Treatments for Nerve Pain?

[zainaballen]

Hello. about 8 years ago I was in a motor vehicle accident that left my left leg paralyzed. The doctors never really figured out exactly what caused it but it is thought that it's due to my pelvis being shattered. Over the years I have tried numerous medications, all sorts of pain medications and my high tolerance for them makes it very difficult to find one that will help ease my pain. I am allergic to Neurontin, so I can't take that. I have tried therapy and exercise, but whenever I try to use the leg too much, I get unbearable nerve pain. My doctor recently gave me a nerve block but it had the opposite reaction, and I'm due to see him again in a week. I was just wondering if there were any suggestions on how to handle this. I've been trying for years, but it's just getting increasingly worse. Thank you for your help.

[chrisr]

Very interesed in your Integrated medical approach to your angina problems using L-arginine. After 2 CABGs and several stents I still have vague angina mostly aided by nitro. Would L-arginine do abetter job and must it be Rxed and supervised? Sometimes I do feel it is Variant type angina or small vessel disease as hinted to by my cardio.
Also after so many invasive procedures I also believe that I do have some form of RSD since my symptoms come and go almost at random.
I would certainly appreciate your feedback on L-arginine and your experience with Biofeedback treatments.
Thanks,
ChrisR

[SBF]

Hi!
Have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) that is a malfunction of the sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems, continues sending pain signals long after the injury and can be agrivated by touch, movement, venipuncture etc.  Once nerves "learn" this patten they tend to want to continue for reasons stil unclear.

Best help I have found is biofeedback training.  Use electrodes and computer to give feedback to you when getting correct signals and/or brainwaves, 10-20 sessions can make a huge difference that is yours for life.  Still need "rescue" pain medication sometimes if don't catch soon enough or some trauma (even a slight bump) gets it flared up... BUT pain meds work much better when don't use them all the time and build up tollerance to the effects.

Some insurance will cover part/most of cost and well worth the investment of time... can't do it while sleeping though, just can't convince my mind to handle that for me and let me sleep.  So wakes me up already at high pain level, and have to use meds.  Best of luck to you, sorry nerve block made it worse, that seems unusual effect??

Can get listings of certified practioners online, from insurance companies and some doctors.  Training is used by NASA, top atheletes and regular people, send PM if want more information.  Susie

[dr_simran]

Hello Dear,

You should consult your neurophysician and can take phenytoin, carbamazepine, or tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline. Steroids may help with nerve inflammation. You need  physical therapisy which focuses on mobility. It helps to compensate for paralysis by using those muscles that still have normal function, and helps maintain range of motion in the affected limbs to prevent muscles from shortening  and becoming deformed. Refer http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/infectiousdiseases/Sciatica.htm, http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/paralysis.jsp for more information.
Best