Best evidence · Patient guide
Neuropathic pain and nerve pain
Neuropathic pain is the medical name for pain caused by damage or disease affecting the nerves. People often call it “nerve pain”. A careful assessment is important because several different problems can cause similar symptoms.
What nerve pain can feel like
Nerve pain may feel burning, shooting, stabbing or like an electric shock. There may also be pins and needles, numbness, unusual hot or cold feelings, or pain from a light touch that would not normally hurt.
These feelings are useful clues, but they do not prove that a nerve is damaged. The pattern of symptoms and the examination are just as important.
What can cause it?
Possible causes include diabetes, shingles, an injury, pressure on a nerve, or damage following an operation. Some conditions affecting the brain or spinal cord can also cause nerve pain. Sciatica begins when a nerve root leaving the lower back becomes irritated and is considered separately.
How nerve pain is assessed
The consultation looks at where the pain is felt, what it feels like, when it began and whether there is numbness or weakness. It also considers sleep, movement, work and day-to-day life. The examination may check feeling, muscle strength and reflexes.
Tests are chosen only when they may provide a useful answer. These might include blood tests, a scan or tests showing how well the nerves are working. No test is perfect: a normal result does not rule out every nerve problem, and an abnormal result does not always explain the pain.
What treatment may help?
If there is a treatable cause, dealing with it is important. Gradually increasing activity, reducing sensitivity around the painful area, improving sleep and rebuilding confidence in movement may all help. Stress or low mood can make any persistent pain harder to live with; discussing them does not mean that the pain is imagined.
Medicines used for nerve pain are different from ordinary painkillers. NICE lists amitriptyline, duloxetine, gabapentin and pregabalin as possible first choices for most types of nerve pain. The best option depends on other health problems, current medication and possible side effects. These medicines do not help everyone, so benefit should be reviewed.
An injection or nerve block is not a general treatment for every form of nerve pain. It is considered only when there is a clear area to target and a good reason to expect it may help.
When might specialist assessment help?
A specialist review may be useful when the cause is uncertain, symptoms are severe or worsening, or initial treatment has not helped or has caused difficult side effects. New weakness, or weakness that is getting worse quickly, needs prompt medical assessment.
Common questions
Is all burning pain nerve pain?
No. Burning, shooting or electric pain can be a clue, but it does not prove that a nerve is damaged. The symptoms, examination and likely cause all need to fit together.
Is sciatica a type of nerve pain?
Sciatica comes from irritation of a nerve as it leaves the lower spine. It can feel similar to other kinds of nerve pain, but it needs a slightly different assessment because the problem begins at a spinal nerve root.
Can nerve pain be cured?
That depends on the cause and whether it can be reversed. Treatment often aims to reduce symptoms, improve sleep and function, and address the underlying disease where possible rather than promising complete pain relief.
Do I need nerve tests or a scan?
Not everyone does. Blood tests, scans or tests of how well the nerves are working are useful only when they may help find the cause or change treatment.
Evidence used
- NICE clinical guideline CG173: Neuropathic pain in adults: pharmacological management in non-specialist settings.
- Finnerup NB et al. Neuropathic pain: an updated grading system for research and clinical practice. Pain. 2016;157:1599–1606.
Written and clinically reviewed by Dr Oliver Seyfried · Published and last reviewed 3 September 2026