have it in your diet. You can also get the vitamin from methylcobalamin supplement, and the good thing is that it has no side effects. Peripheral neuropathy can get relief by using alpha-lipoic acid present on foods such as broccoli, red meat, potatoes, and carrots.

Insufficient vitamin B1 can also cause nerve pain, and you can treat it by taking Benfotiamine. You can visit websites such as www.neuropathycure.org to get more information on these supplements. You will also get to learn the pros and cons of consuming them and the places to get them.

2)            Herbal Remedies

Compared to conventional medicine, herbs are way better in treating neuropathy. Herbs have fewer side effects or none at all, unlike drugs. Prolonged usage of the drugs can lead to you becoming an addict. They cause dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, lack of appetite, among other side effects.

Herbs are less expensive, making them affordable to most people, while prescriptions are costly. Still, conventional drugs do not deal with the real cause of nerve pain and tend to treat the symptoms and not the root. Using them poses further problems. That makes herbal remedies a go-to solution when faced with this condition. 

Extracts from skullcap, passionflower, and feverfew herbs are rich in pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties. They have flavonoids and alkaloids that make them efficient in their treatment of pain. 

3)            Conventional Medicine

Over the counter medication can help with relieving nerve pain. However, they treat low to moderate pain and thus make them less efficient for chronic extreme pain. You can get topical medications in the form of gels, lotions, creams, patches, and oils. 

Anticonvulsants that treat epilepsy can combine with an antidepressant to relieve pain. Painkillers also act as relief, and some may need to be strong enough to alleviate severe pain. Before taking the drugs, you need to have a proper diagnosis from a reputable doctor. Having a condition such as HIV, diabetes, or cancer may be the cause of nerve pain. However, there could be other causes that may need checking. Neurological tests, MRI, and CT scans, among other examinations, can help determine your pain. Once diagnosed, it will be easy to treat the condition and other underlying issues. 

4)            Yoga, Meditation And Massages

Yoga classes make pain manageable due to the various breathing techniques involved in the process. As you practice yoga, you can have a meditation session, which helps your mind focus on other things. If you slot in these practices into your day-to-day routine, you can reduce stress and depression caused by nerve pain.

After yoga, you can go to a massage parlor or buy a massage bed or chair to use anytime you need it. The massage therapy is effective with most forms of nerve pain. The endorphins released and better blood supply makes the pain bearable as it lessens. 

5)            Acupuncture

This Chinese traditional medicine can be an excellent alternative to other drugs of nerve pain. You can try it on its own or combine it with other medication to make it more effective. The needles used in the process exert pressure on different joints in the body, helping relieve pain.

Treating neuropathy using acupuncture is advisable since it has no known side effects. 

6)            Changing Your Lifestyle

Though not a treatment in itself, changing lifestyle habits can help alleviate pain. Exercising can help in boosting your moods due to the endorphins released during a workout. Blood supply also increases in the nerves and muscles, helping create relief in painful areas. 

Sticking to a healthy diet rich in vitamins and fiber can help manage pain. Avoiding alcohol or limiting its consumption can make the pain decrease. Quitting smoking permanently can help improve blood circulation. The smoke inhibits blood supply, making nerve pain quite unbearable. 

7)            Having A Support System

Nerve pain is uncomfortable. It can sometimes make you feel alienated since those around you do not understand your feelings. Instead of keeping to yourself, you can find people close to you and share what you are going through. You may also opt to consult a psychologist who can help deal with the psychological effects of neuropathy. This will help in the long-run.

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