ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

Acute Neuritis and Acute Neuralgia

Why Nerve Pain Hurts So Much—And What You Can Do About It

What Are They, and Why Do They Hurt So Much?

When nerves are irritated or inflamed, they can trigger sharp, burning, or electric-like pain. These symptoms are common in two related conditions:

Neuritis – inflammation of a nerve
Neuralgia – nerve pain that occurs even without visible inflammation

Both can cause sudden, severe pain that comes on quickly and can affect daily life.

What’s the Difference Between Acute Neuritis and Acute Neuralgia?

Causes
Pain
Triggers
Other Signs

Neuritis:

Inflammation of the nerve

Neuralgia:

Nerve pain without active inflammation

Neuritis:

Constant, burning or throbbing

Neuralgia:

Sharp, stabbing, “electric shock”-like

Neuritis:

Infection, autoimmune reaction, injury

Neuralgia:

Touch, movement, wind, cold

Neuritis:

Tingling, numbness, muscle weakness

Neuralgia:

Brief, sudden attacks of pain

A Common Example: Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

Herpes zoster is a viral reactivation of the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster), lying dormant in nerve roots until it flares up, often triggered by age, stress, or lowered immunity.

The virus causes:

Acute neuritis as it inflames the nerves
Neuralgia during and possibly after the rash heals

Key signs of shingles:

Localised nerve pain on one side of the body
Sensitivity to light touch or even clothing
A rash that turns into fluid-filled blisters
Pain that can persist long after the rash clears (postherpetic neuralgia)

When Should You Be Concerned?

Seek medical attention if you experience:

Sudden, sharp or burning pain along a specific nerve path
Pain that worsens with light touch, wind, or movement
Pain accompanied by a rash
Persistent pain after a shingles episode
Tingling or numbness without a clear injury

Early intervention may prevent long-term nerve damage and chronic pain.

How We Can Help

At Specialist Pain International Clinic, we take the time to understand what’s triggering your nerve pain, whether it’s a viral flare-up, inflammation, or pressure on the nerve.

Treatment depends on what we find, but it may involve:

Medications to settle irritated nerves
Procedures to calm inflamed areas
Guidance on managing symptoms as you recover

Every patient is different, our goal is to help you feel better, faster, with care that’s tailored to what your body needs.

Don’t Let Nerve Pain Take Over

Acute nerve pain can disrupt sleep, work, and quality of life, but it doesn’t have to. The sooner we identify the source, the more effective the treatment can be.

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Specialist Pain International treats acute, chronic, and cancer pain with expert diagnosis, therapies, and patient-first care for faster recovery.

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Mt. Elizabeth Novena Medical Centre 38 Irrawaddy Road, #09-43 Singapore 329563

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