Neuropathic pain refers to nerve pain. In back pain patients this pain may be felt down the leg but presents without conduction loss (loss of sensation, reflexes, muscle strength). Recent research has shown that neuropathic pain can arise when there is tension or irritation around the nerve normally at its interface with the spine. The easiest way to think about neuropathic pain is to imagine that the nerve itself is inflammed. Nerves themselves are supplied by the nervi nervorum which essiential means the "nerve of the nerve" these nerves can be become hypersensitive resulting in ectopic firing or transmission of pain without a specific stimulus this means that pain can be felt down the leg without any loss of muscle strength, sensation or reflexes. This situation can often be readily resolved using specific manual therapy techniques which sooth the irritated and inflammed nerve tissue.