Nerve injuries can be caused by various medical situations and conditions, resulting in an array of symptoms. Treatment depends on locating and determining the cause of the injury, and prognosis may not always be good. Complete nerve injuries may be permanent, while partial injuries are more likely to be successful. Neurologists usually treat nerve injuries, and treatment may include surgery, medication, physical therapy, and coping skills for permanent injuries.
A nerve injury is an injury that affects one of the body’s nerves. These injuries can be caused by a wide variety of medical situations and conditions and can cause an assortment of symptoms. Treatment for injuries depends on locating the injury and determining its cause, and it may not always be possible for a physician to provide a good prognosis for a patient with nerve injury.
In a complete nerve injury, the nerve is so damaged that signals cannot pass through it. This damage may be of a permanent nature. Partial injuries involve partial damage to the nerve that results in a disruption of nerve function. Partial injuries are more likely to be successful because the body can adapt to the physical change.
Some causes include: degenerative diseases of the nervous system, tumors, burns, cuts, and abrasive injuries such as those caused by bones grating on nerves. In all cases, part of the nerve is damaged and the myelin, the thick sheath that covers the nerve, may be partially removed. Demyelinated nerves are usually more difficult to treat, especially when the layer is removed by a disease, as is the case with multiple sclerosis.
Lesions can cause an assortment of symptoms, depending on where the lesion is located. Patients may experience loss of muscle control, numbness or tingling sensations, sharp pains, or spasms. Because the body’s nerves are well known and have been carefully mapped, a doctor can usually determine where the damage is by narrowing down the site of symptoms.
Neurologists usually treat patients with suspected nerve injuries. They conduct a neurological exam to narrow down symptoms and determine where signals from nerves are getting confused, and can recommend a course of treatment for the patient after determining the cause of the injury and discussing the patient’s history.
In some cases, it may be possible to repair a nerve injury with surgery. Other injuries may resolve on their own or the body may adapt and allow other nerves to replace the function of the damaged nerves. In other cases, a patient may need to be treated with medications, physical therapy, and other measures to address the injury. Permanent injuries cannot be repaired, but patients can be taught to manage impaired function and, in the case of patients with degenerative diseases, they can learn coping skills that will help them adjust as the damage spreads.
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