Could Your Chronic Pain Be Nerve-Related? Signs It’s Time for Advanced Treatment

Living with persistent discomfort can make even the simplest daily tasks feel like an uphill battle. At Garden State Pain & Orthopedics, we understand how frustrating it is when standard treatments fail to provide relief. Neil Sinha, MD, and our multidisciplinary team diagnose and treat chronic pain, spinal conditions, nerve injuries, and other musculoskeletal concerns. 

Whether you visit us in Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, Jersey City, or West Orange, New Jersey, we're dedicated to helping you find answers. If you're struggling with ongoing discomfort, it's crucial to understand if your chronic pain is nerve-related so you can access the right pain management strategies. 

What is nerve-related chronic pain?

Unlike pain caused primarily by injured muscles or joints, neuropathic pain comes from a problem in the nerves or nervous system and may cause burning, shooting, tingling, numbness, or unusual sensitivity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2024), chronic pain affects approximately 24.3% of adults in the United States, with many suffering from high-impact pain that severely limits daily activities. When nerves are damaged, they become persistently hyperexcitable and send constant, erroneous pain signals to the brain. This is why standard over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications rarely provide relief for true nerve pain.

Signs your chronic pain is nerve-related

Certain sensations may suggest that pain has a nerve-related component, although symptoms alone can’t confirm the diagnosis. Nerve pain has very distinct characteristics that often radiate or travel along specific pathways in the body. Here are the most common signs that your chronic pain is nerve-related:

• Burning or shooting pain
• Tingling or pins and needles
• Numbness or reduced sensation
• Pain from light touch
• Pain that travels along a limb

These symptoms can have several causes, so a medical evaluation can help determine whether a nerve injury, spinal condition, neuropathy, or another problem is responsible.

When is it time for advanced treatment?

It's time to seek advanced treatment when conservative therapies like rest, ice, and basic physical therapy fail to improve your quality of life. A 2024 conference poster presented at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Annual Meeting noted that nearly 10 million people in the United States experience chronic peripheral neuropathic pain.

At our clinics, treatment may include medication, physical therapy, injections, minimally invasive procedures, or advanced options such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for appropriate patients. 

This innovative technology uses a small implanted device to send gentle electrical impulses directly to the spinal cord, effectively blocking nerve pain signals before they ever reach your brain. Because SCS isn’t right for everyone, patients typically complete a trial period first to see whether it provides meaningful relief before we implant a permanent device.

You don't have to let chronic nerve pain dictate your daily life. Our team at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics can help identify the source of your symptoms and develop a treatment plan based on your diagnosis and goals. To explore your treatment options and speak with one of our specialists, schedule a consultation with our team today at any of our convenient New Jersey locations.