What is it?

Your body can feel pain in two main ways. Pain caused by injury to tissue such as muscle, bones, ligaments and body organs is called “nociceptive” pain. It is the pain that you feel when you sprain your ankle, get a bee sting or cut your finger. Neuropathic pain, or "nerve pain," is pain that occurs when a nerve is injured. Although it may be short-term, nerve pain is usually a chronic problem that can follow injury or damage to the nervous system. The nervous system is composed of the brain, the spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Learn about the parts of the nervous system.

Nerves are like electric cables that run through the body and carry information to and from the brain. Nerves help to tell a person about different types of feelings experienced throughout the body. Some nerves, for example, tell you about how painful, hot or cold something is. Other nerves may be better at sensing pressure or just light touch. Nerve pain tends to occur when a nerve that normally senses hot, cold, touch or pain is injured.