In short
Nerve pain comes from damage or disease of the nerves themselves. It often feels burning, shooting, electric or like pins and needles, and can be triggered by light touch. It affects around 7 to 10% of people, and is treated differently from other pain, so working out the type of pain matters.
On this page
What is nerve pain?
Most pain is a signal from tissues that have been strained, injured or inflamed. Nerve pain, called neuropathic pain, is different. It happens when the nerves that carry sensation are themselves damaged or diseased, so they send pain signals that don’t match what’s happening in the tissues.
Studies suggest neuropathic pain affects around 7 to 10% of the general population.
What does nerve pain feel like?
- Burning, shooting, stabbing or electric shock-like pain
- Pins and needles, tingling or crawling sensations
- Numbness, sometimes alongside pain in the same area
- Pain from things that shouldn’t hurt, like clothing or bedsheets brushing the skin (allodynia)
- Pain that’s often worse at night
Nerve pain getting in the way?
Talk it through with an Australian doctor online. No referral needed.
Common causes
- Diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common causes, usually starting in the feet. See peripheral neuropathy.
- Sciatica and pinched nerves. Pressure on a nerve root in the back or neck. See sciatica and pinched nerve in the neck.
- Shingles. Pain can persist after the rash has healed (post-herpetic neuralgia).
- Injury or surgery that damages a nerve.
- Some cancer treatments, vitamin B12 deficiency, heavy alcohol use and some infections.
- Conditions of the brain and spinal cord, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke or spinal cord injury.
- Trigeminal neuralgia, causing brief, severe electric pains in the face.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosis is mostly based on your symptoms, where the pain is, and an examination of sensation, strength and reflexes. Blood tests can look for causes such as diabetes or low B12. Nerve conduction studies or scans are sometimes needed.
How is nerve pain treated?
- Treating the cause where possible, such as improving blood sugar control or relieving pressure on a nerve.
- Medicines for nerve pain. Nerve pain often responds poorly to everyday pain relief. Some medicines that act on the nervous system can help, though not everyone responds and side effects are common. Your GP can talk through options.
- Physical approaches, including exercise and physiotherapy, help keep you moving and can reduce sensitivity.
- Psychological support helps people manage the impact of long-term pain on sleep, mood and daily life.
- Procedures are an option for some specific types of nerve pain.
The goal is usually to reduce pain enough to sleep, move and live well, rather than to remove it completely.
When to see a doctor
See a GP for burning, tingling or shooting pain that lasts, numbness that is spreading, or pain that disturbs your sleep. Get urgent help for sudden weakness, numbness on one side of the body, facial drooping or trouble speaking, which can be signs of stroke.
Next step: talk to a doctor
Answer a few quick questions and you’ll get an email about your eligibility. A consultation doesn’t guarantee any particular treatment.
References
- Colloca L, Ludman T, Bouhassira D, et al. Neuropathic pain. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17002.
- Scholz J, Finnerup NB, Attal N, et al. The IASP classification of chronic pain for ICD-11: chronic neuropathic pain. Pain. 2019;160(1):53-59.
- Feldman EL, Callaghan BC, Pop-Busui R, et al. Diabetic neuropathy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2019;5(1):41.
- Cohen SP, Vase L, Hooten WM. Chronic pain: an update on burden, best practices, and new advances. Lancet. 2021;397(10289):2082-2097.
- healthdirect. Peripheral neuropathy.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace a consultation with a doctor who knows your history. In an emergency, call 000.