When is the nerve dead?
There are two scenarios that can lead to a nerve not being able to regenerate after damage, so it is “dead”. The “dying” of the nerve usually manifests itself in the abrupt subsidence of the previously existing nerve pain or acute paralysis. A possible cause for the death of a nerve is damage to the nerve cell body.
The cell body of a nerve cell provides the energy and produces the various building blocks for successful regeneration of the axon. If this cell body is damaged, these functions can no longer be carried out with the result that regeneration does not occur. The second possibility is nerve damage grade 5, which describes a complete nerve severance including the surrounding connective tissue nerve sheath. Since the latter serves as the guiding structure for axon regeneration, the nerve can no longer be regenerated in a targeted manner if it is severed. Only a nerve cell proliferation develops, which, however, has no neurological functions.
Nerve damage in the body
Nerve damage in the legs can be caused by many different factors. In addition to nerve damage or severing during an operation, diabetes mellitus, for example, can lead to permanent nerve damage to the legs, especially the feet. In this case, nerves are damaged as a result of long-lasting high blood sugar levels and this leads to sensitivity disorders, a tingling sensation or pain described as burning or drilling.
However, the feet are one of the most common sites of polyneuropathy as a result of chemotherapy. It is clinically very similar to the neuropathy in diabetes. Another possible cause of damage to nerves that perform neurological functions in the leg are constrictions in the area of nerve exit at the spinal column.
These include, for example, herniated discs, but also foraminal stenoses, in which the exit channel at the spinal column is narrowed. Less frequent causes are tumors, shingles or neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AML) or multiple sclerosis (MS), which, however, usually cause symptoms in several parts of the body. Different causes can lead to nerve damage in the foot.
The most important of these is diabetes mellitus, which has been present for a long time. This can lead to chronic nerve damage due to persistent high blood sugar levels, which usually begins in the feet. The consequences are pain, sensitivity disorders and muscle weakness.
Similarly, a polyneuropathy of the feet, which can occur as a result of chemotherapy, presents itself. In addition to these more common causes, there are also other more localized causes of nerve damage. The interdigital nerves running between the toe bones can be permanently irritated, for example by incorrect footwear.As a reaction, these can form so-called neurinomas, benign new neural tissue, which can, however, damage the nerve through pressure load.
The consequences are pain in the foot, which is increased when wearing tight shoes. Numerous different causes can be considered for damage to nerves in the hand. First of all, carpal tunnel syndrome must be mentioned here.
In this clinical picture, the median nerve in the area of the wrist is constricted, which can lead to pain and loss of function. In addition to this well-known syndrome, all three major nerves of the hand: median nerve, radial nerve and ulnar nerve can be damaged by various causes. These include surgical interventions, venipuncture, fractures or sharp cuts.
The ulnar nerve in particular is susceptible to chronic pressure due to its location in the palm. This includes, for example, the prolonged daily use of screwdriving or holding a bicycle handlebar. The symptoms of a nerve injury can also be caused by other diseases. A muscle or tendon rupture can also cause muscle paresis (muscle paralysis) and should not be confused with nerve damage. You can find more articles about nerve damage here:
- Nerve pain
- Numbness
- Polyneuropathy therapy
- Numbness of the head and scalp