Neuropathic pain develops when peripheral or central nerve fibers sustain damage from disease, injury, or metabolic dysfunction. Approximately 7-10% of the general population experiences some form of neuropathic pain, with diabetic neuropathy alone affecting up to 50% of individuals with long-standing diabetes.
When nerves are damaged, they undergo a process called peripheral sensitization, where injured nerve fibers develop abnormally low activation thresholds. This means signals that would not normally cause pain, such as light touch or temperature changes, begin triggering intense pain responses through a phenomenon known as allodynia.
Central sensitization compounds the problem at the spinal cord and brain level. Repeated pain signaling causes NMDA receptors in the spinal dorsal horn to become hyperactive, amplifying pain signals and creating a self-sustaining cycle of chronic pain that persists even after the original nerve injury has stabilized.
