Treating Nerve Damage in the Hand and Wrist
Nerves are the body’s “interweb” system. They carry messages from the brain to the rest of your body. Therefore, damage to these nerves can have a profound effect on your daily life and wellbeing. Nerve damage in the hand specifically can cause pain, affect various body movements and more.
As a board-certified hand specialist, I’ve dealt with many cases of nerve damage. If you are looking for more information regarding nerve damage in the hand, read this Q&A by my Houston, Texas practice or come visit me.
How could I have injured the nerves in my hand?
There are many ways you can damage the nerves in your hands, and oftentimes these are in ways you didn’t even expect. Everything from experiencing a stretch injury to cutting a nerve to applying too much pressure on a nerve can cause you major problems.
To demonstrate more clearly, one specific form of hand nerve damage that most of us have heard of is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is an example of pressure-based nerve damage in the hand.
Are the symptoms I’m displaying that of nerve damage in the hand?
The signs and symptoms of nerve injuries can differ depending on the nerve damaged, the type of injury and the severity of the damage, so it’s hard to share a specific list of just what symptoms denote nerve damage. However, many who suffer from nerve damage in the hand almost universally express feelings of numbness or weakness.
How do I treat nerve pain in my hand?
Again, how I go about treatment for nerve injuries in the hand varies based on the patient and severity of the injury. Some common treatment options for nerve damage, however, include:
Supportive care for broken nerve fibers. This allows the nerves to grow back over a period of months.
Self-healing for more mild injuries. This entails you resting your hand until the nerve is healed.
Surgery for cut nerves.
What do I expect as far as my recovery after nerve damage to the hand?
Recovering from nerve damage in the hand can take several months depending on the form of treatment we pursue and your injury. Your age and health can also factor into your recovery timeline.
Recovery after a surgery for nerve damage in the hand can be particularly intensive. This is because the nerve fibers will grow back very slowly, so you can typically expect a recovery period of at least a couple of months. During surgery recovery you may still experience pain or numbness until the nerve damage is fully healed.
Most patients also undergo physical therapy during the recovery period to fully eliminate pain and regain full range of motion. While this may add more recovery time, it’s a great addition to most recovery routines.
Nerve damage in the hands is best evaluated per patient, so if you would like to know more information about nerve damage to the hand, I highly encourage you to visit me in Houston, Texas.