8 signs of nerve damage

Nerve damage often develops slowly, and accurate diagnosis isn't always straightforward. Here are some signs of nerve damage that you shouldn't ignore.

Neuropathy is a condition caused by many factors, including aging, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to toxins (including alcohol and anticancer drugs), infections, and autoimmune diseases such as hepatitis C, diphtheria, HIV, Epstein-Barr, rheumatoid arthritis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Approximately 30% of neuropathic pain cases are idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause.

However, nerve damage often develops slowly, meaning you can treat it before it becomes severe, but accurate diagnosis isn't always straightforward. Here are some signs of nerve damage that you shouldn't ignore.

Numbness, tingling, or burning sensation.

This sensation may originate in the hands or feet and spread up the arms or legs. Compression of sensory nerves (often during sleep) is quite common, and symptoms such as numbness or tingling may be transient. But if the tingling sensation doesn't go away, you should get it checked out.

Difficulty or inability to move a part of the body.

If the motor nerves are affected, weakness or even paralysis may occur. Similar symptoms can also be caused by other factors, and could even be a sign of a stroke. Therefore, you should seek medical attention promptly.

Pain radiating down one leg

Persistent, sharp pain, a burning or tingling sensation originating in the lower back and radiating down the leg, can be a sign of sciatica. This means the sciatic nerve is being compressed, possibly due to a herniated disc or spinal disc degeneration.

More clumsy than usual

If you suddenly start tripping and falling more often than usual, this could be due to damage to the major nerves that affect sensation, leading to a lack of coordination and loss of balance. This could also be a sign of diseases like Parkinson's, in which nerve cells in the brain are damaged.

Frequent bathroom breaks

Nerve damage can lead to incorrect signals being sent to the bladder, causing you to feel the urge to urinate frequently. You are at a higher risk of this disorder if you had a vaginal delivery or have diabetes.

A sudden, intense headache that feels like an electric shock.

This could be a sign of occipital neuralgia, a condition that occurs when a nerve in the neck is compressed. You may need an injection to temporarily block the nerve that transmits pain signals.

Sweating too much or too little.

This could be a sign that the nerves transmitting information from the brain to the sweat glands are damaged. Your doctor may order tests to assess sweating and heart rate.

Injured because they didn't sense the abnormalities.

Sensory nerves are responsible for informing the brain that a surface is dangerous in some way, and if they don't function properly, you could easily have an accident. If you get burned, scratched, or injured because you didn't realize you were touching something hot or sharp, see a doctor.

According to Health & Life