Your body has billions of nerves, forming part of your nervous system together with your brain and spinal cord. Your nerves utilize chemical messengers to send signals or messages throughout your body. Thus, the electrical signals help you to feel different sensations, including pain. Nerves are also essential in regulating your body’s functions, including the movement of limbs, breathing, and digestion. However, if your nerves become damaged, that affects the communication between your brain, muscles, and organs. Whenever you suspect nerve damage, you should seek treatment from a Little Silver internal medicine specialist. Early detection of your issue often increases the chances of treatment going well because damage to your nerve tends to happen gradually.
You can only detect nerve damage by understanding the potential causes and the associated signs and symptoms. Some common causes of nerve injuries include medical conditions like diabetes, accidental injuries, repetitive motion, tumors, hormone imbalances, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases that may harm your nerves include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Consequently, the signs below may indicate you have a nerve problem.
Unusual Sensations
At the beginning of a nerve injury or damage, you may feel numbness, tingling, or burning sensations. The feelings come from your hands, arms, legs, and feet.
Your hands or legs may sometimes fall asleep, medically referred to as paresthesia. The condition occurs due to sustained strain or pressure causing the compressing of one or more nerves in your body. As a result, there is a temporary interference with the ability of your nerve to communicate with the brain.
But, when the uncomfortable feelings last longer than usual, they may indicate a problem with your nerves.
Irregular Secretions
When the temperature becomes hotter or you engage in physically demanding activities, your body will sweat more. Sweating is vital for helping cool your body down.
However, if you have a nerve problem, you usually notice that you will sweat excessively or too little, regardless of the prevailing temperature and activity levels. That happens because communication between your brain and sweat glands has become compromised.
You may find yourself struggling with a dry mouth and eyes. Dry eyes will cause you to blink frequently, and you may use eye drops to relieve the discomfort so that you can read or watch.
Health Issues
Damage to your nerves can significantly affect your sexual health.
Men may experience low sex drive and erectile dysfunction, and women may have to deal with vaginal dryness.
Nerve problems may also lead to bladder and bowel dysfunction. The nerves and muscles of your bladder and bowel help control the flow and release of urine and stool. Thus, impairment of bladder and bowel function makes you susceptible to unintentional urine or fecal matter discharge and frequently use your bathroom.
Frequent Injuries
The role of your sensory nerves is to inform the brain that an object or a surface can cause harm. Because the nerves do not function properly, you cannot feel pain and react quickly to prevent or limit damage to your body. Therefore, due to your dulled senses, you may have more injuries, like cuts and burns.
Contact Kai Sports Medicine today to request an appointment with a specialist in internal medicine.