Which Doctor To Consult For Leg Nerve Pain
Neurosurgeons – Neurosurgeons are specialists of the nervous system. They are specifically trained in treating conditions that cause damage or pain to the nerves in the body, including sciatic nerve pain. Your neurosurgeon will determine if your case requires surgery on the nerve in order to repair the damage and relieve the pain.
Contents
- 1 Does an MRI show nerve damage?
- 2 Can nerve pain be cured?
What is the treatment for leg nerve pain?
Conservative treatments – Conservative treatments are a step up from self-treatment. Your healthcare provider can offer these as options if self-care wasn’t helpful or if your symptoms are severe enough to need more involved care. Conservative treatments can involve similar treatments to self-care, but with your healthcare provider guiding you. They can also involve the following:
Prescription medications. Painkillers, muscle relaxers and other medications may help with sciatica symptoms. Other medications, like tricyclic antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, may also help if you have chronic or nerve-based pain. Physical therapy. The goal of physical therapy is to find exercise movements that decrease sciatica by reducing pressure on the nerve. Options include stretching exercises or low-impact activities like walking, swimming or water aerobics. Spinal injections, Injections like corticosteroid s may provide short-term relief (typically up to three months). These usually involve local anesthesia, so there’s less discomfort. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about this process. Alternative therapies. These treatments are increasingly popular and offer options other than standard medical therapies or medications. They include seeing a chiropractor for spine adjustments, yoga, acupuncture and more. Massage therapy might also help muscle spasms that occur with sciatica. Biofeedback can also help you manage pain and relieve stress.
What kind of doctor treats nerve pain in leg?
What to expect during a neurological exam – A neurologist can help identify the cause of symptoms and create a treatment plan for both common and complex neurological conditions. During a neurological exam, instruments, such as lights and reflex hammers, may be used to assess the nervous system.
Stay up-to-date By signing up, you will receive our newsletter with articles, videos, health tips and more. Please Enter EmailPlease Enter Valid Email
Categories: : 6 Signs It’s Time to See a Neurologist
Is walking good for nerve damage in leg?
Walk Off the Pain – Neuropathic Therapy Center | Loma Linda University Health By Dr. Bussell – April 20, 2017 If you’re suffering chronic nerve pain in your hands, arms, legs or feet you know all too well the challenges to living a pain-free life. It seems that with each passing day the escalated pain can make the simple activities of cooking a meal for your family absolutely daunting.
- So, what can you do to make the tingling, burning or numbness simply go away? Even if just for an hour? The truth is nerve pain is what we consider a pesky bad habit.
- It’s hard to shake at first, but there are ways to reduce or alleviate the sensation.
- Due to the lack of blood flow to the heart with, it’s important for patients (diabetes, and orthopedic) to increase circulation throughout the body.
And what better way to get blood flow moving than with a good old fashioned walk. It’s the perfect low-impact aerobic exercise for everyone. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. The more you on a consistent basis, the better your chances are at reducing your nerve pain.
Minimizes nerve pain Increases blood circulation Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases Reduces the risk of high blood pressure Maintains blood sugar levels Builds muscle Boosts energy Improves your mood
Make it your new weekly routine to walk 30 minutes a day with a 20-minute stretch prior. Feel free to grab a friend or family member to join you to make it a social activity.
Why does nerve pain happen in legs?
Overview – Peripheral neuropathy, a result of damage to the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves), often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It can also affect other areas and body functions including digestion, urination and circulation.
- Your peripheral nervous system sends information from your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to the rest of your body.
- The peripheral nerves also send sensory information to the central nervous system.
- Peripheral neuropathy can result from traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic problems, inherited causes and exposure to toxins.
One of the most common causes is diabetes. People with peripheral neuropathy generally describe the pain as stabbing, burning or tingling. In many cases, symptoms improve, especially if caused by a treatable condition. Medications can reduce the pain of peripheral neuropathy.
Does an MRI show nerve damage?
