Cervical Radiculitis is a term that describes a spinal nerve root that is inflamed instead of being compressed. Examples of the pain associated with radiculitis include pain that radiates from the point of irritation. It is a well-known cause of shoulder pain, neck, and arm pain, which may only affect one side of your body. Additional symptoms may include finger numbness or tingling, or motor problems such as loss of reflexes or lack of coordination due to muscle weakness. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a form of chronic pain in the arms, legs, hands or feet that can develop after surgery, or an injury and sometimes a stroke or heart attack. CRPS is uncommon as the person’s pain is usually out of proportion to the severity of the initial injury or incident. It causes intense pain, usually in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. It may happen after an injury, either to a nerve or to tissue in the affected area. Rest and time may only make it worse. Proper diagnosis of CRPS involves tests to rule out other possible causes of the pain and the sooner diagnosis and treatment begins, the better the chances of recovery. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Lumbar Radiculitis (Sciatica)
The often used term of Sciatica describes nerve pain that starts in the lower back and travels deep through the buttock and down into one leg. This constant burning sensation, numbness or shooting pain of sciatica is caused by irritation and/or compression of the sciatic nerve. A person with sciatica may feel the symptoms worsen when seated, trying to stand, lying down, or bending forward. Sciatica is most common in people 30 to 50. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain – otherwise known as nerve pain – is a complex type of chronic pain that occurs when nerves in the central nervous system become injured or damaged. It often is accompanied by tissue injury. Causes can be attributed to damage caused by surgery, trauma or the progression of disease including diabetes, cancer or infection, after shingles. With neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves might be injured resulting in sending incorrect signals to other pain centers. You might describe your pain as burning, electric-like, raw, shooting, or a deep and dull ache. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Occipital Neuralgia
Occipital neuralgia is a very distinct type of headache that may show with a piercing, or electric shock-like pain felt one side of the back of the head, behind the ear, or in the upper neck for a few seconds or several minutes. Usually, this pain might begin in the neck and then spread upwards onto the head. The scalp is often extremely sensitive to even the lightest touch, causing issues with hair washing or resting the head on a pillow. Specialists have found that occipital neuralgia can affect people with other headache conditions such as migraines. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic condition which can cause searing facial pain, most often in the lower face and jaw and around the nose, ears, eyes, or lips. This nerve disorder of the face is noted as being twice as common in women than men, often after the age of 50. With unpredictable attacks followed by increasingly brief periods of remission, many in the medical field have acknowledged trigeminal neuralgia as the most painful condition in existence. The attacks of intense stabbing or burning pain may be short-lived for a few minutes, usually one side of the face. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. The trigger for the painful episodes can be from simple everyday tasks such as brushing your teeth, putting on makeup, or even talking or feeling a cool breeze. Many people with this condition might seek initial help from a dentist assuming the pain is caused by nerves associated with the teeth. If left untreated, this disease tends to worsen over time. A consultation with a PCA physician will determine the most appropriate treatment.
