What are symptoms of a damaged nerve?

The signs of nerve damage
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
  • Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock.
  • Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
  • Regularly dropping objects that you're holding.
  • Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
  • A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.

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What does a damaged nerve feel like?

Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can feel as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. You may be very sensitive to touch or cold. You may also experience pain as a result of touch that would not normally be painful, such as something lightly brushing your skin.

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What happens to your body when you have nerve damage?

Damage to motor nerves (nerves that help your muscles to move) can cause: weak or achy muscles that may cause you to lose your balance, trip easily, or have difficulty buttoning shirts or opening jars. muscles that twitch and cramp or muscle wasting (if you don't use your muscles regularly)

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What is the most common nerve damage?

The following are some of the more common peripheral nerve injuries.
  • Brachial plexus or “burner” neck/shoulder nerve injury. ...
  • Radial nerve injury. ...
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome. ...
  • Ulnar elbow entrapment or bicycler's neuropathy. ...
  • Ulnar wrist entrapment.

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What happens if nerve damage goes untreated?

Nerve damage can become permanent

The pain may reach a high point before reaching a state of constant numbness. Once your nerves become too damaged, they can't send signals to your brain. The constant state of numbness can make walking difficult 一 if not impossible.

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Symptoms and signs of nerve damage

23 related questions found

How do you fix nerve damage?

Your surgeon can remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve ends (nerve repair) or implant a piece of nerve from another part of your body (nerve graft). These procedures can help your nerves regrow.

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Does nerve damage fix itself?

When one of your nerves is cut or damaged, it will try to repair itself. The nerve fibres (axons) shrink back and 'rest' for about a month; then they begin to grow again. Axons will regenerate about 1mm per day. The extent to which your nerve will recover is variable, and it will always be incomplete.

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Does an MRI show nerve damage?

An MRI may be able help identify structural lesions that may be pressing against the nerve so the problem can be corrected before permanent nerve damage occurs. Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings.

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How do you test for nerve damage?

a nerve conduction test (NCS), where small metal wires called electrodes are placed on your skin that release tiny electric shocks to stimulate your nerves; the speed and strength of the nerve signal is measured.

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How do you diagnose nerve damage?

Nerve conduction studies, including an Electromyogram (EMG) may be performed on individuals suffering with nerve pain symptoms. These studies use electrical impulses to determine the level of damage. A final diagnosis will be made by your physician through the help of one or all of these tests.

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What triggers nerve damage?

Peripheral nerves can be damaged in several ways: Injury from an accident, a fall or sports, which can stretch, compress, crush or cut nerves. Medical conditions, such as diabetes, Guillain-Barre syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome. Autoimmune diseases including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome.

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Is nerve damage a serious problem?

Some nerve-related problems do not interfere with daily life. Others get worse quickly and may lead to long-term, severe symptoms and problems. When a medical condition can be found and treated, your outlook may be excellent. But sometimes, nerve damage can be permanent, even if the cause is treated.

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What are the 3 types of nerve injury?

Seddon2 classified nerve injuries into three broad categories; neurapraxia, axonotmesis, and neurotmesis.

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Which medicine is best for nerve pain?

The main medicines recommended for neuropathic pain include:
  • amitriptyline – also used for treatment of headaches and depression.
  • duloxetine – also used for treatment of bladder problems and depression.
  • pregabalin and gabapentin – also used to treat epilepsy, headaches or anxiety.

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How do I get my nerves checked?

You will be asked to sit or lie down for the test. A neurologist will locate the nerve(s) to be studied. A healthcare provider will attach a recording electrode to the skin over your nerve, using a special paste. He or she will then place a stimulating electrode away from the recording electrode, at a known distance.

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Is nerve damage hard to diagnose?

Nerve conditions can be hard to diagnose, and many patients live for years without an explanation or effective treatment for their muscle weakness or pain. Our specialists understand that the cause of a nerve condition is not always obvious and often requires a bit of detective work to uncover.

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Does a CT scan show nerve damage?

Answer: Damaged nerves cannot be seen on a regular X-ray. They can be seen on CAT scan or MRI, and in fact, MRI is recommended for examining details of the spinal cord.

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Is CT scan or MRI better for nerve damage?

An MRI can be better at detecting abnormalities of the spinal cord, bulging discs, small disc herniation's, pinched nerves and other soft tissue problems. MRIs may also be used in cases where the X-rays are contraindicated, such as with pregnant women.

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Is magnesium good for nerve pain?

Magnesium decreases nerve pain. Clinical experience, as well as research in nerve pain conditions such as pancreatic cancer, has shown that magnesium can be an effective treatment for pain.

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How long before nerve damage is permanent?

As a specialist in peripheral nerve surgery, Dr. Seruya wants his patients to know that after a period of 12-18 months nerve damage can become permanent.

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Does tingling mean nerves are healing?

Most of the time, the pins and needles feeling is a good sign. It's a short-term phase that means nerves are coming back to life.

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Can stress cause nerve damage?

Chronic stress can lead to neuropathy by damaging the nervous system. When the nervous system is damaged, it can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and other symptoms. The end result is pain, discomfort, or even worse.

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What is the most painful nerve to damage?

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux, is sometimes described as the most excruciating pain known to humanity. The pain typically involves the lower face and jaw, although sometimes it affects the area around the nose and above the eye.

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What is the difference between nerve pain and nerve damage?

Nerve pain can occur without nerve damage. For example, idiopathic nerve pain and temporary paresthesia are not caused by nerve damage. Idiopathic nerve pain is nerve pain without an identifiable cause. Temporary paresthesia is short-term nerve pain that results from temporary pressure on a nerve or poor circulation.

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