Description
Nerves are the body’s “telephone wiring” system that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move. Other nerves carry messages about pain, pressure, or temperature from the body to the brain. Many small fibers are bundled inside each nerve to carry the messages. There is an outer layer that insulates and protects the nerves. Sometimes, nerves can be damaged.
Treatment
Some nerve injuries can get better without help, but some injuries need to be repaired.
Mild injuries to the nerve: The nerve can repair itself, either within minutes or after a number of weeks. During this time, messages between the brain and body can be altered. Supportive treatment often helps, but in some cases surgery is needed.
Broken nerve fibers or more severe injuries: The nerves can grow back to their muscle or skin areas, but this process can take several months, and the messages between the brain and body will stop until the nerves grow. Treatment may be supportive care, but surgery may be needed depending on the type of injury.
Cut nerve: When both the nerve outer wrap and inner fibers of the nerve are cut, surgery is typically needed to allow the nerve to heal correctly.
In surgery, the nerve ends may be sewn back together. The inner nerve fibers will need to grow back to their muscle or skin areas to regain function.
Recovery after surgery
The nerve fibers grow slowly and, in ideal conditions, may grow about one inch every month after a nerve is sewn back together in surgery. It can take many months for the nerve to finish growing after an injury depending on many factors including the length that the nerve that needs to grow. It can also take this long for muscles to work well again. There might be numbness, pain or a “pins and needles” feeling during the healing period.
