Neuropathic pain or nerve pain is a painful condition arising from injury or dysfunction of the nerves or spinal cord. Symptoms of neuropathic pain include burning, sharp, stabbing, shooting or electric “shock-like” pain. Other symptoms may include tingling sensation and numbness. Light touching of the affected area may also cause pain.

Tissue injury from trauma, surgery, infection or medical diseases may cause nerve damage and subsequently lead to neuropathic pain. Common neuropathic pain conditions include:

• Chronic post-surgical pain (persistent pain after surgery)
• Phantom limb pain following amputation surgery
• Sciatica (Slipped disc and associated leg pain)
• Facial pain (Trigeminal neuralgia)
• Post-herpetic neuralgia (persistent pain following shingles infection)
• HIV infection
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (diabetes-related nerve pain)
• Cancer
• Alcoholism

Neuropathic pain is difficult to treat because it does not respond completely to traditional painkillers such as paracetamol, anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. Medications such as anticonvulsants and antidepressants are more effective in treating this form of pain. When pain is still not controlled with medication, nerve blocks or neuromodulation therapies may be useful in treating neuropathic pain.