What is Neuropathic Pain?
The information here will help you understand neuropathic pain and learn about an investigational therapy being developed to treat the condition. This website cannot substitute for talking to your healthcare professional and should not be used to make a diagnosis. Be sure to consult with your doctor if you or someone you know has neuropathic pain or if you would like to learn more about treatment options.
What Is Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathic pain is a type of chronic pain. It is a result of damage to the nervous system following infection, disease, injury, and certain medications. Neuropathic pain serves no protective function. Instead of functioning properly to warn of tissue injury, the nervous system malfunctions and becomes the cause of the pain. Neuropathic pain can continue for months or years and is often described as "burning," "electric," "tingling," or "shooting." Some different types of neuropathic pain are listed below:
Postherpetic Neuralgia
Some people who develop shingles experience pain that lasts for a long time after the shingles rash has healed. Shingles usually happens late in life when the virus that caused childhood chicken pox becomes active again. Shingles is very painful; in a minority of cases the intense pain can last for months or years, or it may never go away.
Painful HIV-Associated Neuropathy
People infected with HIV may develop neuropathic pain directly as a result of the virus or because of the medications used to treat HIV. If you have HIV-associated neuropathy, you may experience mild or severe symptoms, usually in the feet but sometimes in the hands. The autonomic nervous system may also be affected.
Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
There are many types of diabetic neuropathies (nerve disorders caused by diabetes). Peripheral diabetic neuropathy causes pain, weakness, and reduced or lost sensation in the feet. Some people may develop tingling, burning, or numbness; others may experience sharp pains, cramps, and extreme sensitivity to touch. Other types of diabetic neuropathy affect other parts of the nervous system and may affect digestion, balance, vision, and many other bodily functions.
Other Types of Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain can develop with many medical conditions, such as traumatic nerve injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, syringomyelia, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, and cancer. Cancer-related neuropathic pain may follow nerves invading the tumor or nerve damage from surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. In addition, complex regional pain syndrome II is a form of neuropathic pain in which there may be painful swelling of the arms and legs and abnormal sweating.
