Nerve pain, also called neuralgia, can present at varying levels of severity. While mild nerve pain can take the form of intermittent burning or electric sensations, severe nerve pain can be constant and debilitating, manifesting in symptoms like numbness, tingling, and weakness. Prolonged nerve compression or nerve damage can even lead to paralysis or muscle atrophy if sensory and motor signals are not being sent to the appropriate region of the body.
What Causes Severe Nerve Pain?
Severe neuralgia in the back or neck is most often due to degenerative spine conditions that have led to anatomical abnormalities that can exert pressure on nearby spinal nerve roots or the spinal cord itself. Examples include:
- Herniated discs
- Bulging discs
- Bone spurs
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
In addition to degenerative conditions, severe nerve pain can also be caused by congenital disorders, metabolic or endocrine disorders, inflammatory diseases, or physical trauma.
Minimally Invasive Treatments for Severe Nerve Pain
If your nerve pain has progressed from a mild to severe state, you have likely already tried weeks or months of conservative treatments. If pain medication, intermittent rest, physical therapy, hot-cold compresses, or other nonsurgical therapies have proven ineffective, your doctor may suggest that you consider spine surgery as a nerve pain treatment. If this is the case, you should know that there are alternatives to highly invasive, open spine surgeries. Laser Spine Institute offers a variety of minimally invasive, outpatient procedures that utilize state-of-the-art endoscopic technology. We safely and effectively decompress spinal nerves without the risks and lengthy recuperation associated with open spine surgery. Contact Laser Spine Institute today for a complimentary review of your MRI or CT scan.
