Nerve Pain - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Nerve pain is a condition in which there is interference with the nervous system. When the nervous system is disrupted, the sufferer can have difficulty moving, talking, swallowing, breathing, or thinking. Patients can also experience disorders of memory, the five senses, or moods.

The human nervous system is divided into two, namely the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The human central nerve consists of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nerve consists of nerve fibers which are responsible for connecting between various organs of the human body and the central nervous system. Together, the three parts of the nervous system function to control all bodily functions.

Some body functions that are controlled by the nervous system are:

1. Brain growth and development
2. Sensation and perception
3. Thoughts and emotions
4. The process of learning and memory
5. Movement, balance and coordination
6. Sleep
7. Recovery and rehabilitation
8. Body temperature
9. Breathing and heartbeat.

There are three types of nerves in the human body, namely:

• Autonomic nerves. This nerve functions to control unconscious body movements or semi-conscious body movements such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and regulation of body temperature.
• Motor nerves. The type of nerve that controls movement by sending information from the brain and spine to the muscles.
• Sensory nerve. This nerve will send information from the skin and muscles back to the spine and brain. This information is processed so that people feel pain or other sensations.

Symptoms of Nerve Pain

Symptoms of nerve pain can be distinguished from the types of nerves that experience interference or damage, namely:

1. Autonomic nerve pain , generally in the form of excessive sweating, dry eyes and mouth , difficulty defecating, bladder dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction.
2. Pain nerves hatched k , generally in the form of muscle weakness, muscle atrophy (shrinking of muscle size), muscle twitching, and paralysis .
3. Pain sensory nerves k, generally in the form of pain, irritability, numbness or numbness, tingling, burning, and disturbances of consciousness position.

Causes of Nerve Pain

The causes of neuropathy are very diverse, including:

1. Hereditary factors, such as Huntington's disease.
2. Development of imperfect nerves, such as spina bifida .
3. Damage or death of nerve cells, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease .
4. Diseases of the blood vessels of the brain, such as stroke .
5. Injuries, such as brain or spinal cord injury.
6. Cancer, like brain cancer.
7. Epilepsy.
8. Bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections. An example is a meningitis .

Nerve Pain Diagnosis

Some of the tests that doctors usually do to diagnose nerve pain are:

1. Neurological examination . A neurological examination is performed to examine the function and condition of the nervous system, including the patient's sensory and motoric abilities, cranial nerve function, mental health, and behavioral changes.
2. Laboratory tests, such as blood tests and urine tests, to help diagnose disease and understand more about the disease suffered by the patient. Laboratory tests include an initial examination of nerve pain, and can describe the condition of the patient's nervous system in general.
3. Scanning The scanning method can provide an overview of organs in the body, including damaged nervous system organs. The results of scanning checks can be in the form of two or three-dimensional images. Examples of scanning methods that can be done to diagnose nerve pain are X-rays, CT scans, MRI, and fluoroscopy.
4. Genetic testing, through amniocentesis or placenta (CVS), and pregnancy ultrasound, to find out if the child has congenital nerve pain.
5. Biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure for taking tissue samples that will be examined in a laboratory to detect neurological abnormalities. The most commonly used samples are muscles and nerves, and tumor tissue in the brain. Biopsy procedures for taking tissue from brain tumors are usually more complicated and require longer execution and recovery times than biopsy of muscle and nerve tissue.
6. Angiography. Angiography is a test to detect whether there are blocked blood vessels. This test can help diagnose strokes, swell the blood vessels of the brain and to determine the location and size of brain tumors. Angiography involves scanning using X-rays to produce images of blocked blood vessels.
7. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid . This test is done by taking and examining fluids that protect the brain and spinal cord. The fluid that is examined can provide information on whether there is bleeding, infection, and other nervous disorders. Cerebrospinal fluid extraction is carried out through the lumbar puncture method and carried out in the hospital.
8. Electroencephalography (EEG) . This test is done to monitor brain activity by attaching a sensor to the head. EEG can detect neurological diseases caused by seizure disorders, brain damage due to injury, inflammation of the brain or spinal cord, psychiatric disorders, and metabolic or degenerative disorders of the brain.
9. Electromyography (EMG) . This test is done to diagnose nerve and muscle disorders, as well as spinal cord disease. The examination is done by attaching sensors around the muscles, and carried out in a hospital or specialized laboratory. EMG tests can be carried out together with nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests .
10. Electronystagmography (ENG) . This test consists of several series of testing methods that are used to diagnose abnormal eye movements, vertigo, and interference. The examination is done by attaching sensors around the eyes.
11. Discography. This test is a scanning test to evaluate back pain. This test can involve scanning X-rays or CT scans to produce a visual image of the back and spinal cord conditions.
12. Evoked Potentials . This test is done to measure electrical signals to the brain that are produced by the senses of hearing, touch, or vision.
13. Thermography. This test is done by using infrared to measure small temperature changes between two sides of the body or on one organ.

Treatment of Nerve Pain

In many cases, nerve damage cannot be completely cured. But there are several treatments to reduce symptoms. The first goal of treating neuropathy is to treat medical conditions that are the cause and prevent further nerve damage. Some of them are:

1. Treatment for autoimmune conditions.
2. Limiting blood sugar levels in diabetics.
3. Improve nutrition.
4. Change medication, if the drug causes nerve damage.
5. Provides pain relief, tricyclic antidepressants, or some anticonvulsant drugs to reduce nerve pain.
6. Physiotherapy .
7. Surgery to overcome stress or trauma on the nerves.

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