Conditions
and
Diseases of the
PERIPHERAL
NERVE
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Common Disorders:
Nerves are the “electrical
wiring” system in all people that carry messages from the brain to
the rest of the body. A nerve is like an electrical cable wrapped in
insulation. A ring of tissue forms a cover to protect the nerve,
just like the insulation surrounding an electrical cable.
Nerves serve as the “wires” of
the body that carry information to and from the brain. Motor nerves
carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move.
Sensory nerves carry messages to the brain from different parts of
the body to signal pain, pressure, and temperature. While the axon
(nerve fiber) carries only one type of message, either motor or
sensory, most nerves in the body are made up of both.
What happens when a nerve is
injured? Nerves are fragile and can be damaged by pressure,
stretching, or cutting. Injury to a nerve can stop signals to and
from the brain causing muscles not to work right, and you may lose
feeling in the injured area. When a nerve is cut, both the nerve and
the insulation are broken. Pressure or stretching injuries can cause
the fibers carrying the information to break and stop the nerve from
working, without damaging the cover.
When nerve fibers are cut, the end of
the fiber farthest from the brain dies, while the insulation stays
healthy. The end that is closest to the brain does not die, and
after some time may begin to heal. If the insulation was not cut,
new fibers may grow down the empty cover of the tissue until
reaching a muscle or sensory receptor. If both the nerve and
insulation have been cut and the nerve is not fixed, the growing
nerve fibers may grow into a ball at the end of the cut, forming a
nerve scar or neuroma. A neuroma can be painful and cause an
electrical feeling when touched.
SOURCE: American
Society for Surgery of the Hand
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