Nerve (neuropathic) pain in CKD
Key Points
- The kidneys remove waste products from the blood.
- If your kidneys do not work properly, waste products remain in your blood.
- This can cause damage to the nerves.
- You may then suffer from nerve pain.
Some patients with CKD have nerve pain (neuropathic pain or neuropathy). This is caused by damage to the nerves. This pain is difficult to treat.
Pain cannot be measured properly. Try to explain to the doctor as best you can what you feel when you are in pain. And where exactly the pain is and at what times you have pain.
The doctor will also ask how you deal with the pain. This also influences how you experience the pain. If you think about it a lot and worry a lot, the pain can feel worse. It is often better to seek distraction.
What is the cause of nerve pain?
We do not know. Somehow in CKD, waste products can damage the nerves. This mainly occurs in people on dialysis. Nerve pain can also be a result of diabetes.
The pain is mainly in the arms and legs. That’s where the nerve endings are. They get damaged first. In addition to pain, you may also suffer from:
- Tingling
- Itching
- A numb feeling in the skin.
Treatment of nerve pain
Nerve pain is difficult to treat. Regular painkillers such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) usually do not help. In addition, anti-inflammatory painkillers can cause or worsen CKD. So it is best not use these medications.
Doctors sometimes prescribe antidepressants for nerve pain. They also work against pain, although it is not entirely clear how this is possible. One example is duloxetine. Medications for epilepsy also sometimes help, e.g. gabapentin. These drugs calm overstimulated nerves in the brain.
In addition, various other treatments are possible, such as electrically stimulating a nerve (TENS) or blocking a nerve.
Summary
We have described nerve (neuropathic) pain in CKD, and what can be done for it. We hope it has been useful.
Last Reviewed on 4 April 2024