Muscle Pain vs. Nerve Pain: How to Tell the Difference

Two types of pain that are easy to confuse are muscle pain and nerve pain. In order to treat your pain effectively, however, it is important to identify what type of pain it is. In this guide, we will explain how you can tell the difference between muscle pain vs. nerve pain. We will go over causes, sensations, severity, and more.

Muscle pain is pain that you feel in muscle tissue. Another word for it is “myalgia.” 

• Pain may be mild, moderate, severe, or disabling.
• Muscle pain may be accompanied by reduced range of motion or strength.
• Pain can be acute or chronic.
• Muscle pain may be localized or widespread.
• Sometimes pain may refer to other areas of the body.

One of the reasons why muscle pain can be hard to distinguish from other pain types is because it can feel very different depending on what is going on in your body. Here are some possible ways muscle pain can feel:

• Steady aching 
• Sharp pains
• Cramping and spasming
• Soreness
• Stiffness

Note that muscle pain can come from serious or trivial causes. You are probably familiar with the mild, fleeting aching that can follow exercise, for example. That is trivial. Muscle pain with a more serious cause may be mild or severe, but it is more likely to recur frequently or become chronic. 

Below, we go over some potential causes of muscle pain. This is not an exhaustive list, just some examples. 

Here are some potential causes of acute muscle pain:

• Minor injuries
• Tension (i.e. from spending time in the wrong position)
• Stress
• Overuse
• Cramps
• Illness (i.e. flu)
• Dehydration

Here are some potential causes of chronic muscle pain:

• Major injuries
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraine
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Lyme disease
• Lupus
• Hypothyroidism
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Dystonia
• Polymyositis
• Claudication
• Dermatomyositis
• Issues with electrolytes 

Nerve pain is pain that results from damage or disease affecting your nerves. It is also called “neuropathic” pain. 

• Nerve pain can be mild, moderate, severe or debilitating.
• This type of pain can be acute or chronic (note that nerve injuries often take many months to heal, however).
• Nerve pain may occur anywhere in the body where nerves exist.
• This type of pain is commonly described as shooting, stabbing, burning, sharp, or like electric shocks.
• Other nerve symptoms can include tingling, pins and needles, or numbness. 

Nerve pain, also called neuropathic pain, is a complex type of chronic pain that occurs due to damage or dysfunction in the nervous system. Unlike normal pain which is a temporary response to injury or inflammation, nerve pain is a chronic condition that arises from disruption in the way the nerves transmit signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.

Nerve pain, like muscle pain, can stem from a variety of causes.

Some examples include chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and facial nerve disorders.

Additionally, lifestyle factors like alcohol use disorder, or medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can also contribute to nerve pain.

Other possible causes include shingles, complex regional pain syndrome, injuries, tumors, nerve compression, and nerve inflammation. In some cases, surgically-induced nerve damage or phantom limb pain may also lead to nerve-related discomfort. This list is not exhaustive but covers many common contributors to nerve pain.

Nerve pain feels distinctly different from the dull aching or sharp, acute pain often associated with an injury. Hallmark symptoms of neuropathic pain include:

• Shooting, burning, or stabbing sensations
• Numbness and tingling, especially in hands and feet
• Persistent pain that may be worse at night
• Sensitivity to light touch (allodynia)
• "Pins and needles" or prickling sensations
• Muscle weakness or paralysis if motor nerves are affected
• Pain that radiates outward from the initial site

One of the most frustrating aspects of nerve pain is that it often seems disconnected from an injury or rational cause. The pain signals arise spontaneously from the damaged nerves sending faulty messages to the brain.

You may be able to use context clues to figure out if you are experiencing muscle pain, nerve pain, or both. You can compare your symptoms against the lists we shared, and also consider any underlying conditions that may be contributing to your pain.

Your doctor can conduct diagnostic tests to help you figure out if you are experiencing muscle or nerve pain, as well as the underlying cause. 

There are quite a few at-home remedies you can try for muscle or nerve pain. For example:

• Over-the-counter and prescription medications
• Ointments and topical products (lidocaine is best)
• Gentle exercise (the right type depends on your specific condition, however)
• Ice or heat
• Rest
• Massage
• Bath with Epsom salts
• Meditation
• Alternative traditional therapies (i.e. gua sha)
• Treating any underlying conditions contributing to the apin

Take note that pain is highly individual, and you probably will need to experiment quite a bit to find what works most effectively for you.

Some muscle and nerve pain will self-resolve if you just take modest measures to recover at home. For example, pain from exercise may go away within days. Pain from a mild injury could self-resolve after a few weeks or (in the case of minor nerve damage) months.

But sometimes, you need to see a doctor. You should consult with your doctor if:

• You have severe pain.
• Your pain is getting worse.
• Your pain is not going away.
• You have other symptoms suggesting a deeper and more serious underlying problem may exist.

Nerve pain in particular is more likely in many cases than muscle pain to be serious, so you may want to see a doctor even for mild nerve pain.

The doctor will start by taking your medical history and conducting a basic physical exam. Depending on what is going on, a wide range of tests could be used to diagnose your condition. Here are some possible tests:

• Nerve conduction study
• Blood tests
• Ultrasound
• X-ray
• MRI
• Electromyography (EMG)
• CT scan
• Muscle biopsy 

A lot of these tests are used to rule out serious conditions. Though depending on your exact symptoms, you may not need them. Sometimes a diagnosis is simple. Other times, it can be very hard to pin down what is going on. Do not give up. Advocate for yourself as best you can.

The ideal way to treat nerve and/or muscle pain depends on the cause(s) of that pain, as well as your individual response to various treatments.

If an underlying condition can be identified, treating that underlying condition is necessary to improve the muscle or nerve pain. For example, treating diabetic nerve pain would involve treating the diabetes, whereas sciatic nerve pain requires treatments for sciatica, etc.

Other treatment options may include:

• Home remedies
• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Nerve blocks and other specialized pain treatments
• Alternative therapies, like massage or acupuncture

Once you identify the cause(s) of your pain, your primary care provider can refer you to specialists who will be able to provide you with additional treatment options and advice. 

If your muscle or nerve pain is affecting your ability to walk, you may need to re-train your gait.

It may be difficult for you to maintain stability as you walk and/or lift the front parts of your feet fully (a condition called “foot drop”). 

The Cadense Original Adaptive Shoe for men and women can help. These shoes feature patented variable friction technology, which allows you to walk over uneven surfaces more safely and comfortably, even with foot drop. Browse the full collection of shoes for neuropathy.