Neuropathic Pain
Causes
The exact cause of nerve pain is poorly understood. Experts believe that nerve pain occurs after one or more nerves are injured or damaged. As a nerve heals, it may change and send messages about pain, touch and temperature in a different way than before the injury. Abnormal pain messages that result from peripheral nerve damage may cause a person to have chronic nerve pain in the hands, arms, feet, legs or face.
Some people are born with peripheral nerve damage, while most acquire it or get it sometime during their life. Peripheral nerve damage can be caused by chronic alcohol use, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to certain industrial toxins, metals and medicines, autoimmune disorders and other body system diseases. About 30% of people with nerve damage do not know how or why they got it; others have nerve damage and pain as part of a broader disorder, disease or condition. Some of the more common nerve pain disorders are listed below.
Diabetic nerve pain: Diabetic nerve pain is also called "diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain" (DPNP). It can develop in anyone who has diabetes. DPNP is a pain disorder of the feet, legs, hands and/or arms caused by nerve damage. People who have DPNP may feel various types of nerve pain including burning, stabbing and tingling. If DPNP is not treated by a health care provider, it can lead to more serious problems. However, it begins more often in those who do not or cannot control their diabetes.
Post-herpetic neuralgia: Varicella zoster is a virus that can cause chickenpox in children and “shingles” in adults. Shingles usually begins as a rash of small blisters that may burn, tingle or itch. The rash commonly occurs in one spot on one side of the body, often along a person’s waistline. Shingles can cause nerve damage and pain in the area where the rash appeared. Pain that continues after a shingles rash has healed is called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Elderly people get PHN more often than other age groups.
Spinal disorders: Spinal disorders result from diseases or injury to the spinal cord. These disorders can affect your neck or back. Examples of spinal diseases are degenerative disc disease and spinal tumors. Other spinal disorders are failed low back surgery syndrome or spinal cord injury. Fortunately, not everyone with back pain or a spinal disorder has chronic nerve pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia: Perhaps the best known nerve pain disorder in the head and neck is trigeminal neuralgia (TN). It often happens suddenly as a sharp, shooting, shock-like pain that lasts a few seconds. There is usually a specific trigger area that causes the pain to occur when touched. People with TN are often unable to shave, comb their hair or touch their face for fear of causing pain. Sometimes the pain is triggered by slight movement of the affected part of the face. TN is more common after age 50 but can occur at any age.
Other nerve pain disorders include complex regional pain syndrome type II (CRPS-II), carpal tunnel syndrome, phantom limb pain, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, or HIV sensory neuropathy.
Some people are born with peripheral nerve damage, while most acquire it or get it sometime during their life. Peripheral nerve damage can be caused by chronic alcohol use, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to certain industrial toxins, metals and medicines, autoimmune disorders and other body system diseases. About 30% of people with nerve damage do not know how or why they got it; others have nerve damage and pain as part of a broader disorder, disease or condition. Some of the more common nerve pain disorders are listed below.
Diabetic nerve pain: Diabetic nerve pain is also called "diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain" (DPNP). It can develop in anyone who has diabetes. DPNP is a pain disorder of the feet, legs, hands and/or arms caused by nerve damage. People who have DPNP may feel various types of nerve pain including burning, stabbing and tingling. If DPNP is not treated by a health care provider, it can lead to more serious problems. However, it begins more often in those who do not or cannot control their diabetes.
Post-herpetic neuralgia: Varicella zoster is a virus that can cause chickenpox in children and “shingles” in adults. Shingles usually begins as a rash of small blisters that may burn, tingle or itch. The rash commonly occurs in one spot on one side of the body, often along a person’s waistline. Shingles can cause nerve damage and pain in the area where the rash appeared. Pain that continues after a shingles rash has healed is called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Elderly people get PHN more often than other age groups.
Spinal disorders: Spinal disorders result from diseases or injury to the spinal cord. These disorders can affect your neck or back. Examples of spinal diseases are degenerative disc disease and spinal tumors. Other spinal disorders are failed low back surgery syndrome or spinal cord injury. Fortunately, not everyone with back pain or a spinal disorder has chronic nerve pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia: Perhaps the best known nerve pain disorder in the head and neck is trigeminal neuralgia (TN). It often happens suddenly as a sharp, shooting, shock-like pain that lasts a few seconds. There is usually a specific trigger area that causes the pain to occur when touched. People with TN are often unable to shave, comb their hair or touch their face for fear of causing pain. Sometimes the pain is triggered by slight movement of the affected part of the face. TN is more common after age 50 but can occur at any age.
Other nerve pain disorders include complex regional pain syndrome type II (CRPS-II), carpal tunnel syndrome, phantom limb pain, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, or HIV sensory neuropathy.