Could it Be a Bruised Nerve?

If you have suffered from a blow to a joint and continue to experience pain associated with tingling, burning and numbness, you may have bruised a nerve. This is a common result from an injury to the hand, wrist and elbow. The nerves running through the arm have little padding to protect them so a blow to just the right spot, or continual pressure may cause the nerve to become bruised and damaged. Read on for some inside information on the causes, symptoms and treatments associated with a bruised nerve.

Your body has nerves running through almost every inch of your body. These nerves are responsible for all feeling and function of your body. The nervous system is a very complex body system that starts at the brain. Your 5 senses, sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are all dependent on your nerves.

If the nerves in your body that are responsible for touch become damaged, you may notice the tingling feeling that is a result of a bruised nerve. Falling hard, constant pressure and being hit can all be associated with the bruising of your nerves.

For example, one common cause of a bruised nerve in your wrist is biking for many miles without the proper posture. Your wrists carry the weight of your upper body while biking, and this constant pressure may damage the ulnar nerve that runs from your elbow down into your hands. Once this nerve has become bruised you will experience numbness and tingling in your last two fingers commonly called the pinky finger and the ring finger.

A bruised nerve can be a cause of concern since the nerve can become so damaged that it may not be able to repair itself. In less severe cases, the nerve will repair itself completely within a few weeks. If the damage is severe, you may need surgery to repair the nerve.

Common treatment for a bruised nerve that does not require surgery includes exercise. Using the portion of body that is affected by the bruised nerve will help the brain to regenerate the nerve and assume normal feeling and use. Treating the initial wound will also help the nerve to repair quickly. Icing an injury can minimize swelling and prevent further damage to all systems that have been damaged. Generally the nerve will have repaired itself in 4-6 weeks to its original functioning ability.

If surgery is required, your doctor will try to remove any nerve tissue that is so damaged it cannot be used. Depending on the location and size of the nerve that is damaged the doctor will assess whether full function may be brought back. The doctor will then try to suture the nerve back in place to reconnect the tissue properly.

Of course, no one ever wants to deal with a nervous system injury as it is the most necessary portion of your body. If you brain is not able to send messages to the rest of the body, the body can become dysfunctional. A severely bruised nerve that is neglected can cause paralysis of the body portion it controls.

If you ever suspect you have a nerve that has been damaged by any injury, it is always wise to consult your doctor for further treatment and proper diagnosis. An injury that affects the nervous system may feel as though it is taking forever to heal. When a nerve is healing, it is often a test of your patience. Try to be patient though, nerve damage can sometimes heal for years, with each passing year more and more feeling and sensation being brought back to your body!