At Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management in Oklahoma City, Dr. Darryl Robinson sees a lot of patients coming in with complaints about neuropathic pain, and this is true for a lot of places in the US. If fact, studies show that about 1 in 3 Americans suffer from chronic pain, and 1 in 5 of those have neuropathic pain. Individuals with neuropathic pain experience burning or shooting pain with a pins and needle sensation.
But what is it?
Dr. Darryl Robinson will tell you that neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition caused by progressive nerve disease, injury, or infection. A lot of people describe it as feeling random pins and needles in their feet or other extremities for no apparent reason. Neuropathic pain happens when damaged, injured, or dysfunctional nerve fibers send incorrect pain signals between the brain and spinal cord from muscles, skin, and other parts of the body. These dysfunctional nerve fibers affect nerve function at both the site of nerve injury and the area around the injury. At our pain management center in OKC, it’s our goal to find the root cause of your neuropathic pain and stop it at its source with one of our many pain management treatments at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management.
Causes of Neuropathic Pain
So many patients at Dr. Darryl Robinson’s practice in OKC come in for neuropathic pain because there are so many things that cause damage and nerve pressure resulting in neuropathic pain. But just how many are there? Common causes are:
- Viral infections
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
- Chemotherapy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Multiple myeloma
- Nerve compression from herniated discs or spinal arthritis
- Spinal surgery
- Shingles
- Syphilis
- Facial nerve problems
Symptoms of neuropathic pain come in many forms and vary among our individual patients at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, but usually present with the following symptoms.
- Shooting, stabbing, or burning pain
- Numbness and tingling with a pins and needles sensation
- Spontaneous pain occurs without any trigger
- Pain triggered by something that is usually not painful, like being in low temperature or rubbing against something, for example
- Unpleasant or abnormal sensations
- Difficulty resting or sleeping
Diagnosing Neuropathic Pain
To diagnose and treat your neuropathic pain at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, Dr. Darryl Robinson will take your history and do a physical examination. Common things that we look for at our pain clinic to treat neuropathic pain are: a description of your pain, what triggers your pain, and when your pain occurs. Occasionally at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, we’ll do blood tests and nerve conduction studies to rule out other conditions.
Treating Neuropathic Pain
Our main goals when we’re treating your neuropathic pain at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management are to:
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Treat the underlying cause
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Alleviate pain
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Maintain functionality
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Improve your quality of life
At our pain clinic in OKC, we offer several non-surgical pain reduction treatments that are as effective, safer, and more long-term than pain medication. Nerve block and radiofrequency ablation are a couple of these options, but the treatment we use really just depends on the nerve supplying your affected area.
To decide which non-surgical neuropathic pain treatment in OKC is right for you, Dr. Darryl Robinson will assess your neuropathic pain based on location, severity, and current overall health. After this, Dr. Robinson will discuss your pain management treatment options -advising you which is best suited for your specific needs. Neuropathic pain is chronic and difficult to treat completely, but with these non-surgical neuropathy treatment options, we can improve your quality of life so you can go about your day without limiting your routine.
Dr. Darryl Robinson at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management in OKC is board-certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation with a subspecialty in Pain Medicine. Dr. Robinson has used this unique skill set to provide revolutionary solutions and advanced treatments for pain syndromes for nearly two decades, maximizing patient outcomes. If you’re interested in booking an appointment with Dr. Darryl Robinson to treat your neuropathic pain, fill out the form below or call (405) 703-4950.
