Dr. Argoff Discusses Common Forms of Neuropathic Pain

Charles Argoff, MD, from the Albany Medical Center, in Albany, NY, discusses the more common forms of neuropathic pain that primary care physicians encounter in a daily practice.

Dr. Argoff says the most important things for primary care physicians to be aware of are diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and neuropathic low back pain. Postherpetic neuralgia is the pain that follows the onset of shingles. Neuropathic low back pain is the biggest category and is associated with low back problems that are neuropathic. There are many people who have continued nerve root problems.
 
In addition, Dr. Argoff says there is an important, growing segment of neuropathic pain that primary care doctors may be increasingly seeing. They may be seeing individuals who have had cancer and have undergone radiation, chemotherapy, or endured surgery and sometimes have residual pain after their cancer has been treated.