When nerve damage is caused by injury, disease or any other dysfunction, the central nervous system reaching out to the peripheral nervous system fails to perform properly in the body. The nervous system is composed of three main parts: the brain, the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. Symptoms of nerve damage that occur more slowly generally manifest with unpleasant symptoms in the limbs of the body. The end result of the damage is generally seen downstream of the peripheral nervous system signal in the form of altered sensations like numbness, tingling, weakness, or other abnormal feelings. These sensations can occur just about anywhere in the body but tend to be felt most significantly in the periphery – such as in hands and feet or even arms and legs.
As with all signals in the nervous system, after a stimulus has continued for a while your brain may start to adapt. Have you ever noticed how much better brownies smell after you re-enter the room? Or have you tried the experiment with one hand in warm water and one in cold and then switching which bowl they are placed in after the nerves adapt? These are example of the adaptation which consistently happens with nervous system signals. We are constantly surrounded by signals, and it is the job of our nervous system to help determine how to process these signals and what to pay attention to. When nerve damage occurs, the nerves often set off faulty signals which lead to misleading sensations, so it can become habit to ignore these sensations and function to the best of your ability. However, ignoring these signals and symptoms can lead to much bigger problems in the future as well as decrease your general quality of life.
At Complete Rehab, we know how important it is to you to get back to experiencing the normal sensations you expect to experience from your body as you go throughout each day. Let us help you cope with and manage your symptoms and the underlying nerve damage rather than just ignoring the signals or relying on adaptation to get you through your day. Get treatment now and don’t just accept neuropathic pain as a normal part of your life.