Nerve pain: Here’s how you can get relief
Your nervous system is responsible for all the things that occur in your body, right from breathing to sleeping. And since they’re spread so widely in our body, nerves are quite vulnerable to damage. The damage is dependant on the type of nerve that’s affected and the location of the nerve. It can cause an array of issues like lightheadedness, excessive sweating, and several other dysfunctions in the body.
Nerve damage can lead to nerve pain which resembles a burning, sharp, or tingling sensation, generally on your face, back, neck, feet, and hands.
Anti-inflammatory diet
Inflammation of nerves is a leading cause of nerve pain. You can reduce or avoid this inflammation by making some simple changes in your diet. Use more healthy and wholesome foods in your diet instead of processed foods and foods with high sugar. Include the following food items in your diet to get a positive result,
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Green tea
- Walnuts and almonds
- Olive oil
- Lean meat like chicken and turkey
- Seeds and legumes
- Turmeric and ginger
- Drink ample water
Here is a list of the best nerve pain relief methods.
Heat and cold press
You can use alternating heat and cold presses on your body. It shocks the body and helps the body recover from the cycles of spasm and pain. While heat relaxes the muscles and reduces pain signals, the ice numbs the nerves and reduces their sensitivity.
Make sure never to apply ice directly. Always wrap some crushed ice in a towel and tie it around the areas that hurt. You can also use frozen peas in the place of ice for a similar effect. Heat can be applied using a heating pad, a moist warm cloth, or even a hot tub. You can try alternating between the two at a stretch to get a faster nerve pain relief.
Stretching
Tight muscles may sometimes worsen nerve pain, especially when they pinch the nerve directly. Stretching these muscles could help relieve stress. It also helps increase the nerve length and loosen the strong hold on your muscles. This can improve the range of motion of your muscles and also sometimes give instant nerve pain relief.
Make sure to consult with your doctor before you perform any stretches. They will make sure that you aren’t damaging any of the nerves even further.
Proteolytic Enzymes
Repeated inflammation in your body can kill your nerves and cause nerve damage. Proteolytic enzymes are responsible for keeping the inflammation in check and reduce them to avoid any damage to the body. But unfortunately, the production of these enzymes reduces by late 20s.
You can take supplements for these enzymes so that it helps reduce your symptoms of nerve pain and damage.
Drink plenty of water
Dehydration can lead to inflammation, which in turn increases your nerve pain. Being thirsty should not be your reminder for drinking water. Make sure you consume ample water to keep your nerves and muscles hydrated as it is the best nerve pain relief method.
Ginger
Ginger is an excellent remedy to help reduce inflammation and pain. It works great for nerve pain relief as well. You can consume ginger in several ways by adding it into your food and beverages to give you nerve pain relief.
Turmeric
Turmeric is well known for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Turmeric can help reduce inflammation and loosen the nerves to help lessen the pain in your nerves.
Medications for nerve pain relief
Several types of medications can help reduce nerve pain, but each medication works differently on different types of pain. Consult your doctor to understand the underlying cause of your nerve pain and get the best medication for it.
- Anticonvulsants
These drugs were first developed to combat seizures and symptoms of epilepsy. Although it has been found that they are also effective in reducing the symptoms of nerve pain. In fact, these are considered as the first choice for getting nerve pain relief. Not all anticonvulsants help reduce nerve damage, so your doctor will pick out the right one for you.
- Antidepressants
Antidepressants are also considered an excellent choice of medication for nerve pain relief. There are two major types of antidepressants used for treating nerve pain:
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants are used on a greater scale for other problems compared to depression. They play a vital role in providing nerve pain relief. However, this is not a safe option if you have a heart disease.
- Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
This is a new type of antidepressant that helps reduce nerve pain. These drugs carry fewer side effects compared to the other types of antidepressants and are also safe for people with heart problems. They may however not be as effective.
There are tons of ways and medications to deal with nerve pain. Make sure to consult with a doctor before you use any of the methods mentioned above for nerve pain relief.