Neuropathic pain may be severe or not, the difference between it and other pain is that neuropathic pain is caused by problems with nerves themselves. In other types of pain the nerves act to carry the pain message; in neuropathic pain, the nerves are themselves the sources of pain. The quality of neuropathic pain is different: people describe it as burning, tingling, stinging, jangling. Sometimes the location of the pain is hard to pin down. Neuropathic pain doesn't usually respond to traditional painkillers.

(Hope this helps. I'm not an expert, other than experiencing it!)