4 Medication-Free Treatments for Nerve Pain

Nerve (neuropathic) pain resulting from nerve damage related to diabetes, shingles, stroke, or other chronic conditions affects millions in the United States.

Symptoms can range from moderate to severe burning or stabbing pain to tingling, numbness, and increased pain sensitivity to even the softest touch.

While neuropathic pain can significantly impact mobility and overall quality of life, oral pain medications (analgesics) include concerning side effects while providing only temporary relief that often reduces but doesn’t eliminate your discomfort.

Dr. Ravi Panjabi and our team at Advanced Pain Management in Castro Valley, California, offer long-term solutions for chronic pain that tackle pain at its source, putting you back in charge of your daily routine.

Our strategies for neuropathic pain can eliminate discomfort by blocking pain signals and reducing the inflammation and nerve irritation creating your symptoms.

Four medication-free treatments for nerve pain

Your Advanced Pain Management specialist may recommend one or more of the following to tackle chronic pain while reducing your reliance on oral pain meds:

1. Physical therapy and exercise

Physical therapy (PT) is one of the most recommended nonmedication treatments for nerve pain. Specific exercises help improve strength, flexibility, and balance, which can reduce nerve pain in several ways.

Exercise increases blood flow, which helps improve nerve health by delivering the essential nutrients they require. It also helps reduce inflammation, a leading cause of nerve pain.

Low-impact exercises such as swimming, walking, or gentle stretching are particularly beneficial. Strength training can also help by improving muscle support and reducing pressure and strain around affected areas.

You may also benefit from massage, ice/heat therapy, and other PT modalities that help reduce pain following a session.

A formal physical therapy program starts where you are and builds upon the strength and flexibility you gain as you progress. The benefits are significant and can be combined easily with other treatments.

2. Injection-based therapy

Injection-based treatments at Advanced Pain Management can relieve pain by reducing inflammation, blocking pain signals, or enhancing natural tissue repair and regeneration.

Dr. Panjabi develops a treatment strategy based on your symptoms and evaluation results. Your plan could include corticosteroid injections, trigger point injections, or nerve blocks.

Each works differently to reduce nerve pain. For example, we often recommend corticosteroid injections for inflamed and painful joints. The injection includes an anesthetic for immediate relief and a steroid that reduces inflammation and nerve irritation for several months or longer.

Nerve block injections are often used to treat chronic pain conditions, such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), neuropathy, and severe headaches like migraines or cluster headaches.

3. Regenerative medicine treatments

Regenerative medicine treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell/exosome injections enhance the body’s natural healing processes to help repair damaged nerves, reduce pain, and restore mobility.

For instance, PRP is rich in growth factors essential for healing and tissue regeneration. When injected into the site of nerve damage, PRP can reduce inflammation, promote healing, and provide long-term relief from nerve pain.

Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and peripheral neuropathy often respond positively to PRP treatment with decreased pain and notable improvement in functionality.

4. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat generated by radio waves delivered via a specialized needle to destroy nerve tissue, preventing it from sending pain signals to the brain.

Although the treated nerves eventually regrow, RFA can relieve pain for several months to years. This in-office treatment typically involves minimal recovery time and is particularly effective for chronic back pain, neck pain, or arthritis-related discomfort.

Managing nerve pain often requires a multifaceted approach, with treatments tailored to your condition and needs.

Schedule a visit at Advanced Pain Management today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.