subject: Nerve Injuries Caused by Traumatic Accidents by:Nemelou Despuez [print this page] Nerves can be damaged by compression or trauma caused by a car crash or falls. In this kind of injury, patients can feel different levels of pain or numbness, according to webmd.com.
A recent data showed that approximately 20 million Americans are suffering from peripheral nerve damage with majority of the cases attributed to old age, followed by diabetes, and traumatic accidents.
Common symptoms of nerve damage
People who damaged their autonomic nerves, which control heart rate, body temperature, digestion, and other internal organs usually have these symptoms.
- too much sweating (hyperhidrosis) or minimum to no sweating even in low temperature (anhidrosis)
- severe constipation
- inability to feel chest pain caused by angina (a condition when the heart does not receive enough oxygen) or heart attack
- sexual dysfunction
- bladder dysfunction
- lightheadedness
- dry eyes and mouth
Patients with damaged motor nerves, which control body movements by relaying information from the brain and spinal cord and to muscles, have these symptoms:
- Paralysis/vegetative state
- Uncontrollable twitching (a condition called as fasciculation)
- Muscle atrophy
- Weakness
Individuals who have damaged their sensory nerves, which pass information from the skin to the spinal cord and brain that will process the information, usually have these symptoms:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Burning
- Increased sensitivity
- Inability to control body posture (the patient has no positional awareness)
In some cases, patients have two or three kinds of nerve damage in the same body area. For example, a car crash victim experiences tingling and weakness in his arm at the same time.
Treatments for nerve damage caused by traumatic accidents
Medications to treat the pain, anti-seizure pills, and tricyclic antidepressants
Physical therapy
Surgery to correct and repair the damaged nerves
Proper diet
Alternative approaches to treat nerve injuries
Hypnosis
Acupuncture
Meditation
Biofeedback (a non-medical procedure that raises a patient's awareness, thus, increasing his/her control over body functions)
The Importance of Medical Treatment
While there are some conditions where the damaged nerves heal itself without any treatment, or at the very least, with minimal medical procedures, it is still highly advisable to seek expert's diagnosis to prevent the condition from getting worse.
In addition, victims of traumatic accidents (such as car collisions and slip and fall accidents) can recover medical expenses by filing claims against the individuals whose action cause the injuries.
About the author
To pursue claims for nerve injuries caused by car collision, get help from our professional personal injury lawyers. Visit our website at http://www.mesrianilaw.com/ and avail of our free case consultation.
