Nerve Pain Specialist in Nassau County, NY
Nerve pain — also called neuropathic pain — is one of the hardest kinds of pain to treat. It often does not respond to standard pain pills. It tends to get worse at night. And it can feel unlike any pain you have had before. At his Garden City and Lake Success offices, Dr. Edward Rubin finds the cause of nerve pain and treats it with targeted, proven procedures.
What Is Nerve Pain?
Most pain comes from injured muscles or joints. Nerve pain is different. It comes from the nerves themselves — when they are damaged, not working right, or firing when they should not. The nerves keep sending pain signals to the brain even when nothing is actively hurting the body. That is what makes nerve pain so hard to treat with normal medicine. It is also why treatments that work directly on the nerves often help the most.
Nerve pain can stay in one spot or spread over a larger area. Patients often describe it differently from other pain.
Common Symptoms of Nerve Pain
- Burning, shooting, or electric-shock pain
- Tingling, "pins and needles," or a crawling feeling
- Pain from light touch — clothing, a breeze, or a bedsheet (called allodynia)
- Numbness that comes and goes with sharp pain
- Weakness in the arm, leg, or area that hurts
- Pain that is worse at night or when resting
- Pain that does not get better with normal pain pills
Common Types of Nerve Pain Dr. Rubin Treats
Peripheral Neuropathy — Damage to the nerves in the hands and feet. It causes burning and tingling. Common causes are diabetes, chemotherapy, alcohol, low vitamin levels, and autoimmune disease.
Radiculopathy — A "pinched nerve" in the neck or lower back. The squeezed nerve root sends pain, numbness, or weakness down the arm or leg.
Postherpetic Neuralgia — Nerve pain that lingers after shingles. It often burns, stabs, or feels electric. Pills alone rarely fix it.
Intercostal Neuralgia — Pain along the ribs from damaged or trapped rib nerves. It often follows chest surgery, shingles, or a chest injury.
Occipital Neuralgia — Shooting or throbbing pain from the base of the skull up the scalp, caused by irritated occipital nerves.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) — A severe nerve condition that can follow an injury. It causes intense burning pain, swelling, and extreme sensitivity in an arm or leg.
Pudendal Neuralgia — Ongoing pelvic pain from an irritated or trapped pudendal nerve.
Small Fiber Neuropathy — Damage to the tiniest nerve fibers. It causes burning and odd sensations. Standard nerve tests often look normal.
How Dr. Rubin Treats Nerve Pain
Nerve Blocks
Small injections of numbing medicine — and sometimes a steroid — placed around a specific nerve to stop it from sending pain. Used for occipital, intercostal, and postherpetic neuralgia, and many other nerve problems.
Epidural Steroid Injections
For a pinched nerve in the spine, this injection places anti-inflammatory medicine right at the squeezed nerve root. Less swelling means less nerve pain.
Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
One of the most effective options for long-term nerve pain. A small device sends gentle electrical pulses to the spinal cord. These pulses block pain signals before they reach the brain. It works well for peripheral neuropathy, CRPS, nerve pain after surgery, and failed back surgery.
Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Long-term pain can keep the nervous system on high alert, so it amplifies pain — a process called central sensitization. IV ketamine helps reset this. It is one of the best tools for nerve pain and CRPS that have not responded to other treatments.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
For pain from certain nerve branches — like the occipital or medial branch nerves — RFA uses heat to switch off the pain-carrying fibers. Relief can last a long time.
Lumbar or Cervical Sympathetic Blocks
Some nerve pain is driven by the body's "fight or flight" nerves (the sympathetic system). These blocks calm those nerves to break the pain cycle. Used for CRPS and some neuropathies.
Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation
A precise form of nerve stimulation. It targets the DRG — a small cluster of nerves near the spine that handles incoming pain signals. It works especially well for pinpoint nerve pain and CRPS in the foot or lower leg.
FAQs About Nerve Pain
Why don't regular pain medications help nerve pain? Nerve pain comes from faulty nerve signals, not from swelling or a tissue injury. That is why NSAIDs and even many opioids do not help much — they do not fix the real problem. Treatments that work right on the nerves (nerve blocks, SCS, ketamine) work far better.
Is nerve pain permanent? Not always. Some types, like nerve pain after shingles or surgery, can get much better with time and the right treatment. Others, like diabetic nerve pain, are ongoing but can be controlled very well.
How does spinal cord stimulation work for nerve pain? It sends mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord that block pain signals. Most newer devices use special settings, so patients feel no tingling — just less pain.
Is ketamine therapy safe? Yes — when it is given in a clinic at low doses by an experienced doctor. Dr. Rubin watches over every ketamine infusion himself.
Does insurance cover nerve pain treatment? Nerve blocks, epidural injections, and spinal cord stimulation are usually covered by major plans, including Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. Ketamine infusions are usually paid out of pocket.
Treating Nerve Pain on Long Island
Dr. Rubin sees patients at two convenient Nassau County offices — Garden City and Lake Success. Procedures are done at affiliated surgery centers, including NYU Long Island and Northwell Health. Call 516-492-3100 to schedule your evaluation.
