How to Tell If Your Pain Is Nerve‑Related
By Dr. Jordan Fersel, MD – Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Why This Matters
Many people with chronic pain are told:
- “Your MRI looks fine.”
- “We can’t find anything wrong.”
- “It’s probably just stress.”
But the real reason might be an irritated or inflamed nerve — a condition that doesn’t always show up on imaging.
Common Clues That Point to Nerve Involvement
1. The Sensation Feels... Different
Ask yourself: What does the pain feel like?
| Sensation | Often Linked to Nerve Pain |
|---|---|
| 🔥 Burning | ✅ Yes |
| ⚡ Electric shock-like | ✅ Yes |
| 💫 Tingling or buzzing | ✅ Yes |
| 🗡️ Stabbing/shooting | ✅ Yes |
| 🧊 Numb or “dead” zones | ✅ Yes |
| 💢 Achy or throbbing | ❌ Not always |
2. Does It Travel or Radiate?
Pain that moves along a path — from neck to arm, or hip to foot — often follows a nerve pathway.
Example: Burning pain that shoots down your leg might mean the sciatic nerve is inflamed.
3. It’s Sensitive to Touch or Pressure
Gently press on the area:
- If light touch causes a strong reaction...
- Or if tapping creates a radiating or buzzing pain...
👉 That’s a red flag for nerve sensitization.
4. Treatments That Helped (or Didn’t)
Take inventory:
- ✅ Helped with pain: nerve blocks, gabapentin, lidocaine patches, movement/stretching
- ❌ Didn’t help: muscle relaxants, NSAIDs, surgery only
If muscle or joint treatments failed but nerve-focused treatments gave relief — that’s another strong clue.
🧠 Self‑Check: Try the “Nerve Mapping” Method
-
Press gently along the painful area using two fingers
-
Look for:
-
Sharp zaps or shocks
-
Tingling
-
Pain that shoots along a path
-
Compare the left and right side — is one more sensitive?
🗺️ Mark what you discover — this helps guide more targeted care.
🗣️ What to Say to Your Doctor
Use this script:
“My pain feels electric and shoots down my leg. I’ve noticed pressure in this area makes it worse. Could this be nerve-related, even though my scan was normal?”
This shows you’re informed — and can lead to better diagnostics and treatment.
🔑 Final Insight
If your pain is:
Burning
Radiating