Can you see nerve damage in an MRI? Neck or low back pain that radiates into your arms or legs is often a sign of impingement or pinching of a nerve as it emerges from your spinal cord. An MRI may be able help identify structural lesions that may be pressing against the nerve so the problem can be corrected before permanent nerve damage occurs.
- Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings.
- The MRI scan images are obtained with a magnetic field and radio waves.
- No harmful ionizing radiation is used.
- The MRI can show you a picture of the spine from the side as if it was sliced from top to bottom (sagittal view).
This view allows your doctor to see the vertebrae and discs present between them and identify any abnormality in these structures. The MRI can also provide cross-sectional images of the spine (axial view). Your doctor will be able to see the spinal cord as a grey area in the middle surrounded by a white area which is the spinal fluid.
There are little white channels on either side of the spinal cord where the nerve roots come out from the spinal cord. The conditions that may be causing nerve damage that can be identified by MRI include spinal cord compression or fracture, arthritic changes, tumors pressing on a nerve, or herniated vertebral discs.
Nerve damage often progressively gets worse and cannot be completely cured, but symptoms can be reduced with prompt treatment. So it’s important to be evaluated and diagnosed as soon as possible for suspected signs and symptoms of nerve injury. For high-quality, advanced imaging studies at reduced costs visit Houston MRI ® & Diagnostic Imaging or call 713-425-8190 to book your appointment.
Our mission at Houston MRI ® & Diagnostic Imaging is to provide the patients and physicians with affordable medical diagnostic imaging in a warm and patient friendly environment. It is our goal to make the medical imaging procedure as pleasant as possible. Our promise to our communities is “hospital quality imaging without the hospital costs” with efficient service to both our patients and physicians.
: Can you see nerve damage in an MRI?
Can nerve pain be cured?
Nerve pain can be a symptom of many different conditions, including cancer, HIV, diabetes, and shingles. For some, nerve pain is frustrating; for others, nerve pain is devastating and life-changing. Whether it feels like burning, pinpricks, or sudden shocks of electricity, nerve pain can disrupt your life at home and at work.
It can limit your ability to get around. Over time, it can grind you down. Studies show that people with nerve pain have higher rates of sleep problems, anxiety, and depression. When you have a serious medical condition such as cancer or HIV, dealing with the additional misery of nerve pain can be especially hard.
But there is good news. While nerve pain can’t always be cured, it can be treated – and there are a lot of good options available. If you’re struggling with nerve pain caused by diabetes, cancer, HIV or another condition, here are some answers. Countless nerves in the body convey sensations to the brain, including pain.
While we might not like pain much, it does have an important function: it prevents injury. When your foot begins to step on a nail, it’s the pain sensation that alerts your brain to the danger. That’s how it’s supposed to work, at least. But in people with nerve pain, that messaging system isn’t working correctly.
Your brain receives a pain signal, and you feel the pain, but there’s no obvious cause. Now, it’s just pain without a purpose – and because of this, there’s no immediate way to relieve it. Since you can’t take away the external threat (there isn’t one), you have to treat the internal source of the pain or the experience.
Degenerative joint or disc disease in the spine with spinal cord or nerve compression are very common causes that nerve pain. Also a herniated disc can cause nerve pain. Cancer and other tumors can cause nerve pain. As they grow, tumors can press on the surrounding nerves. Cancers can also grow out of the nerves themselves. Sometimes, treatments for cancer – such as chemotherapy drugs – can damage the nerves, leading to pain. HIV can cause painful nerve damage. Nerve pain affects up to one-third of people with HIV, and nerve pain in the hands and feet is often the first symptom that appears. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs can also lead to nerve damage that causes pain. Diabetes is a common cause of nerve damage in the U.S. Over time, high levels of glucose in the blood (blood sugar) can injure the nerves. Shingles can be followed by a painful condition called postherpetic neuralgia, This type of nerve pain can be particularly severe and sudden. Physical injuries can result in nerves that are compressed, crushed, or severed.
These are only a few examples of diseases and conditions that can cause nerve damage and nerve pain. Others include repetitive stress, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances, heart disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Guillain -Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Lyme disease, alcoholism, and more.
