In “Part 1” of this series, we discussed the different types of neuralgia pain that you may be experiencing. Here we will go over some root causes of neuralgic pain and help you to learn how to naturally treat them. Of course, a proper diagnosis may be necessary, because serious infections, tumors, deformities in bone or artery structures, or trauma to the nerve could be serious underlying causes that need to be treated by a doctor. As always, speak with your doctor and review all current medications and conditions before starting a vitamins and supplements routine to treat your neuralgia.
All of the underlying causes of neuralgia are not understood by the medical community. Here we will discuss the most widely accepted causes and possible natural treatments of your neuralgic pain.
Chemical Imbalance: In the case of chemical imbalance, a trigger, such as alcohol, caffeine, monosodium glutamate (MSG) exposure, even barometric pressure changes, sets off a release of neuropeptides that aggravate and inflame nerves. The nerves then send pain messages to the brain, which in turn, releases more neuropeptides. This continuous cycle is called a positive feedback loop, and is one of the reasons that neurologic pain can become excruciating. Triggers differ from person to person, so keeping a pain diary, which tracks your daily habits, can help you to determine what triggers you have. Common triggers include dyes, stress, aged cheeses, sulfites, nitrates, allergies, and illness. Some people even report certain sounds triggering migraine or neuralgia attacks. Muscle spasms and the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles can chemically trigger a positive feedback loop. Lowered serotonin levels are thought to trigger a release of neuropeptides as well, which is why your doctor may recommend antidepressant medications for preventing migraines or neuralgic pain.
Vessel Dilation and Constriction: In addition to inflammation of nerve tissues, medications or other triggers can cause blood vessel dilation. Rapid dilation or constriction causes nerves in the face and head to send pain messages to the brain, which in turn causes a rapid rebound effect, causing extreme pain. Think about how an ice cream headache or brain freeze occurs. Cold substances come into contact with the roof of your mouth, causing a quick constriction of the blood vessels there. This sends a pain signal to the brain, neuropeptides are released, and the vessels of the face quickly dilate. This causes extreme pain, usually near the forehead and/or sinuses. Although a brain freeze usually only lasts a few seconds, it is the same vascular mechanism that causes migraines and neuralgic pain.
Many people are interested in preventing neuralgia attacks naturally, instead of taking drugs with unwanted side effects. The most commonly prescribed migraine and neuralgia preventative is a seizure medication and has side effects such as birth defects, loss of short term memory, hair loss, fatigue, and other “cognitive-related dysfunctions”. In fact, the studies of these types of drugs only shows around a 30% reduction in attacks and almost 30% of users report unwanted or debilitating cognitive-related dysfunction.
Studies on the use of B vitamins to treat migraine and neuralgia pain, length and frequency showed around a 50% improvement for participants. Balanced B vitamin levels reduced homocysteine levels, markers for inflammation in the body, by 39%. Vitamin C, or sodium ascorbate, flushes chemicals out of the body while strengthening nerve fibers and blood vessel walls. Eliminating trigger foods and allergies from your diet combined with the appropriate vitamin levels for your body could help you to resolve the underlying issues that are contributing to your pain.
About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!
Reprinting:
This entire article may be reprinted free of charge provided that the “About the Author” section of the article, sources, and all links in the article are included. For shorter quotations, a clear link to the blog post or Wholesale Nutrition is sufficient.
Sources:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/trigeminal_neuralgia_facial_nerve_pain/article_em.htm
http://www.healthiertalk.com/solving-migraine-mystery-0857
http://www.nativeremedies.com/ailment/natural-neuralgia-treatments.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trigeminal-neuralgia/DS00446
