Pain is distressing, especially if it occurs due to nerve injury. It may lead to excruciating pain or tingling or burning sensation in the middle of the night. However, nerve pain can be treated successfully.
Nerve injuries Edison team of expert pain physicians offers extensive treatment options to relieve nerve pain.
Understanding the function of nerves
Nerves are considered your body’s ‘telephone wiring’ system that carries messages between your brain and the rest of the body. Nerves transmit signals to make your muscles move, while some transmit stimuli for pain, pressure, or temperature from different body parts to your brain.
Etiology for nerve injuries
Nerves are fragile and often susceptible to damage. Nerve injuries can occur due to the following reasons:
- Excess pressure or stretching from accidents or a fall can weaken the nerve fibers causing injury
- Aging can also lead to degenerative changes in your nerves, damaging them
- Medical conditions such as diabetes, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Autoimmune diseases like arthritis, and lupus
When the nerves are injured your brain can no longer receive signals from the part of the body where the nerve is injured.
Pinched nerves- common nerve injury
A pinched nerve is a compressed or impinged nerve.
Contributing factors leading to pinched nerve include:
- Aging
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Injury from accident or sports
- Repetition motion tasks such as extended use of a keyboard
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Obesity
A pinched nerve is often associated with the following areas:
- Neck and shoulder
- Back and upper chest
- Arm and elbow
- Wrist and hand
Symptoms include:
- Sharp or dull pain
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Tingling sensation (pins and needles sensation)
- Pain may radiate outward to different parts
Effective treatment options for nerve injuries
Your nerve specialist can determine the type of treatment required through a Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) test. This measures the electrical nerve impulses through electrodes placed on your skin.
Treatment includes:
Conservative approach
- Rest
- Avoiding intense physical activities
- Medications such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to minimize pain
- Physical therapy
Nerve block
- This is an aesthetic solution injected into the injured nerve to cut off the pain signal to reduce inflammation.
Spinal cord stimulator (SCS)
- SCS is a special device that is surgically placed under your skin.
- It helps transmit mild electric current through your spinal cord to help manage chronic pain.
- The electricity interrupts the injured nerve that sends pain signals to the brain.
Nerve injury can be effectively managed if detected early. Seeking timely medical care is essential to relieve pain. This can dramatically improve your symptoms, enhancing your quality of life.