Ilioinguinal Neuralgia
Ilioinguinal neuralgia is one of the most common causes of lower abdominal and pelvic pain. It’s main symptoms include burning pain and numbness over the lower abdomen that radiates to the genitalia and into the inner thigh. It is caused by compression of the ilioinguinal nerve as it passes though the transverse abdominis muscle in the lumbar (lower) spine area. This is usually caused by trauma, particularly blunt trauma, to the lumbar spine region.
Qutenza® (High Concentration Capsaicin)
Pain from damaged nerves may feel like a sharp, burning, tingling, shooting, or numb sensation. This pain can disrupt sleep, mood, work, and activities of daily living. Qutenza® (capsaicin) 8% patch is recommended for the management of ilioinguinal neuralgia. Qutenza delivers a synthetic form of capsaicin, the substance in chili peppers that gives them their heat sensation, through application onto the skin of the effected area by a physician.
Procedure
Qutenza is applied directly to the skin at the painful site. It is non-narcotic and is unlikely to react negatively with other medication the patient may be taking. Qutenza can be used alone or in combination with other pain medications.
Qutenza patches will be applied to the painful area by a doctor or a nurse wearing special gloves. The patches should not be touched or tampered with during the procedure, as capsaicin at this strength can cause burning or stinging to the skin on the hands. The patches can initially cause reddening of the skin and a burning or stinging sensation in the area they are applied to. However, after a while, the capsaicin starts to desensitise the pain receptors so that pain in the area is reduced. To reduce any initial pain, the doctor or nurse will apply a local anaesthetic to the skin before applying the patch. They may also use other painkillers or cooling compresses.
The doctor or nurse will remove the patches after 30 minutes if they are being used to treat nerve pain on the feet or after 60 minutes if being treated for nerve pain on other parts of your body. Patients are free to return home after the procedure.
Procedure Outcomes
It can then take Qutenza patches from 1 to 14 days to provide full pain relief. They will then provide up to 12 weeks of reduced pain following a single one-hour application. If the pain persists after this period, further patches can be administered.
