Peripheral neuropathy affects about 14% of adults 40 and older and nearly 40% of adults 70 and older.
Instead of drifting off to sleep peacefully, you might find yourself tossing, turning, and watching the clock because of nerve pain. Unfortunately, poor sleep and nerve pain can create a frustrating cycle. Pain makes it harder to sleep, but lack of sleep might make your pain worse the next day.
If nerve pain is getting the best of you, see our pain management experts at Pain Management of Long Island in Medford, New York. We can help you improve your sleep environment and explore treatment options that target the root cause of your discomfort.
Here’s a quick look at how nerve pain interrupts restful sleep and what we might recommend.
Nerve pain often feels worse at night, which is why it may affect your sleep. Neuropathy symptoms that could keep you up at night include:
The discomfort may lead to emotional distress, which could further affect your sleep.
Here are five things to try to reduce pain caused by nerve damage and help you sleep soundly.
While many of us sleep best in cooler temperatures, a cold bedroom might cause nerve pain to flare up. Ensure your bedroom temperature is comfortable, keep your feet warm, and avoid direct exposure to cold air from a fan or vent.
If bedding that touches your feet contributes to discomfort, consider soft and comfortable socks, such as diabetic socks, to ease nerve pain and help you get better sleep.
Create a relaxing sleep environment to sleep soundly. For example, sleep in a quiet and dark room, keep a regular sleep schedule, and avoid looking at screens, drinking alcohol, and having caffeine before bed.
Your pain specialist might recommend a topical pain reliever to ease neuropathy discomfort. Simply rub it on your skin before going to sleep. Your pain management specialist lets you know which topical pain reliever is best suited for you.
Your Pain Management of Long Island specialist offers a personalized plan that eases long-term nerve pain to improve your sleep. This is a critical step toward sleeping soundly and maximizing your health and mental well-being.
You might need to adjust your current medication dosage late in the day to achieve optimal neuropathy relief at night.
In addition to lifestyle changes, a long-lasting nerve pain treatment plan may include physical therapy, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, or surgery in severe cases. Chat with your pain management specialist to ensure utmost relief, better sleep, and an enhanced quality of life.
See one of our pain specialists at Pain Management of Long Island by contacting us by phone or requesting an appointment online today.
