What Type of Pain Do You Have? It Matters More Than You Think

Pain isn’t always as simple as a sore muscle or a sprained ankle. It’s a complex and very personal experience shaped by how our brain and body respond to a range of physical, psychological and social factors. Understanding what type of pain someone is experiencing can help guide treatment and improve outcomes. Here’s a breakdown of three key types of pain we often see in clinic: nociceptive, nociplastic and neuropathic pain.

What is Pain, Really?

Pain is more than just a signal from the body. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines it as a sensory and emotional experience related to actual or potential tissue damage. Importantly, pain is always personal. It can be influenced by everything from stress and sleep to past experiences and beliefs. You can’t always rely on imaging or scans to tell the full story, and just because someone can’t describe their pain doesn’t mean they’re not experiencing it.

Nociceptive Pain

This is probably the most familiar type of pain. It’s what you feel when you stub your toe, strain a muscle or twist your ankle. It comes from actual or potential damage to tissues like muscles, joints or skin. It’s the body’s way of sounding the alarm and telling you something isn’t quite right.

What does it feel like?
Nociceptive pain is often described as aching, sharp, or throbbing. It tends to follow predictable patterns, usually in response to movement or loading, and it improves as the tissue heals.

How do we assess it?
We listen to your story, map out your symptoms, and look at how you move. The goal is to see whether your symptoms match what we’d expect based on the type of injury or condition you’ve got.

Management strategies include:

• Education and reassurance about what’s going on

• Active rehab including strength work and movement retraining

• Manual therapy if needed

• Modalities like heat, TENS, or taping

• In some cases, medication like paracetamol or anti-inflammatories

This type of pain generally improves well with treatment and time.

Nociplastic Pain

This is pain that doesn’t fit the typical patterns. There’s no obvious tissue damage, and the nervous system seems to be processing pain differently. Conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, and persistent headaches often fall into this category.

What does it feel like?
It can be widespread, persistent, and unpredictable. People often describe sensitivity to touch, pain that lingers long after an activity, or pain from things that shouldn’t hurt (like clothes or light pressure). It’s not imagined — it’s the nervous system becoming hypersensitive.

How do we assess it?
This type of pain needs a more detailed look. We consider your pain history, other symptoms like fatigue or poor sleep, and sometimes use sensory testing to check your responses to things like pressure or temperature. It’s also common for this type of pain to overlap with other conditions like migraines or irritable bowel syndrome.

Management strategies include:

• Helping you understand what’s happening and why it hurts

• Gradual return to movement and activity with a focus on pacing

• Techniques to calm the nervous system, including mindfulness or relaxation strategies

• Sometimes medications that target nerve processing or mood

• A team approach, often including physio, GP and psychology support

It’s important to remember that nociplastic pain can exist alongside other pain types. It doesn’t mean your pain isn’t real — just that it needs a different treatment approach.

Neuropathic Pain

This type of pain comes from damage or disease affecting the nerves themselves. It might be from a pinched nerve, nerve injury, or conditions like diabetes or shingles.

What does it feel like?
Neuropathic pain is often described as burning, shooting, or electric. Some people also report tingling, numbness or extreme sensitivity to touch.

How do we assess it?
We take a thorough history and run specific tests to look at nerve function. This might include sensory testing, nerve tension tests, or referral for scans or nerve conduction studies. Screening questionnaires like PainDETECT or LANSS can also be useful.

Management strategies include:

• Targeted medications like gabapentin, pregabalin, or certain antidepressants

• Movement and exercise that support nerve mobility and reduce sensitivity

• Manual therapy, taping or neurodynamic techniques

• In more severe cases, procedures like nerve blocks or spinal stimulation may be considered

Neuropathic pain can be tricky to manage, but a tailored plan that combines physical and medical strategies can make a real difference.

Why This Matters

Knowing the type of pain you’re dealing with helps us figure out the best way forward. Many people have more than one type of pain happening at once, especially when an injury has lingered or hasn’t healed as expected. The key is treating the person, not just the symptoms.

At SurfEdge Sports Physiotherapy, we’re here to help you understand your pain, regain confidence in your body, and get back to doing what you love.

Book in your appointment with our physios now and let’s work to get to the bottom of your pain!