|
|
3. Q. Who Gets Neuropathic Pain, or Why Me?
"Who apart from the gods is without pain for his whole lifetime's length?"
--Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.)
A. As mentioned in the last paragraph, spinal wear-and-tear, or spondylosis, is the most common cause of radiculo-neuropathy, and is a nearly universal phenomenon. As such, virtually everyone will experience neuropathic pain at some point in their lives, although the manner and degree to which it manifests in any individual is variable and distinct. People naturally wonder what causes their nerves to deteriorate. The answer to that is that there are multi-factorial causes, beginning with mechanical (snow/skateboarding, snow/water-skiing, gymnastics, football, motor vehicle accidents), fatigue induced by maintaining prolonged postures such as sitting in traffic/at computers, but also infectious agents (viruses especially), metabolic (poor diet/nutrition, diabetes), environmental toxins (arsenic, mercury, lead), hormonal (thyroid, adrenal (stress), estrogen) and lifestyle (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, illicit drugs) factors that all accumulate over time to wear down your nerves. Genetics also play their obligatory role in determining vulnerability and recoverability.
O.K., so the nerves are damaged. What are the effects of damaged nerves, and how do they create pain?
|
|
|
|
|
DrGoodman@NorthwestIMS.com