Nerve damage can be the worst nightmare for any patient suffering from it. It can severely impact your life, leading to uncontrollable pain and discomfort, especially if left untreated. Noting down the warning signs of nerve damage is crucial for timely intervention and good prognosis. Awareness of its signs can save your or your loved one’s life, ensuring a healthy future.
Go over this article to learn more about this pathology and the common symptoms you must spot immediately.
How Does Nerve Damage Occur?
Nerve damage is also called peripheral neuropathy. It means the dysfunction or damage of nerves in the body. The most affected nerves are those in your arms, hands, legs, and feet.
Various factors can cause nerve damage. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Trauma – Any kind of trauma, such as accidents, injuries, surgery complications, or other mishaps, can damage the nerves in your body.
- Diseases – Many diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, autoimmune or genetic disorders, and viral or bacterial infections like shingles, Lyme disease, etc., can be a cause. Nerves can also get damaged due to certain cancers produced in the body.
- Toxins – Another major cause of neuropathy in patients is exposure to toxins. These include drugs used for chemotherapy in cancer fighters, alcohol, heavy metals, etc.
- Nutritional Deficiencies – People that lack essential vitamins and nutrients in their bodies result from this condition. The lack of important nutrients includes vitamins B6, B12, and E.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Nerve Damage
There are numerous signs and symptoms of nerve damage. Knowing them can help identify the problem early and seek appropriate medical treatment.
Here are some of the warning signs you must look out for.
- Tingling and Numbness – It is common to feel tingling and numbness, especially in your upper and lower limbs. You may experience a “pins and needles” sensation in your arms and feet. Sometimes, it may also feel like you have lost any feelings in such body parts.
- Sharp, Burning Pain – Patients with nerve damage often experience gruesome shooting pain in the affected nerves. A strong burning sensation often accompanies it. According to the medical experts at The Spero Clinic, “The pain experienced by peripheral neuropathy patients can be inhumane. It is crucial to get to the condition’s root cause and treat the patients accordingly. This shall help relieve their pain and allow them to lead a better and healthier life.”
- Muscle Weakness – Muscle weakness will lead to difficulty having a sturdy grip, walking, or performing regular activities. It can hinder one’s life to a great extent. Performing even the basic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and eating cannot be accomplished without another person’s support.
- Loss of Coordination – Damaged nerves can result in loss of the control center of the body. This shall impact the patient’s balance and fine motor skills.
- Increased Sensitivity – People suffering from this condition often undergo hypersensitivity to touch. Even the lightest contact with skin or body parts can be painful, irritable, and uncomfortable.
- Body Abnormalities – There may be some abnormalities in the affected individual’s skin, hair, or nails. Some signs include increased hair fall or hair thinning, brittle nails, dried, cracked skin, etc.
- Gut Health Issues – Your digestive system can often get compromised due to nerve damage. This will lead to gut health problems such as excessive bloating, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing food, etc.
- Autonomic Abnormalities – Many autonomic abnormalities may occur in this pathologic condition. This includes out-of-range blood pressure, uncontrolled heart rate, increased sweating or dryness. Many patients complain of heat intolerance as well as bladder and bowel problems as well.
Treatments for Nerve Damage
The earlier you spot the signs of nerve damage, the better the treatment.
Here are some common and effective ways to treat peripheral neuropathy.
- Medications – Many medicines like pain relievers and anticonvulsants can be prescribed to such patients. These drugs can help improve nerve function and relieve pain.
- Physiotherapy – Physiotherapy exercises and various techniques can help make the muscles strong. It can further improve the condition of the patients and even reduce pain.
- Nerve Blocks – Nerve blocks can be a temporary yet effective treatment plan. It involves injecting medication into the damaged nerves or surrounding areas to help relieve pain.
- Surgery – Surgery can be an effective treatment option for nerve damage cases.
Final Thoughts
Spotting the warning signs of nerve damage is important for early intervention and accurate treatment. Therefore, you must check for all these signs for yourself and the people around you. This can help prevent severe damage and complications ahead.
