Five Causes of Nerve Pain and How Perineural Injection Therapy Treats It

The medical name for pain caused by nerves is neuropathic pain, and you may sometimes hear it called neuropathy. Since all pain signals are transmitted through nerves, understanding the cause of the pain is important. Is it because you have tissue damage that needs to be treated, or is it because the nerves themselves are damaged?

At Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland, Dr. Neil Spiegel and physician assistant Jennifer Gularson know that chronic pain of any kind is debilitating and keeps you from living the life you want. One of the treatments we offer is perineural injection therapy, which may help resolve your nerve pain. 

Possible causes of neuropathy

In many cases, there’s a clear, underlying cause of nerve pain. When you can identify the root cause of your nerve pain, it may be possible to get relief by treating the condition causing it. Here are five common causes of nerve pain. 

1. Diabetes

High levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood can damage your nerves. Nerve pain, numbness, and tingling are common descriptions of the sensations that occur when your nerves are damaged due to diabetes. 

Experts estimate that about 20% of people with diabetes have nerve damage before they’re even diagnosed. In other words, having prediabetes puts you at risk of nerve damage. 

2. Trauma

Experiencing a traumatic injury can damage your nerves and leave you with neuropathy even if your injury heals. Your nerves may continue to send pain signals due to the damage incurred during the injury. 

3. Other medical conditions

In addition to diabetes, which is the most common cause of neuropathy, numerous other medical conditions can cause nerve damage. HIV, celiac disease, Fabry’s disease, lupus, and many others can lead to damaged nerves that continue to send pain signals when they shouldn’t. 

4. Medications

Some medications can damage your nerves. Chemotherapy, for example, can lead to neuropathy. Some drugs used to treat HIV may also lead to nerve damage, as can too much or too little of certain B vitamins.

5. No known cause

In some instances, doctors can’t identify the underlying cause of nerve damage. When that happens it’s called idiopathic neuropathy. 

Perineural injection therapy

Perineural injection therapy can help ease the symptoms of neuropathy. In this type of therapy, we use a solution of water and sugar to reduce the inflammation and irritation of your damaged nerves. 

We inject this solution precisely, right along the path of the problematic nerve. These nerves are located close to the surface of your skin, so we only need a very short, thin needle to deliver the solution. You may feel something like a series of pinpricks. 

You’re likely to notice a reduction in symptoms right away, but in order to enjoy the full benefits of perineural injection therapy, you may need a series of treatments spaced over a few weeks. 

If you’re experiencing nerve pain, perineural injection therapy could be a treatment for you to explore. Schedule an appointment with us at Osteopathic Center for Healing for an evaluation and discussion of your specific situation.