There is no cure for neuropathy, but treatments can reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you have an underlying medical condition, such as diabetes, managing it as recommended by your healthcare provider will help prevent or limit the severity of the neuropathy.
Over-the-counter pain relievers and topical medications, such as lidocaine patches and creams containing capsaicin (found in hot peppers), may ease neuropathic pain and itching.
1. Lifestyle Changes
For many people, treating the underlying cause of neuropathy will improve or eliminate their symptoms. The underlying cause could be something as simple as ensuring diabetes is well controlled or it may involve something like eating a gluten-free diet to help treat the autoimmune disorder called celiac disease, which is linked with neuropathic pain.
Maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding alcohol, exercising regularly, eating a balanced and nutritious diet, correcting vitamin deficiencies, avoiding exposure to toxins, and managing chronic health conditions, including cancer chemotherapy drugs, can all prevent or slow down nerve damage. In addition, wearing padded shoes and using foot supports or putting a light sheet over the feet at night can also relieve some symptoms.
Topical treatments, such as lidocaine creams or capsaicin patches, can reduce neuropathic pain and itching. Some prescription pain medications, such as tramadol, are also effective in reducing painful sensations. However, narcotics can be habit-forming and should only be used under the guidance of your doctor.
2. Medication
Depending on the cause, medication can help reduce neuropathic pain. Your doctor may start you on antidepressants, such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) or pregabalin (Lyrica). These medications act to increase chemicals in your brain that block nerve pain signals.
You may also try topical pain relievers, available over-the-counter or with a prescription. Topical pain medicines go directly to the nerves through your skin, and are less likely to have stomach side effects than pills that must pass through your digestive system.
TENS therapy involves placing small electrodes on the skin and delivering a low-voltage electrical current to block or change the nerves’ perception of pain. It may also improve balance and muscle strength in people with neuropathic pain.
Your doctor will order blood and urine tests to check for diabetes, kidney or liver problems, vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, and infections. They may also perform a skin or nerve biopsy.
3. TENS Therapy
TENS therapy is a drug-free way to relieve nerve pain. This treatment involves placing electrode pads on the skin that deliver electrical pulses. These pulses stimulate nerve fibers and reduce the transmission of pain signals to the brain.
The results of a recent study indicate that low-frequency TENS (LF-TENS) is effective for managing neuropathic pain. LF-TENS is typically less painful than high-frequency TENS and can be used at home.
Educate patients on the duration of TENS and the expectation that they may experience sensation or tingling during treatment but not pain. Inform them that minor redness at the site of electrode pad placement is normal and should not last long.
Avoid using LF-TENS on individuals with epilepsy, a heart problem, or a metal implant in the body (such as a pacemaker). This type of stimulation can increase blood circulation and cause a blood clot to form in an already-existing clot. It can also increase bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.
4. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is one of the most common ways to treat neuropathy and a great complement to other treatments. A physical therapist will perform a full evaluation and create an exercise plan that is specifically tailored to your needs. They will include aerobic exercises to increase movement and circulation which will reduce pain. They will also address flexibility to loosen tight muscles and balance and gait activities to help prevent falls.
Neuropathy is a condition that affects your peripheral nerves (the ones outside of your brain and spinal cord). Symptoms can include tingling, burning, numbness, or weakness in your hands and feet. There are several types of neuropathy, including diabetic neuropathy which can lead to gangrenous conditions or amputations.
The results from treatment can be different depending on the underlying cause of your symptoms. Some causes of neuropathy are due to metabolic or endocrine problems such as diabetes, nutritional deficiencies like vitamins B1, B6, and B12, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and vasculitis. Others can be caused by hereditary conditions such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or infections like shingles and Lyme disease.