- In some cases, nerve pain develops for no apparent reason.
- Symptoms of nerve damage can vary from person to person.
- Sometimes, the nerves become hypersensitive.
- Something that normally feels painless – a breeze on your arm, the sensation of a bed sheet on your body – becomes painful.
- Damage to the sensory nerves doesn’t only cause pain,
It can also result in:
NumbnessTinglingPrickingLoss of reflexes
In extreme cases, nerve damage can cause paralysis and affect things like digestion and breathing. The severity of nerve pain is usually linked to the severity of the underlying disease. So in general, nerve pain tends to be worse as people get older. If you think you might have nerve pain, you need to see your doctor now.
- Sometimes, the cause might be fairly clear, especially if you have already been diagnosed with a condition known to cause nerve pain, like HIV, cancer, or diabetes.
- But in other cases, the cause of nerve pain can be hard to sort out.
- Because so many conditions can trigger nerve pain, your doctor might need to run a number of lab tests.
You’ll also need a thorough neurological exam, and possibly other tests – like CT scans, MRIs, nerve conduction studies and electromyographies. Sometimes, a doctor will recommend a biopsy of the skin or a nerve to examine the nerve endings. When nerve pain is caused by a condition like diabetes, HIV or cancer, getting treatment for the underlying disease is obviously the priority.
But treatments for the underlying disease might not necessarily help with your pain. Nerve pain may need its own treatment, separate from treatment for the disease that’s causing it. The most effective and suitable treatment for nerve pain varies, because it depends on the specifics – like the patient’s health, the underlying cause, the risks of potential side effects, and the costs.
However, doctors generally use the same set of treatments for nerve pain, whether it is caused by cancer, HIV, diabetes, or another condition. Here’s a rundown of the basic options.
Topical treatments, Some over-the-counter and prescription topical treatments – like creams, lotions, gels, and patches – can ease nerve pain. They tend to work best for pain that’s isolated in specific areas on your skin. Anticonvulsants, These drugs were originally developed to treat epilepsy, but some also help control nerve pain. To boost their effects, they are often used in combination with antidepressants, They might not work as well with all types of nerve pain. Antidepressants, Certain types of antidepressants can help with nerve pain. Studies have shown that using them along with anticonvulsants may have bigger benefits than using them alone. However, some studies have indicated that while tricyclic antidepressants may help with diabetic nerve pain, they might not help with nerve pain caused by HIV or cancer chemotherapy, Painkillers, Powerful opioid painkillers might be a first choice for people with especially severe pain or nerve pain caused by cancer. However, for other kinds of nerve pain, doctors generally try anti-inflammatories, over the counter pain relievers, antidepressants and/or anticonvulsants first. Opioids can have serious side effects with a real potential for addiction. Over-the-counter painkillers may not work very well for moderate to severe nerve pain. Electrical stimulation. A number of treatments use electrical impulses to block the pain messages sent by damaged nerves. These include TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS.) Both are noninvasive and painless. Some other electrical stimulation approaches are more complex and require surgery. Other techniques. For nerve pain caused by bones or discs in your back, epidural injections with steroid can be very helpful. Complementary treatments, Many people find that alternative approaches – like acupuncture, meditation, and massage – can help relieve nerve pain. If you’re interested in dietary supplements for nerve pain, talk to your doctor first. Lifestyle changes, While they won’t cure nerve pain, making some changes to your habits could help you feel better and ease some of your discomfort. Exercising more, eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, and making time to practice relaxation techniques could all help.
Nerve pain can make you feel terribly alone. After all, it’s not an injury that your family or friends can see. You might feel frustrated if they can’t understand what you’re feeling. But while you might feel alone, you’re not. Experts believe that 40 million Americans are living with nerve pain.
The impact of nerve pain is tremendous. Both the costs to the healthcare system as well as loss of wages and productivity are staggering. Despite the significant price of nerve pain and the millions of people living with it, experts think that it is still underdiagnosed and undertreated. Studies show that even people who do seek out treatment often aren’t getting the right treatment.
