Physiotherapy for Peripheral Nerve Injury

Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Peripheral nerve injury is really a general term used to explain damage of the nerves away from brain or spinal-cord. Peripheral nerve injuries in many cases are caused by trauma. A peripheral nerve injury is the place any nerves in your body that are not in the brain or spinal-cord are damaged. 

If your peripheral nerve is damaged then muscles given by that nerve don't receive information in the brain and, therefore, they become weakened or paralysed. The nerve damage does mean that the brain doesn't receive information in the body. This can present as altered sensation for example numbness or tingling. Unlike the spinal-cord, peripheral nerves be capable of heal. Common the signs of a peripheral nerve injury are weakness, altered sensation, pain and lack of function below the degree of the injury. Surgical repair from the damaged nerve may also be required. Whether surgical treatment is required or not, physiotherapy includes a very important role inside your rehabilitation enabling you to reach your maximum possible recovery. 

The physiotherapist comprehend the impact that a peripheral nerve injury might have on your everyday life. We offer home and clinic based appointments. 

Physiotherapy Strategy to a Peripheral Nerve Injury

The control over a peripheral nerve injury varies with respect to the cause, type and amount of the nerve injury. If your nerve is not healing properly surgery are usually necesary to repair the damaged section. Physiotherapy is essential to promote the recovery of peripheral nerve injuries whether or not surgery is required. Physio provide specialised treatment programmes,functional electrical stimulation and bracing / splinting to;

• maintain range muscle length / joint selection of movement

• maintain nerve integrity

• increase muscle strength

• increase sensation

• manage neuropathic pain

Results of a Peripheral Nerve Injury

The results of peripheral nerve injuries vary, with respect to the cause and harshness of the injury. 

Common results of a nerve injury are:

• Pain (which range from a tingling pain to intense, burning pain)

• Numbness or altered sensations

• Muscle weakness within the affected body part

• Loss of function (eg. help or leg being hard to use whilst performing tasks)

• Loss of active movement (eg. wrist drop and foot drop)

Peripheral nerve injuries brought on by:

• an extreme stretch of the nerve (eg. throughout a joint dislocation)

• reduced blood supply to some nerve (eg. when someone falls asleep ready that puts pressure on the nerve - for example with their arm within the back of a chair)

• an electrical burn

• a cut of the nerve (eg. from the knife or a traumatic fracture)

Peripheral nerve injuries could be classified as:

• Complete injuries

All of the nerve fibres in the injured portion of nerve are damaged, causing total lack of muscle power and sensation underneath the level of the injury.

• Incomplete lesions

A few of the nerve fibres in the injured nerve are damaged yet others are unaffected. Some muscle power and sensation is going to be present below the degree of the injury. An incomplete nerve injury implies that some of the nerve remains intact and, therefore, the likelihood of a full recovery being made are improved.