How Do I Know If I Have Nerve Damage?

Neuropathic pain is nerve pain that can happen if your nervous system malfunctions or gets damaged. You can feel pain from any of the various levels of your nervous system, including your peripheral nerves, your spinal cord and your brain. Your central nervous system consists of your spinal cord and brain. Peripheral nerves are the ones that spread throughout the rest of your body to places likes organs, arms, legs, fingers and toes.

Your nervous system is involved in everything your body does, from managing your breathing to controlling your muscles and sensing heat and cold. Nerves carry sensations of pain or pleasure from your body to your brain.

Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life.

Common Symptoms of a Nerve Condition

Symptoms of a nerve condition vary from person to person depending upon the cause. Sometimes they appear suddenly. In other cases, they come on gradually or come and go. The most common symptoms of a nerve condition include:

• A feeling of numbness, pain, tingling, or burning in your limbs or extremities
• Unexplained weakness, loss of muscle strength, or paralysis
• A headache that is persistent, comes on suddenly, or is “different”
• Problems with coordination
• Shooting pain down one leg
• Back pain that extends to the toes or other parts of the body
• Problems with vision (i.e. loss of sight or seeing double)
• Slurred speech or other new language impairments (speaking or comprehending)
• Memory loss
• Seizures, tremors, or uncontrolled twitching
• Mental impairment

What causes neuropathic pain?

Causes of neuropathic pain can include:

• Alcohol use disorder
• Diabetes
• Facial nerveconditions
• Central nervous system disorders like stroke, Parkinson’s diseaseand multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Shingles

How Are Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage Treated?

• Many times, nerve damage cannot be cured entirely. But various treatments can ease your symptoms. Because nerve damage often gets worse over time, it is important to consult with a doctor when you first notice symptoms. That way, you can reduce the likelihood of permanent damage.
• Often, the first goal of treatment is to address the condition that’s causing your nerve pain or nerve damage. This may mean:
• Regulating blood sugar levels for people with diabetes
• Correcting nutritional deficiencies
• Changing medications when drugs are causing nerve damage
• Physical therapy or surgery to address compression or trauma to nerves
• Medications to treat autoimmune conditions