Too many rely on drugs that are unlikely to help. So if you have nerve pain – whether it’s caused by diabetes, cancer, HIV, shingles, or another condition – you need to treat it seriously. Don’t assume that it will go away on its own. Don’t assume that following the treatment for the underlying disease will resolve it.
What kind of doctor deals with nerves?
Introduction to Neurology – Neurology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities. It has two major divisions:
Central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord Peripheral nervous system: all other neural elements, such as eyes, ears, skin, and other “sensory receptors”
A doctor who specializes in neurology is called a neurologist. The neurologist treats disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, such as:
Cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke Demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis Headache disorders Infections of the brain and peripheral nervous system Movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy Spinal cord disorders Speech and language disorders
Neurologists do not perform surgery. If one of their patients requires surgery, they refer them to a neurosurgeon.
Can a neurologist fix nerve pain?
Accurate Diagnosis – While there are different causes of neck and back pain, many cases can be attributed to nerve problems, Since neurologists are basically nerve experts, they are able to effectively determine if your pain is being caused by nerve damage or compression.
What is the most painful nerve in the leg?
Neuropathy – sciatic nerve; Sciatic nerve dysfunction; Low back pain – sciatica; LBP – sciatica; Lumbar radiculopathy – sciatica Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of a medical problem. It is not a medical condition by itself. The main nerve traveling down the leg is the sciatic nerve. Pain associated with the sciatic nerve usually originates higher along the spinal cord when nerve roots become compressed or damaged from narrowing of the vertebral column or from a slipped disk. Symptoms can include tingling, numbness, or pain, which radiates to the buttocks legs and feet. The spinal cord ends in the lumbar area and continues through the vertebral canal as spinal nerves. Because of its resemblance to a horses tail, the collection of these nerves at the end of the spinal cord is called the cauda equina. These nerves send and receive messages to and from the lower limbs and pelvic organs. The sciatic nerve is located in the back of the leg. It supplies the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg. The sciatic nerve also provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot. Partial damage to the nerve may demonstrate weakness of knee flexion (bending), weakness of foot movements, difficulty bending the foot inward (inversion), or bending the foot down (plantar flexion).
How can I test myself for nerve damage?
The sciatic nerve is the largest and also the longest nerve in your body. It starts as a group of nerve fibers, called nerve roots, in your lower spine. It runs from your lower back, down the back of each leg, and on into your feet and toes. There are several conditions that can lead to sciatica or irritation of the sciatic nerve. Nerves that run through narrow spaces are particularly vulnerable to nerve compression. A pinched nerve is caused by too much compression, or pressure, on a nerve from the tissues that surround it. The pressure affects the way the nerve functions. This pressure is sometimes caused by muscles or tendons. You may wonder what a pinched nerve feels like. Your nerves send important messages to your body. Pain is a message that something is wrong. You should pay attention to it. The location of a pinched nerve may affect your symptoms, but most pinched nerves cause pain and tenderness.
Sit upright, with your hands held together behind your back. Assume a slumped position, then raise a knee to your chest, then repeat with the other leg. Pain, or inability to perform this exercise, may be an indication of stenosis. Sit on a chair with your shoulders slumped forward. Raise one or both of your legs out in front of you. Radiating pain in your leg may indicate a herniated disc. Sit on a chair with your hands behind your back and slump forward. Then bend your neck forward and lift one leg up with the toes pointed toward you. If this causes pain, you may have a nerve problem. Then try lifting your head a little and see if the pain lessens. If so, it is likely to be a nerve problem, because only the nerve is moving when you lift your head, not the glute or hamstring muscles.
If you are experiencing pain from a pinched nerve, there are home therapies you can try. Among these are over-the-counter pain medication; cold packs or cold massages, alternating with heat; and resting either on your back, with a pillow under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees.
If you are unable to relieve the symptoms, you may benefit from physical therapy. The goal of physical therapy is to get to the root cause of your problem and not treat just the symptoms. Appropriate treatment will reduce pain, improve function, and help you develop a maintenance plan to stay pain-free.
