You may take pain pills. Medicines used to treat other medical problems, such as seizures or depression, can also help manage the pain. Use the lowest dose possible to avoid side effects.

Your doctor may refer you to a pain specialist. Talk therapy may help you better understand how your pain is affecting your life. It can also help you learn ways to better cope with pain.

TREATING OTHER SYMPTOMS

Wearing elastic stockings may help treat low blood pressure and fainting. So can sleeping with your head elevated. Some medicines may also help.

Your health care provider may give you medicines to help with problems going to the bathroom. Eating small frequent meals may help.

There are ways to help bladder problems. You can learn exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. You may need to use a thin tube that is inserted into your bladder (urinary catheter). You may take medicines.

Medicines can often help with erection problems.

You can find support group information from The Neuropathy Association - www.neuropathy.org

The outcome depends on the cause of nerve damage. When a medical condition can be found and treated, your outlook may be excellent. But, in severe neuropathy, nerve damage can be permanent, even if the cause is treated.

Chronic pain can be a major problem for some patients. Those with numbness in the feet can get skin sores that do not heal. They are also at risk for joint deformities. Rarely, numbness in the feet may lead to amputation.

For most neuropathies passed down in families, there is no cure. Some of these problems do not interfere with daily life. Others get worse quickly and may lead to long-term, severe symptoms and problems.

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of nerve damage. Early treatment increases the chance of controlling symptoms and preventing more problems.

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Central nervous system

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Review Date: 08/27/2010
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital (8/27/2010).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)