What Are the Treatments for Nerve Injury?

A nerve is a very important part of your body: It is used to conduct messages between different points, making sure everything is working properly. Nerve damage and injuries can range from minor to severe and can range from general discomfort to extreme pain. Although it is important to consult your doctor on your personal prognosis and treatment, several things are commonly done to remedy the problem and/or ease the pain.

Rest

• Very often, your doctor will recommend that you rest the affected area, ice it in various intervals and take anti-inflammatory drugs as needed. Depending on where the injury has occurred, your doctor may recommend that you wear a sling or walk on crutches to promote healing.

Stretching Exercises

• For less severe injuries, your doctor may suggest simple stretching exercises to get your nerve moving. Some examples include lifting small weights, stretching your arms over your head, bending your back backward or simple leg stretches that involve sitting on the floor and leaning toward your toes. You can also try lying on your back and lifting your knees to your chest, which can help stretch the muscles and nerves in the back and legs. Talk to your doctor about how many repetitions are recommended.

Physical Therapy

• In addition to stretching exercises, your doctor may recommend physical therapy. This involves exercises such as lifting weights, pulling bands and working to improve feeling in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may have to completely "rewire" your brain so that the nerve can continue its path of sending signals to the brain.

Surgery

• Often a last-ditch effort, surgery is required for those who may have severed a nerve or whose symptoms have not improved after more conservative treatments. Surgery may involve a nerve graft from another part of the body (if the nerve has been cut completely) or other methods such as severing ligaments to make room for the affected nerve or removing bone spurs that may be pressing on the nerve.

Prevention

• Although in some cases, a nerve injury cannot be prevented (such as in the case of a car accident), there are ways to prevent injuries such as pinched nerves. In order to reduce the risk of pinched nerves, try to exercise as much as possible (incorporating stretching exercises for the back, arms and legs and light weight-bearing exercises) and to limit tasks that force you to repeat a motion over and over. In addition, try to maintain good posture. Check your posture often during the school or work day. Purchase an office chair with good lumbar support.