Shooting pains throughout the body may occur when a medical condition affects the nerves that transmit sensations to the brain, causing shooting, stinging, or burning pain. Nerve pain is also called neuralgia or neuropathic pain.
Common causes of shooting nerve pain throughout the body may include:
- Brain, spine, or nerve injuries
- Vitamin B12 or thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency
- Poor blood supply to the nerves
- Use of certain medications
- Heavy drinking
Conditions that can cause shooting nerve pain throughout the body include:
- Viral infections such as shingles and HIV/AIDS
- Trapped nerves, such as in carpal tunnel syndrome
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cancer and cancer treatment such as radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery
Conditions that can be associated with shooting nerve pain throughout the body include:
What Are Symptoms of Nerve Pain That Causes Shooting Pains?
Nerve pain (neuralgia or neuropathic pain) can feel like a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation throughout the body. Shooting pain may:
- Be mild to severe
- Get worse at night
- Be sharp and sudden, like an electric shock
- Interfere with daily life such as sleep, work, sex, and exercise
Symptoms that may accompany shooting nerve pain throughout the body may include:
- Pins and needles sensation
- Numbness or weakness
- Sensitivity to touch or cold
- Aching pain
- Pain that happens from stimuli that is not normally painful, such as brushing the skin
- Anxiety and depression due to pain
What Is the Treatment for Nerve Pain?
Shooting nerve pain (neuralgia or neuropathic pain) throughout the body can be difficult to treat and but the first step usually involves treating the underlying cause, if there is one. The goal of other treatments is to reduce pain.
Non-medical treatments for shooting nerve pain throughout the body may include:
- Exercise
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to block pain signals to the brain
- Relaxation techniques
- Acupuncture
- Counseling and education to help people cope with pain
- Psychological treatment to help patients feel in control of pain and reduce distress
Medications used to treat shooting nerve pain throughout the body may include:
- Pain medicines
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- Naproxen (Aleve)
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Opioids
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Antidepressants
- Amitriptyline
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Irenka)
- Seizure medications
- Gabapentin (Neurontin)
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol XR, Tegretol, Carbatrol)
- Pregabalin (Lyrica)
From 
Brain and Nervous System Resources
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/nerve-pain