Understanding Injury to Nerves: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Injury to Nerves

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Nerves are like cables or telephone wires that carry electrical impulses between your brain and the rest of your body. They carry messages to and from your brain. These impulses help you move your muscles and feel sensations. They also maintain several important functions like breathing, sweating or digesting food. Nerves can be damaged when too much pressure is applied on them, by stretching, or by a cut. When a nerve is cut, it can no longer transmit signals. Stretch injuries to the nerve can range from mild, temporary nerve injury to a more severe, permanent nerve injury.

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Signs & symptoms

Signs and symptoms of nerve injury can be different depending on how serious is the injury, which nerve has injured, the mechanism of the injury, and the time passed until receiving treatment. Common signs include: Numbness, muscle weakness, and pain (sometimes called "neuropathic pain"). Symptoms of nerve injury can be constant, intermittent, or even relieved with the right treatment.

Diagnosis

Nerve injuries are diagnosed in several ways. They can be diagnosed merely by the patient complaints following a trauma or a disease. Your healthcare provider may conduct physical examination, during which he or she will check your sensation, your muscle power, and your reflexes. Tests to diagnose nerve injury are imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans.

Treatment

Some nerve injuries can get better without help, but some injuries need to be repaired. Mild injuries may be repaired on their own, without further intervention. In more severe injuries, the healing process can take up to several months under supportive care. If the nerve is cut that both the nerve edges are detached, a surgery is typically needed to allow the nerve heal correctly.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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