What is Neuropathy?
Article by Steph S.
It’s no question that there are many causes for back pain. But if you are among those who suffer from constant and debilitating stiffness, soreness, achiness, numbness, tingling, or any other type of pain of the back, what is actually at the root of the cause may be far from the top of your mind. What you may not realize, however, is that targeting your pain at its sources is what will finally end the discomfort once and for all. There are a number of back related disorders that commonly go misdiagnosed or under diagnosed. These include vertebral fractures, facet artopathy, sacroiliac joint disorders, and disc disorders to name a few. The aim of this article is to focus on one commonly misdiagnosed disorder that causes back pain – neuropathy.What is neuropathy?Neuropathic pain is chronic pain that tends to occur without any specific cause. Usually linked to damage or pathological changes to the peripheral or central nervous system, neuropathy has always been difficult to diagnose because it does not have a clear source. Furthermore, it becomes problematic in that it does not merely go away – in fact, it typically worsens with time. For this reason, it is important to treat your neuropathic pain as quickly as possible.What are some symptoms of neuropathy?The most common neuropathy symptoms include shooting pain, burning pain, cold pain, tingling numbness, and pain to the touch. Neuropathic pain can often be difficult to describe and can vary from day to day and person to person.Are there certain risk factors for neuropathic pain?Because neuropathy can be linked to a wide range of causes, there are no specific risk factors to keep in mind. However, a number of disorders have been found to cause neuropathic pain including trigeminal neuralgia, HIV, diabetes mellitus, chemotherapeutic medications, and shingles.How is neuropathy treated?Because the cause of neuropathic pain is so difficult to pinpoint, treatment is not always easy. In certain cases pain medications may do the trick, but they often are not enough. Also, because neuropathy tends to worsen rather than improve, pain medications will likely cease to work over time. For some patients, stimulation of the spinal cord is a successful treatment option. This procedure involves a device that is implanted into one’s back to prevent pain signals from reaching the brain.While neuropathy is only one type of back pain, it does cause significant debilitating problems for a handful of people. If you think you may be suffering from neuropathic pain, you can find more information from Dayton Interventional Radiology or your local doctor.
About the Author
Dayton Interventional Radiology in Ohio specializes in leg pain management, fibroid treatment and diagnosis, and back pain diagnosis and treatment.