Your physical therapist may use passive physical therapy or active exercises to achieve your goals. A pinched nerve should not be ignored. It can cause either minor damage or severe harm. The resulting pain and limitations may be temporary or long-term issues. If you are concerned about a possible pinched nerve or nerve compression, it is best to get a diagnosis and start treatment as early as possible.
Can nerve damage in leg be cured?
Your nervous system is involved in everything your body does, from regulating your breathing to controlling your muscles and sensing heat and cold. There are three types of nerves in the body:
- Autonomic nerves, These nerves control the involuntary or partially voluntary activities of your body, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation.
- Motor nerves, These nerves control your movements and actions by passing information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.
- Sensory nerves, These nerves relay information from your skin and muscles back to your spinal cord and brain, The information is then processed to let you feel pain and other sensations.
Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life. With nerve damage there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord.
- Inability to sense chest pain, such as angina or heart attack
- Too much sweating (known as hyperhidrosis ) or too little sweating (known as anhidrosis)
- Lightheadedness
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Constipation
- Bladder dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
Damage to motor nerves may produce the following symptoms:
- Weakness
- Muscle atrophy
- Twitching, also known as fasciculation
- Paralysis
Sensory nerve damage may produce the following symptoms:
- Pain
- Sensitivity
- Numbness
- Tingling or prickling
- Burning
- Problems with positional awareness
In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, different types of nerves. For instance, you might experience weakness and burning of your legs at the same time. There are more than 100 different types of nerve damage.
- Autoimmune diseases, A variety of different types of autoimmune diseases can produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage. These include: multiple sclerosis, Guillain -Barré syndrome (a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves), lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Cancer, Cancer can cause nerve pain and nerve damage in multiple ways. In some instances, cancerous masses may push against or crush nerves. In other cases, certain types of cancer may result in nutritional deficiencies that affect nerve function. Additionally, some types of chemotherapy and radiation may produce nerve pain and nerve damage in certain individuals.
- Compression/trauma, Anything that results in trauma or compression of nerves can result in nerve pain and nerve damage. This includes pinched nerves in the neck, crush injuries, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Learn more about pinched (compressed) nerves,
- Diabetes, Up to 70% of people with diabetes suffer from nerve damage, which becomes more likely as the disease progresses. Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication and may affect all three types of neurons. Sensory nerves are most often affected, causing burning or numbness. If you have diabetes and are experiencing symptoms of nerve pain or nerve damage, you should consult a medical professional as soon as possible. Take this assessment to see if you’re at risk for diabetic nerve pain.
- Drug side effects and toxic substances, Various substances that are taken into the body intentionally or unintentionally have the ability to cause nerve pain and nerve damage. These include medications, such as some chemotherapies for cancer and certain drugs used to treat HIV. Chronic alcohol use is a common cause of nerve pain and nerve damage. Toxic substances that may be ingested accidentally, including lead, arsenic, and mercury, may also cause damage to your nerves. Learn about other side effects of certain medications,
- Motor neuron diseases, The motor neurons are nerves in your brain and spinal column that communicate with the muscles throughout your body. Diseases that affect these nerves, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, can result in progressively worsening nerve damage. Read more on the different types of motor neuron diseases,
- Nutritional deficiencies, Deficiencies of certain nutrients, including vitamins B6 and B12, may produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage, including weakness or burning sensations. Nutritional deficiencies that cause nerve damage may also result from excessive alcohol ingestion or develop after gastric surgery. See a list of food sources of vitamins and minerals,
- Infectious disease, Certain infectious diseases have the ability to affect the nerves in your body. These conditions include Lyme disease, the herpes viruses, HIV, and hepatitis C, View a slideshow on the most common infectious diseases in the U.S.
In many instances, nerve damage cannot be cured entirely. But there are various treatments that can reduce your symptoms. Because nerve damage is often progressive, it is important to consult with a doctor when you first notice symptoms. That way you can reduce the likelihood of permanent damage.
