The nerves that run through our body are the cables that move us. It is the nerves that make us feel ourselves as our body and when any changes occur in it. It is the ever-vigilant neurons that keep us alive. Even the slightest pain in this nerve, which holds us from the sense of touch to the sense of being, can be life-threatening. For some people, nerve pain can be a chronic illness. What is nerve pain? Why does it happen? Here’s what the solution is.
Neuralgia is pain in the nerves caused by changes in nerve structure or function, as opposed to stimulation of healthy pain receptors.
Types of Trigeminal Pain
Depending on the type of pain, sciatic nerve pain can be classified into several types. They are as follows: Trigeminal neuralgia type 1 (TN1) : This is the most common type. The stabbing pain can come at any time. It won’t last. It is a disease of unknown cause.
Trigeminal neuralgia type 2 (TN 2): This is the abnormal form. The pain is constant. Pain, throbbing, irritation will occur.
Symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia (STN): pain caused by an underlying cause such as brainstem disease.
Symptoms
The main symptom is a sudden stabbing pain along the course of the affected nerve. It is caused by irritation or damage to the nerve. Hypersensitivity along the path of the damaged nerve causes pain to touch or pressure. Numbness along the nerve path leads to weakness or paralysis of the muscles along which the nerve travels.
Reasons
Causes of neuralgia include:
Chemical irritants
Chronic renal failure
Diabetes
Infections such as cancer, HIV, Lyme disease, meningitis, etc. Pressure on nerves from nearby bones, ligaments, blood vessels, or tumors.
Injury (diagnosis including surgery
Sometimes neuralgia is difficult to diagnose. It can be diagnosed by the following tests:
Laser excitations
Laser evoked potentials (LEPs) are used to measure the cortical response to stimulation of selected thermal neuroreceptors in the skin. A laser can emit pulses of radiothermal stimulation to selectively activate A-delta and C free nerve endings. It specifically targets pain and heat pathways and measures cortical responses.
A doctor can also detect microscopic lesions in the cutaneous nerve pathways. An abnormal LEP strongly suggests neuralgia. Normal LEP is ambiguous. LEPs are highly sensitive. These can accurately assess central and peripheral nervous system disorders.
Examination of skin tissue
Recently, skin tissue analysis has been used to examine motor receptors and the nerves that carry messages to the brain. Skin biopsy is a simple, minimally invasive procedure, although it is available in only a few research centers. A skin biopsy is used to quantify C nerves and A-delta nerves by measuring the density of intra-epidermal nerve fibers (IENF). Many people with neuropathy have been found to have intra-superficial cutaneous nerve loss.
Disease management
Treatment is provided by drugs and surgery.
Painkillers
These are used to block nerve passages. Tricyclic antidepressants are usually effective for nerve pain.
surgery
Nerve augmentation surgery is used to stimulate the affected nerve. Electrodes are carefully placed on the dorsal root and the indicated nerve tract is stimulated by subcutaneous nerve stimulation.