Guide to Understanding Nerve Pain
Updated on December 26, 2024
Shop the best shoes for nerve pain
What is Nerve Pain?
Nerve pain, also referred to as neuropathic pain or neuralgia, is a condition that stems from a damaged central or peripheral nervous system. This can occur due to injury or an underlying medical condition.
There are several types of nerve pain, including peripheral neuropathy that affects your extremities, sciatica that starts at your lower back or hips and can radiate downward, and postherpetic nerve pain caused by shingles.
Nerve pain can make it incredibly uncomfortable or painful to perform even everyday tasks, including walking, standing straight, and simple exercises.
Neuropathic pain can get worse by wearing the wrong type of footwear, including wearing high heels and too-tight shoes. The best shoes for nerve pain in feet include wide toe boxes, flat or level soles, proper cushioning, and an excellent fit.
Most Common Causes & Risk Factors for Developing Nerve Pain
Symptoms & Diagnosis
The symptoms of nerve pain can vary depending on its underlying cause. Here are some common symptoms of nerve pain:
- Sharp, burning, or aching pain in the feet and legs
- Pins and needles or a tingling sensation
- Sudden or spontaneous pain, often feeling like an electric shock
- Pain caused by normally non-painful stimuli, such as touch
- Difficulty sleeping
- General discomfort and pain while walking
Upon noticing any of these symptoms, it is best to visit a doctor for proper treatment. For a few tips on managing and reducing nerve pain, continue reading the treatment section below.
Nerve Pain Facts and Stats
- About 25% to 30% of Americans experience nerve pain.
- Older individuals have an increased risk of nerve pain, with 8% of elderly adults (at least 65 years old) having neuropathy.
- An estimated 20 million Americans have a form of peripheral neuropathy or nerve pain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders.
- Sciatica, a common cause of back, hip, and lower extremity nerve pain, affects between 10% to 40% of the population.
- Men ages 30 to 50 years old have a higher likelihood of developing sciatica.
Treatment
Living with nerve pain can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. The path to relief starts with understanding the root cause of your pain and taking steps toward a solution.
Addressing neuropathic pain often involves pinpointing its source. From there, the focus shifts to relieving discomfort, preserving mobility, and enhancing your quality of life. With the right guidance and tools, you can take charge of your journey and move toward feeling like yourself again.
Here are some ways to treat various types of foot nerve pain.
FAQs
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What causes nerve pain?
Nerve pain can stem from many health conditions, including injuries, diabetes, shingles, strokes, HIV, blood vessel diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.
Nerve pain specifically in the foot can be caused by pulling, pinching, or compressing a nerve in the feet or legs.
Wearing the wrong kind of footwear can also contribute to nerve pain, including high heels, narrow shoes, overly tight shoes, and shoes without proper arch support. Shoes lacking sufficient cushioning can also make nerve pain worse, especially for individuals who jog, run, or participate in high-impact sports.
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What shoes help nerve pain?
Shoes that help with nerve pain are designed to reduce pressure and provide maximum comfort. Look for styles with ample arch support, a cushioned footbed, and a roomy toe box to prevent pinching. Stability features can also help minimize strain and improve overall foot alignment.
KURU shoes are crafted with these essential elements to support your journey to relief and keep you moving comfortably.
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How long does nerve pain last?
The severity or degree of compression of pinched nerves affects how long the pain lasts. The type of treatment undertaken also helps determine the duration of the nerve pain.
Acute pain may improve after several days or weeks of at-home care and pain management. However, the pain may persist in cases of chronic nerve pain or cases with more serious underlying causes.
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Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?
Even though KURU shoes were not initially intended to be orthopedic shoes, thousands of our customers say they experience relief from various foot conditions.
While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURUs helped reduce or eliminate their pain.
Resources
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9 Things You Are Doing To Destroy Your Feet -
Toe Flexor Exercises for Better Circulation
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Foot Grooming and Why It’s Important
Three Layers of Support
At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.
Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.
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KURUSOLE
...Show LessKURUSOLE is our patented, breakthrough technology that cups and protects the heel while allowing your heel to dynamically flex with each step. KURUSOLE helps your body leverage its natural cushioning system: the heel’s fat pad. It also improves alignment for a healthier gait.
KURUSOLE is our patented, breakthrough technology that cups and protects the heel while allowing your heel to dynamically flex with each step. KURUSOLE helps your body leverage its natural cushioning system: the heel’s fat pad. It also improves alignment for a healthier gait.
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KURUCLOUD
...Show LessKURUCLOUD is one part of our signature three-part technology that makes KURU footwear amazing. If you need better shoes for nerve pain in your feet, you need shoes with KURUCLOUD. This uniquely engineered blend of high-performance EVA foam provides necessary cushioning and effective shock absorption to help reduce foot nerve pain
KURUCLOUD is one part of our signature three-part technology that makes KURU footwear amazing. If you need better shoes for nerve pain in your feet, you need shoes with KURUCLOUD. This uniquely engineered blend of high-performance EVA foam provides necessary cushioning and effective shock absorption to help reduce foot nerve pain
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ULTIMATE INSOLE
...Show LessMade of highly durable polyurethane foam, the ULTIMATE INSOLES mold to the shape of your feet to ensure custom fit and comfort in each step. ULTIMATE INSOLES bring dual-density arch support and cushioning to help fight a number of foot pain conditions.
Made of highly durable polyurethane foam, the ULTIMATE INSOLES mold to the shape of your feet to ensure custom fit and comfort in each step. ULTIMATE INSOLES bring dual-density arch support and cushioning to help fight a number of foot pain conditions.
KURUSOLE
KURUSOLE is our patented, breakthrough technology that cups and protects the heel while allowing your heel to dynamically flex with each step. KURUSOLE helps your body leverage its natural cushioning system: the heel’s fat pad. It also improves alignment for a healthier gait.
Our Secret
Our Secret
What makes KURU different? Every KURU shoe comes with built-in patented KURUSOLE tech—a foot health game changer.
While other shoes are flat on the inside, KURUSOLE is shaped like your foot to hug and prevent fatigue and pain.
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