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Neuralgia
Living with Neuralgia
Living with Neuralgia
For millions of people, living with neuralgia offers a daily challenge. Coping with the chronic pain associated with the condition is never easy. Along with this, people who suffer from neuralgia also have to deal with difficulties accomplishing simple tasks such as walking, talking, chewing or swallowing.
If the cause of neuralgia has been diagnosed, living with the condition would entail controlling and treating the underlying disease. For example, if diabetes is causing neuralgia, all efforts have to be made to keep the
blood sugar under control. Other suggestions for living with neuralgia include:
- Taking over-the-counter painkillers to keep mild pain symptoms in check. For more severe pain, your doctor will have to prescribe stronger medication such as anti-depressants and anti-convulsants.
- Changing your diet to include foods rich in vitamins B and E to help maintain a healthy nervous system. These include foods such as nuts, whole grains, chicken, dairy products, and fresh vegetables.
- Reducing your intake of fat in your diet by opting for low-fat alternatives.
- Increasing the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in your diet as this provides the body with natural anti-inflammatory substances.
- Opting for physical therapy if coping with the constant pain prevents you from performing simple daily tasks.
- Exercising daily under the supervision of your doctor. Stretching and strengthening your muscles is essential for reducing neuralgia pain.
- Educating yourself about the condition so that you take informed decisions about your treatments and recovery.
References
- Ann Berger, Marie Henderson, Wolffe Nadoolman, Valerie Duffy, Dennis Cooper, Lloyd Saberski, Linda Bartoshuk, Oral capsaicin provides temporary relief for oral mucositis pain secondary to chemotherapy/radiation therapy, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Volume 10, Issue 3, April 1995, Pages 243-248, ISSN 0885-3924, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0885-3924(94)00130-D.