Neuropathic pain can come from any aspect of the nervous system, from the distal peripheral nerves to the spinal cord to areas of the central nervous syndrome.  This kind of pain can continue following an injury long after the trauma and inflammation have resolved.  It is related to abnormal sodium channels in the tissue innervated by the nerves.  Calcium channels in the cells are also known to play a role in this type of pain.

What Causes Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathic pain is a cause of many types of chronic pain.  It is hard to diagnose and hard to treat.  Examples of neuropathic pain include the following:

• Postherpetic neuralgia
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Phantom limb pain
• Radiculopathy pain
• Plexopathy pain in cancer patients

Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

Treatment of neuropathic pain is complex and can involve pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches.  Some patients respond to chronic opioid therapy, while others benefit from anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, nerve ablation, or TENS unit use.  Spinal cord stimulation helps in some cases, along with a technique known as the CraigPENS technique, which uses percutaneous nerve stimulation.

Types of Medications

The two types of pain medications include membrane stabilizing agents and medicines that increase the inhibitory mechanisms in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.  Membrane stabilizing medications include local anesthetics and anticonvulsants, such as valproic acid, carbamazepine, and phenytoin.  These medications block sodium channels in nerve cells.  Steroids also can be membrane stabilizers to nerve fibers.  The same is true of tricyclic antidepressant medications.

Other Medications for Pain Management

• Anticonvulsant Medications – Anticonvulsant medications are suitable for lancinating pain, such as is seen in trigeminal neuralgia.  In fact, carbamazepine, an anti-seizure drug, is indicated in trigeminal neuralgia and is FDA approved for its use.  Carbamazepine is started at 50 mg twice daily and increased to 300 mg four times daily.  Phenytoin is helpful but isn’t as good as carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia.  It is taken in doses of about 100 mg twice daily, checking for therapeutic levels if it needs to be increased.  Valproic acid acts on the GABA system and on sodium channels.  It is excellent as a preventative for migraine headaches.  Clonazepam is used for radicular pain and pain that is lancinating. It is a medication that inhibits the GABA system in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.  It is taken as 0.5 to 1 mg at bedtime, increasing to a maximum of 4 mg at night.
• Gabapentin – Gabapentin is also popular for pain management.  It has a structural similarity to GABA and is helpful in neuropathic pain.  It has few side effects, making it an excellent first choice for neuropathic pain management. It acts on calcium channels in nerve cells.  It works on the central nervous system regulating pain rather than the peripheral nervous system.  It is perfect for patients with diabetic neuropathy. Postherpetic neuralgia is particularly difficult to treat.  Only about half of all patients find relief with tricyclic antidepressants.  Gabapentin helps 65 percent of patients.  Gabapentin is preferred in many cases of neuropathic pain because it is relatively safe and has a low potential for side effects.
• Antidepressants – Antidepressants, particularly tricyclic antidepressants, can help people with neuropathic pain and have the advantage of once nightly dosing.  There can be side effects, including constipation, orthostatic hypotension, and sedation.  Doses may run as high as is used for depression, but this doesn’t always have to be the case.  Amitriptyline is the most commonly used tricyclic antidepressant for neuropathic pain.  SSRI antidepressants aren’t as helpful as tricyclic antidepressants to relieve pain.
• Anti-arrhythmics – Anti-arrhythmics are helpful in some cases of neuropathic pain.  They block nerve activity in the central nervous and peripheral nervous systems.  These include lidocaine, mexiletine, and Dilantin.  They stabilize the sodium channels in a nerve cell.
• Corticosteroids – Corticosteroids work well for neuropathic pain.  They also have excellent anti-inflammatory properties.  They can be used as an epidural for pain caused by discogenic radiculopathy.  They can be effective when given orally as well as parenterally.
• Baclofen – Baclofen is used for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.  It acts on the spinal cord as a GABA agonist.  It functions similarly to clonazepam when it comes to neuropathic pain. Capsaicin is a pain cream used for peripheral neuropathic pain.  It gradually reduces the amount of the pain molecule substance P and works after application over several weeks.  The medication causes intense pain when given initially, and patients must get past this to have the medication ultimately be helpful.

Watch YouTube Video: Neuropathic Pain. This educational video provides an in-depth look at neuropathic pain.

Sacramento Chronic Pain Attorneys

If you or a loved one is experiencing neuropathic pain following injuries in a car accident, call our experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyers today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.

To see the types of cases we’ve handled, see our verdicts & settlements.

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy. [cha 4.15.22]

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