What is Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathic pain is a complex, chronic pain condition resulting from damage or dysfunction in the nervous system, either peripheral nerves or the central nervous system . Neuropathic pain originates from abnormal nerve signaling and can cause burning, shooting, or electric shock-like sensations. Common causes include diabetes, shingles, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and nerve compression. Patients may also experience tingling, numbness, and hypersensitivity to stimuli that are normally not painful.

Treatment Approaches

Neuropathic pain is often difficult to treat and typically requires a multidisciplinary intervcention:

Medications

First-line drugs include anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and topical agents like lidocaine patches.

Non-pharmacological therapies

Such as physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Interventional procedures

Nerve blocks or spinal cord stimulation may be considered for refractory cases.

Ketamine and Neuropathic Pain

Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has shown promise in treating neuropathic pain by blocking excitatory glutamate signaling involved in central sensitization (Noppers et al., 2011). Ketamine infusions can reduce pain intensity in patients who do not respond to conventional treatments (Sigtermans et al., 2009). However, benefits may be temporary, and ketamine use requires close monitoring due to possible side effects.