- 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
Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medications aimed at minimizing the nerve pain you are feeling. These may include:
- Pain relievers
- Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and desipramine ( Norpramin ), as well as other antidepressants, including duloxetine ( Cymbalta ) and venlafaxine ( Effexor XR )
- Certain anti-seizure drugs, including neurontin ( Gabapentin ) pregabalin ( Lyrica )
- Capsaicin cream
Complementary and alternative approaches may also help alleviate your nerve pain and discomfort. These include:
- Acupuncture
- Biofeedback
- Hypnosis
- Meditation
- Antioxidant vitamins
- Electrical nerve stimulation such as TENS
How long does it take for leg nerves to heal?
How long does my nerve take to regenerate? – Regeneration time depends on how seriously your nerve was injured and the type of injury that you sustained. If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of ‘rest’ following your injury.
Some people notice continued improvement over many months. Sensory nerves are more resilient than motor nerves and can recover sensation months or years after injury. Motor nerves have a time limit for healing. The reason for this is a structure called the ‘motor endplate’, where the nerve joins into the muscle.
If the motor endplate receives no nerve impulse for more than 18-24 months, it dies away and there is no longer any way that the muscle can be activated by the nerve. The muscle then whithers away. Thus surgical repair of motor nerves needs to happen within 12-18 months of the injury.
- Before sensation returns to the injured area, your limb is at risk of damage as it has no protective sensation.
- Please be careful of your hands or feet, especially around hot or sharp objects.
- Similarly, before the motor nerves recover your hand or limb may not be able to move normally or may develop abnormal postures.
Hand therapy or physiotherapy will allow movement to be maintained while the nerve cells regenerate.
How long does a leg nerve take to heal?
How you can ease the pain yourself – Sciatica usually gets better in 4 to 6 weeks, but it can sometimes last longer. To help relieve your pain and speed up recovery:
What vitamin deficiency causes nerve pain in leg?
VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY – Vitamin B12 is an essential dietary nutrient—a B12 deficiency can lead to a number of serious conditions including peripheral neuropathy. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in the United States, especially among the elderly. It is estimated that between 10% and 25% of the people over 80 years of age may have a B12 deficiency.
- There are several causes of B12 deficiency.
- A strict vegetarian diet may promote a B12 deficiency because animal-based foods such as red meat, dairy products, fish, poultry and eggs are the only recognized source of dietary B12.
- A lack of B12, or the inability of stomach acids to aid in the absorption, also causes this deficiency.
Consequently, drugs that reduce stomach acid should be taken with B12 supplements. A number of other conditions, procedures, and drugs are associated with a reduced the ability to absorb B12. These include autoimmune diseases, pernicious or unexplained anemia, pancreatic diseases, ileal resection, Crohn’s disease, HIV infection, gastritis, gastric or small intestine surgeries, malabsorption syndromes, multiple sclerosis, and use of histamine2 receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors.
- A lack of vitamin B12 can cause serious anemia, nerve damage and degeneration of the spinal cord.
- It is common for anemia to develop first, but this is not always the case, especially if a person is taking a folate supplement.
- A lack of B12 damages the myelin sheath that surrounds and protect nerves.
- Without this protection, nerves cease to function properly and conditions such as peripheral neuropathy occur.
Even B12 deficiency that is relatively mild may affect the nervous system and the proper functioning of the brain. The nerve damage caused by a lack of B12 may become permanently debilitating, if the underlying condition is not treated.
How serious is nerve damage in leg?
Damage to the nerves can make it harder to control muscles. It can also cause weakness. You may notice problems moving a part of your body. You may fall because your legs buckle.
What is the best home remedy for leg nerve pain?
2. Try hot and cold – Hot and cold therapy is a tried and true remedy for immediate pain relief. Ice helps decrease inflammation, and heat increases blood flow to speed up healing. Alternating ice and heat packs can also reduce the muscle spasms that often come with sciatica,
Can nerve damage in leg be cured?
Your nervous system is involved in everything your body does, from regulating your breathing to controlling your muscles and sensing heat and cold. There are three types of nerves in the body:
- Autonomic nerves, These nerves control the involuntary or partially voluntary activities of your body, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation.
