Peripheral nerves carry signals between the spinal cord, the muscles and the skin. A nerve can be bruised, stretched, compressed, partially cut or completely divided. The symptoms depend on which nerve and which part of it is involved.
Nerve recovery is often slow, and a nerve injury can occur along with damage to tendons, bone, vessels or skin. Early assessment helps establish what is injured and what can be recovered.
Symptoms of a nerve injury
- Numbness or loss of protective sensation
- Burning, electric or shooting pain
- Weakness or inability to move particular fingers, the wrist or thumb
- Clumsiness, dropping objects or difficulty with fine control
- Sensitivity or painful responses to light touch during recovery
How nerves are evaluated
The examination maps sensation, tests individual muscles and considers the nerve from the neck through the arm to the hand. Nerve conduction studies, electromyography and imaging can add information, but the timing and meaning of each test depend on the injury.
Treatment options
A nerve that is compressed may improve with activity changes, splinting or decompression. A nerve that is divided may need microsurgical repair. If a gap, scar or delay prevents direct repair, grafting, nerve transfer or another reconstructive strategy may be considered.
Therapy protects areas that cannot feel normally, maintains joint motion and helps retrain movement as nerve signals return. Recovery varies with the injury level, distance to the target muscle or skin, age, health and the condition of the surrounding tissues.
When to seek prompt care
New weakness, numbness after a cut or traction injury, a hand that is becoming cold or pale, or rapidly worsening pain needs prompt evaluation. A nerve injury should not be dismissed simply because the skin wound looks small.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
Do nerves heal on their own?
Some bruised or compressed nerves improve when the pressure is removed. A completely divided nerve cannot reconnect across a gap without a repair or reconstruction plan.
Why does nerve recovery take so long?
After certain injuries, nerve fibers must regrow toward their targets, and the muscle or skin must learn to use the returning signal. The timeline depends on the injury and its distance from the hand.