Central Nervous System May Contribute to DPN

One of the key contributors to peripheral nerve disease in patients with diabetes is the central nervous system (CNS), a new report suggests. Published in the journal Pain, the study, conducted by Dr Solomon Tesfaye of Sheffield (UK) Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and colleagues found changes within the central nervous system (CNS) were associated with the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), according to a press release. According to the release, about 25% of people with diabetes have symptoms of DPN, including progressive and severe pain and insensitivity to trauma, leading to an increased risk of foot ulcers, infections and…
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Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Reduces Chronic Headaches

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an effective long-term treatment for managing chronic intractable headaches, suggests research published in Pain Physician. In this retrospective study, peripheral nerve stimulation reduced mean headache severity on the 11-point Numeric Rating Schedule (NRS) by nearly 50% within one-month post implantation. After 12 months, headache severity scores decreased by at least 50% in 87% (40 of 46) of the patients, with pain decreasing even more substantially the longer the device was in place. Pain intensity scores on the NRS had decreased by 68% as many as 98 months post-implantation. These findings were consistent with previous studies; however,…
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Brain discovery leads to new treatments for neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating condition for which there are few effective treatments, mainly because we do not fully understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, say researchers whose latest discovery appears to shed new light in this area. The team, from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, reports the discovery in The Journal of Neuroscience. They hope the findings will lead to new research to help patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy or neuropathic pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, around 20 million people in the US have some form of peripheral neuropathy - trauma or disease damage to the peripheral…
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Hormones Therapy: Newest Pain Care Advance

Severe, uncontrolled pain may exhaust the adrenal gland, resulting in low levels of pregnenolone and cortisol. While adequate pain control will usually normalize serum hormone levels, opioid-induced suppression of the system may require additional treatment. The effect of severe, persistent pain on the hormone system is profoundly negative.1-5 If the patient’s hormone system is not kept homeostatic and balanced, the patient with pain will rapidly age and deteriorate. Episodic excess of cortisol in the blood, which occurs during pain flares, is particularly deleterious. Consequently, the achievement of hormonal balance—not too high or too low—has to be a primary goal of…
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Capsaicin Patch for Diabetic Neuropathic Pain

Currently in the United States, capsaicin patches are approved for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, however they are not approved for diabetic neuropathic pain. In previous studies, capsaicin patches have demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to pregabalin in peripheral neuropathic pain, with faster onset of action, fewer systemic side effects, and greater treatment satisfaction. Therefore, researchers set out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of capsaicin patch compared to placebo in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Researchers conducted a phase III, multi-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 12-week study, which included 369 patients with painful, distal, symmetrical, sensorimotor diabetic polyneuropathy, which lasted at least…
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Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

CHICAGO — As many as 50% of patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer experience chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. But most cases go undiagnosed, according to results presented at the American Neurological Association 2015 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Noah A. Kolb, MD, of the University of Utah, and colleagues studied the frequency of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and other neuropathy codes in three large databases: the Utah Cancer Registry, Population Database, and Electronic Data Warehouse. Overall, 984 patients exposed to neurotoxic chemotherapy were identified. Chemo Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Disorders of peripheral nerves are frequent complications of chemotherapy and certain other drug therapies. As…
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Nonsurgical treatments for spinal stenosis

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis about 12 years ago. I haven't had many symptoms over the years, but about six months ago I started noticing increasing discomfort in my legs. Is surgery an option to treat spinal stenosis? If not, what else can I do? The leg pain is making it hard for me to walk. ANSWER: Surgery usually isn't necessary to treat spinal stenosis. Often a combination of lifestyle changes, physical therapy and medication can effectively decrease the pain and discomfort caused by this common back problem. Spinal stenosis occurs when the open space within…
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Integrated Pain Management Approach

Integrated Pain Management Approach

Logan resident Dawn Carter’s life changed in January 2015 following an accidental fall down a flight of stairs. Originally diagnosed with just a concussion, complications from the injury now cause Carter to experience chronic nerve pain and migraines, in addition to seizures and memory loss. “There is really nothing (my doctors) can do about my pain,” Carter said. “It hurts so bad (that) I feel like an electric eel is swimming throughout my body. It mainly starts in my wrist and works up my arms, up to my shoulders and down to my back.” According to data gathered by the…
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Neuropathic Pain from Peripheral Nerve Injury

Neuropathic pain is a complex, chronic pain state that usually is accompanied by tissue injury. With nerve pain, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, dysfunctional, or injured. These damaged nerve fibers send incorrect signals to other pain centers. The impact of nerve fiber injury includes a change in nerve function both at the site of injury and areas around the injury. One example of neuropathic pain is called phantom limb syndrome. This rare condition occurs when an arm or a leg has been removed because of illness or injury, but the brain still gets pain messages from the nerves…
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Natural Treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy

Natural Treatments can help Peripheral Neuropathy Millions of Americans suffer from the painful affects of peripheral neuropathy pain. Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to your peripheral nerves, often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet. It can also affect other areas of your body. Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins. One of the most common causes is diabetes mellitus, or Adult Onset Type II Diabetes. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition which describes damage to the peripheral nervous system, which transmits information from the brain and…
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