Just by touching 'Jerrit'Neuropathic pain, diabetics, etc
Nov 18, 2024
|
Neuropathic pain differs in pattern from general pain. In particular, when it becomes chronic, symptoms such as 'pain sensitivity', which causes severe pain due to excessive reaction to small stimuli, or 'dysenteric pain', which causes extreme pain just by touching it, may occur, so care should be taken to reduce the quality of life of patients.
It is a complex disease that is not easy to treat with general treatment once it occurs, and patients themselves need to prevent the causative disease, treat it, and thoroughly manage lifestyle habits.
Commonly known neuropathic pain includes diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, post-shingles neuralgia, neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury, complex pain syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Fabry disease, post-spinal pain syndrome, circulatory pain, tertiary neuralgia, cancerous neuropathic pain, neuropathic pain in people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, and central pain after stroke.
Professor Lee Joon-ho of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital said "As pain worsens over time and progresses to chronic conditions, early diagnosis and treatment are key."
Neuropathic pain with a causative disease can be alleviated to some extent if the causative disease is well treated.
For example, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain is closely related to the severity of diabetes or the duration of the disease. Thorough blood sugar management can prevent or delay the occurrence of symptoms. In addition, it is most important to treat the causative disease because the deterioration of the general condition due to the deterioration of the causative disease lowers the threshold of pain, so even pain of the same intensity can be felt more painful.
Chronic neuropathic pain is not very effective as a general pain reliever, so drugs such as anticonvulsants and antidepressants can be used to relieve pain. Depending on the degree and condition of pain, nerve treatments such as sympathetic nerve block and destructive surgery can be performed, and combined treatment with physical and psychotherapy is effective.
Professor Junho Lee "Since you may have questions about the use of drugs such as anticonvulsants and antidepressants rather than general painkillers when treating drugs, it is recommended that experienced medical staff help patients understand through sufficient explanations. In addition, sympathetic nerve block surgery and destructive surgery are often more difficult and dangerous than general nerve block surgery, so it should be performed by experienced medical staff."
Decreasing temperature, high humidity, and rapid fluctuations in air pressure can also cause and worsen pain. Decreasing temperature reduces blood circulation by constricting blood vessels, and high humidity causes swelling and inflammation and increases nerve sensitivity. Sudden fluctuations in air pressure, such as cloudy weather, rainy season, and typhoons, can affect the nerves as pressure changes in the joints and tissues around the nerves, and can also cause nerve inflammation.
Lifestyle habits such as eating habits, alcohol, smoking, and lack of sleep also affect neuropathic pain. Consumption of sugar, processed foods, saturated fats, and gluten can cause inflammation and increase blood sugar, worsening pain. Smoking and drinking can hinder blood flow to the nerve and cause edema of the nerve, worsening symptoms. Lack of sleep due to pain affects various endogenous nerve-related substances and lowers immunity, leading to a vicious cycle of pain and sleep disorders.
In order to alleviate the intensity of neuropathic pain, steady exercise therapy, along with the management of the causative disease and lifestyle, is of great help. Pain management effects can be seen through various exercises such as muscle stretching, strengthening and resistance exercises, aerobic exercises, and exercise control and stabilization training.
Professor Junho Lee told patients with neuropathic pain "Neuropathic pain can greatly affect the patient's quality of life, and progression to chronic pain can lead to mental illness such as depression. You can expect optimal treatment effects only when you receive accurate diagnosis early and continuously receive lifestyle improvements and systematic treatment under consultation with a specialist."
|
bellho@sportschosun.com
