What Is Nerve Pain? Symptoms & Causes

Nerve pain — also known as neuropathic pain or neuralgia — is an rnuncomfortable and often debilitating condition that can negatively rnimpact your quality of life. Nerve pain is typically caused by an rnunderlying condition that irritates and damages the nerves.¹

Inrn this article, we’ll discuss what nerve pain is and what conditions or rnillnesses cause it. We’ll also cover the symptoms and sensations of rnnerve pain so you’ll know when to talk to your doctor.

How Does Your Nervous System Work?

Torn better understand what nerve pain is, it’s important to first rnunderstand how your nerves communicate and send signals. Your nervous rnsystem is made of billions of nerve cells called neurons that send rnelectrical signals throughout your body to communicate.^2,3

Therern are two parts to your nervous system — the central nervous system (CNS)rn and the peripheral nervous system. The CNS consists of your brain and rnspinal cord, whereas your peripheral nervous system contains the nerves rnthroughout your arms, legs, and organs. All of your nerves work togetherrn to coordinate organ function, movement, and sensations, sending signalsrn between your brain and spinal cord out to the rest of your body.

Causes of Neuropathic Pain

Nervern pain occurs when your nerves become irritated or damaged, making them rnsend the wrong signals to your pain centers. Most nerve pain is caused rnby an underlying health condition like diabetes, a viral infection, or rncancer.⁴

Diabetes

The most common cause of rnnerve damage and pain is diabetes. According to the Cleveland Clinic, rndiabetes accounts for around 30 percent of neuropathy cases. rnUncontrolled blood sugar and cholesterol levels in people with type 1 orrn 2 diabetes (T1D or T2D) can lead to widespread nerve damage.^4,5

Infections

Shinglesrn is a viral infection that can develop years after a chickenpox rninfection. The chickenpox virus can become active again after lying rndormant (latent) in your body, causing a painful, burning rash with rnblisters all over your body. Shingles also damages the nerves in your rnskin, interfering with the pain signals they send and receive. Even rnafter your rash has resolved, you may have leftover pain in the same rnarea. One of the most common complications of shingles is postherpetic rnneuralgia or widespread, burning nerve pain.⁶

HIV is a rnsexually transmitted infection that weakens your immune system, making rnit harder for your body to fight off bacteria and viruses. While HIV rndoesn’t directly infect your nerve cells, widespread inflammation can rndamage your CNS and lead to nerve pain.⁷ HIV infection rneventually leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a seriousrn chronic condition. Researchers believe that up to 35 percent of people rnwith AIDS have nerve pain.⁸

Other Causes of Nerve Pain

Other conditions that damage or irritate nerves and can lead to nerve pain include:⁴

• Tumors or masses pressing onto nerves or nearby blood vessels
• Nerve injury from trauma or surgery
• Certain cancer treatments, including radiation therapy and the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel, cisplatin, and vincristine
• CNS conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson’s disease
• Alcoholism
• Loss of limb or amputation, which can cause phantom pain (nerve pain where the missing limb once was)

Nerve Pain Symptoms and Types

Peoplern experience nerve pain in many different ways. Even if you have the samern type of neuropathy or underlying cause as someone else, it doesn’t meanrn you’ll have the same symptoms. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor rnif you’ve been experiencing any of the following:⁴

• Spontaneousrn or unprompted burning, shooting, stabbing pain that feels like an rnelectric shock; a “pins and needles” sensation that feels tingly or numb
• Painrn triggered by normal or light touch (known as allodynia) — it may be rnfrom your clothes brushing against your skin, light pressure from a hug,rn or temperature changes
• Difficulties sleeping from uncomfortable or painful symptoms

Belowrn are the signs and symptoms of specific types of nerve pain. The rnlocation of your nerve pain depends on what condition you have and what rnnerves have been affected.

Diabetic Neuropathy

The most rncommon type of diabetic neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy, which rnaffects the nerves in the feet and legs. You may notice pain, numbness, rnor tingling in your feet and toes.⁵

Other types of diabetic neuropathy include:

• Autonomic neuropathy:rn Affects the nerves in your organs that control involuntary or automaticrn functions like blood pressure, heart rate, bladder control, and sexual rnfunction
• Focal neuropathy: Damage to a single nerve that causes symptoms in only one area of the body, such as the leg, torso, hand, or head
• Proximal neuropathy: A rare type of neuropathy that affects the hips, thighs, or buttocks, typically on just one side of the body

Postherpetic Neuralgia

Peoplern with postherpetic neuralgia have pain that lasts for at least 3 months,rn if not longer. Their pain is often extreme enough that light touch fromrn clothing rubbing against their skin is unbearable. In rare cases, some rnpeople lose feeling in their skin from nerve pain and damage.⁶

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminalrn neuralgia (TN) is a chronic type of neuropathy that causes sudden and rnsevere facial pain. People with TN often report experiencing sudden, rnsharp, intense pain along one side of their face that lasts for a few rnminutes. You may also notice a throbbing, aching, or burning sensation. rnTN nerve pain can last for several days to weeks and comes in bursts, rnoften multiple times per day.⁹

Diagnosing Nerve Pain

Yourrn doctor will take your medical history to find out if you’ve had a nervern injury, infection, or other health condition that may be causing your rnnerve pain. During your physical exam, they’ll note where you’re rnexperiencing pain and whether any touch or movements make it worse.⁴ Together, the results from these tests can help your doctor pinpoint what’s causing your nerve pain and help them develop a treatment plan to alleviate it.

Complications of Nerve Pain

Nervern pain may be a difficult condition to manage, leading to other rncomplications. Your doctor will work closely with you to treat your rnpain, but you may also develop other issues, including:^6,10,11

• Skin injuries or infections due to pain and loss of sensation, especially in those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• Fatigue and trouble sleeping caused by pain and discomfort
• Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety

Resources for Living with Nerve Pain

Ifrn you or a loved one has nerve pain, there are resources available to rnhelp you learn more about living with and managing this condition.

• Support Groups — American Chronic Pain Association
• The Foundation of Peripheral Neuropathy
• Trigeminal Neuralgia Resources & Support — UCSF Health

Sources

1. MedlinePlus. Neuralgia. May 2, 2022. Accessed from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001407.htm
2. Cleveland Clinic. Nervous System. May 12, 2020. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21202-nervous-system
3. Herculano-Houzel S. The human brain in numbers: A linearly scaled-up primate brain. Front Hum Neurosci. 2009;3:31.
4. Cleveland Clinic. Neuropathic Pain. December 7, 2020. Accessed from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15833-neuropathic-pain
5. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. What Is Diabetic Neuropathy? February 2018. Accessed from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/nerve-damage-diabetic-neuropathies/what-is-diabetic-neuropathy
6. Mayo Clinic. Postherpetic Neuralgia: Symptoms & Causes. February 10, 2023. Accessed from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postherpetic-neuralgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20376588
7. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Neurological Complications of HIV. Accessed from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hiv-and-aids/neurological-complications-of-hiv
8. Murnion BP. Neuropathic pain: Current definition and review of drug treatment. Aust Prescr. 2018;41(3):60-63.
9. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Trigeminal Neuralgia. March 13, 2023. Accessed from: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/trigeminal-neuralgia
10. Mayo Clinic. Peripheral Neuropathy: Symptoms & Causes. August 11, 2022. Accessed from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352061
11. Radatrn F, Margot-Duclot A, Attal N. Psychiatric co-morbidities in patients rnwith chronic peripheral neuropathic pain: A multicentre cohort study. Eur J Pain. 2013;17(10):1547-1557.