- Motor nerves, These nerves control your movements and actions by passing information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.
- Sensory nerves, These nerves relay information from your skin and muscles back to your spinal cord and brain, The information is then processed to let you feel pain and other sensations.
Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life. With nerve damage there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord.
- Inability to sense chest pain, such as angina or heart attack
- Too much sweating (known as hyperhidrosis ) or too little sweating (known as anhidrosis)
- Lightheadedness
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Constipation
- Bladder dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
Damage to motor nerves may produce the following symptoms:
- Weakness
- Muscle atrophy
- Twitching, also known as fasciculation
- Paralysis
Sensory nerve damage may produce the following symptoms:
- Pain
- Sensitivity
- Numbness
- Tingling or prickling
- Burning
- Problems with positional awareness
In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, different types of nerves. For instance, you might experience weakness and burning of your legs at the same time. There are more than 100 different types of nerve damage.
- Autoimmune diseases, A variety of different types of autoimmune diseases can produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage. These include: multiple sclerosis, Guillain -Barré syndrome (a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves), lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Cancer, Cancer can cause nerve pain and nerve damage in multiple ways. In some instances, cancerous masses may push against or crush nerves. In other cases, certain types of cancer may result in nutritional deficiencies that affect nerve function. Additionally, some types of chemotherapy and radiation may produce nerve pain and nerve damage in certain individuals.
- Compression/trauma, Anything that results in trauma or compression of nerves can result in nerve pain and nerve damage. This includes pinched nerves in the neck, crush injuries, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Learn more about pinched (compressed) nerves,
- Diabetes, Up to 70% of people with diabetes suffer from nerve damage, which becomes more likely as the disease progresses. Diabetic neuropathy is a serious complication and may affect all three types of neurons. Sensory nerves are most often affected, causing burning or numbness. If you have diabetes and are experiencing symptoms of nerve pain or nerve damage, you should consult a medical professional as soon as possible. Take this assessment to see if you’re at risk for diabetic nerve pain.
- Drug side effects and toxic substances, Various substances that are taken into the body intentionally or unintentionally have the ability to cause nerve pain and nerve damage. These include medications, such as some chemotherapies for cancer and certain drugs used to treat HIV. Chronic alcohol use is a common cause of nerve pain and nerve damage. Toxic substances that may be ingested accidentally, including lead, arsenic, and mercury, may also cause damage to your nerves. Learn about other side effects of certain medications,
- Motor neuron diseases, The motor neurons are nerves in your brain and spinal column that communicate with the muscles throughout your body. Diseases that affect these nerves, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, can result in progressively worsening nerve damage. Read more on the different types of motor neuron diseases,
- Nutritional deficiencies, Deficiencies of certain nutrients, including vitamins B6 and B12, may produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage, including weakness or burning sensations. Nutritional deficiencies that cause nerve damage may also result from excessive alcohol ingestion or develop after gastric surgery. See a list of food sources of vitamins and minerals,
- Infectious disease, Certain infectious diseases have the ability to affect the nerves in your body. These conditions include Lyme disease, the herpes viruses, HIV, and hepatitis C, View a slideshow on the most common infectious diseases in the U.S.
In many instances, nerve damage cannot be cured entirely. But there are various treatments that can reduce your symptoms. Because nerve damage is often progressive, it is important to consult with a doctor when you first notice symptoms. That way you can reduce the likelihood of permanent damage.
- 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
Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medications aimed at minimizing the nerve pain you are feeling. These may include:
- Pain relievers
- Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and desipramine ( Norpramin ), as well as other antidepressants, including duloxetine ( Cymbalta ) and venlafaxine ( Effexor XR )
- Certain anti-seizure drugs, including neurontin ( Gabapentin ) pregabalin ( Lyrica )
- Capsaicin cream
Complementary and alternative approaches may also help alleviate your nerve pain and discomfort. These include:
- Acupuncture
- Biofeedback
- Hypnosis
- Meditation
- Antioxidant vitamins
- Electrical nerve stimulation such as TENS