Home Health Center
Neuralgia
Neuralgia - Treatment
Treatment for Neuralgia
Treatment for Neuralgia will depend on the cause of the condition along with the severity of the symptoms and the area affected. In many cases, the disease is treated even if the cause is unknown. In such situations, the main goal of the treatment is to provide pain relief. There are also cases of neuralgia that improve on its own and the symptoms may just disappear over time. Possible treatments for neuralgia include:
- Medication to control blood sugar in cases where people with diabetes develop neuralgia
- If the cause is a dental abscess, antibiotics may be prescribed
- If a bone is pressing against a nerve, surgery may be required to remove the bone
- Surgery to remove tumors in case they are the cause of nerve pain
- Medications to control the pain that may include anti-depressants, anti-seizure medications, over-the-counter painkillers, topical creams and narcotic analgesics for short-term relief from pain
- In cases of trigeminal neuralgia where muscular spasms are too severe, anti-convulsants medications may be required
- Anti-viral medications especially in the case of postherpetic neuralgia
- There are now also a new breed of medications specially developed to treat nerve pain but the efficacy of these in the long-term have yet to be studied
- Pain relieving injections administered to the affected area
- Nerve blocks
- TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
- Some cases of neuralgia such as postherpetic neuralgia may respond to physical therapy
- Nerve ablation procedures such as radiofrequency or heat compression may reduce feelings in the affected nerve pathways
- Motor Cortex Stimulation or MCS is a procedure where electrodes are placed over different parts of the brain and a pulse generator under the skin attempts to relieve symptoms of neuralgia
- Surgery may be performed to block pain messages or desensitize nerve endings
- Alternative therapies that may work when used in combination with medical treatments include acupuncture, massage therapy, biofeedback, and yoga. However, none of these complementary treatments should be used as a substitute for medical remedies. Before starting any new therapy or treatment always consult with your doctor or health care practitioner to avoid any adverse reactions
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.