What happens if nerve is cut

Derek B. Purcell Dr. Karl M. Larsen Dr. Kobayashi Dr. Gregg G. Martyak Dr. Chance J. Henderson Dr. Douglas C. Crowther Dr. Ronald F. Hollis Dr. Geoffrey P. Doner Dr. Michael R. Schuck Adv. We are committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to individuals with disabilities. When addressing a cut nerve, the doctor performing the surgery will need to sew the ends of the severed insulation back together.

Since nerves are so narrow, the stitches are quite small and fragile and often require a splint to prevent them from stretching while they heal. The goal for this surgery is to give the nerve the ability to grow back through the insulation naturally.

In the instance of a crushed or stretched nerve, it may be necessary to graft a small section of nerve from another area of the body if there is a gap in the insulation. If the insulation is intact, a nerve can re-grow at the rate of about an inch every month. During the waiting period while the nerve is healing, our hand and wrist specialist may recommend therapy to keep your joints flexible in the meantime.

In the event that a sensory nerve was damaged, you should be extra cautious not to cut or burn your fingers as you will lack the ability to feel pain. Often, after recovery is complete, some form of sensory re-education is necessary to re-acclimate the brain to working with the newly healed nerve. A cut to the nerve can cause it to no longer transmit signals, because the signal cannot jump through a gap in the nerve.

Stretch injuries to the nerve can range from mild, temporary nerve injury to a more severe, permanent nerve injury. The extent of the injury depends on the amount of stretch. The signs and symptoms of a nerve injury can be different depending on the nerve injured, the type of injury, and the severity of the injury. Some may include:. Symptoms of nerve injury may be intermittent, if the injury repeats itself; or they may be constant, if the injury is severe enough. There are many other signs of nerve injury: muscles that get smaller, color change in the skin, and changes to the amount of sweat in certain areas.

An example of a nerve injury that can recur is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve has too much pressure on it as it crosses the wrist. The symptoms of numbness in the hand, pain in the hand, pain in the wrist, pain in the forearm, or weakness particularly in the thumb can be present. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome can be intermittent or, if severe enough, can occur all of the time. Figure 1.