Causes of nerve pain

Nerves are responsible for carrying messages telling muscles how and when to work, providing information on different sensations such as hot and cold and controlling various bodily functions.

Nerve pain or neuropathic pain is caused by a condition affecting the nerves that carry sensation to the brain. This a particular type of pain that feels different to other types of pain.

It often feels like shooting, stabbing or burning pain. Sometimes it can be as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. People with neuropathic pain are often very sensitive to touch or cold and can experience pain to stimuli that would not normally be painful, such as brushing the skin.

Nerve pain is usually caused by disease or injury. Common causes include:

An injury to the brain, spine or nerves

Stroke

Poor blood supply to the nerves

Trapped nerves

Multiple sclerosis

Heavy drinking

Phantom pain after an amputation

Cancer or its treatment with radiation, surgery or chemotherapy

Vitamin b12 or thiamine (vitamin b1) deficiency

Nerve compression or invasion by a tumour

Certain medicines