People usually think of pain as having some physical cause. Get rid of the cause, and the pain goes away. However, nerves themselves can also generate pain, and this pain often doesn't go away easily. It is called neuropathic pain (from the Greek neuro, meaning nerves, and pathy, meaning abnormality). It can be puzzling and frustrating for people who have it and for doctors who treat it.
Neuropathic pain often seems to have no cause. It responds poorly to standard pain treatment and may get worse instead of better over time. For some people, it can lead to serious disability.
These questions often help define the type of pain involved. Once your doctor knows what is happening, treatment can begin. Interesting research in the field of pain is offering a wide range of new ideas for treatment, and many people can now be helped. Anticonvulsant and antidepressant drugs and various pain relievers seem to work in some cases. If another condition, such as diabetes, is involved, better management of that disorder may alleviate the neuropathic pain.