Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Treatment

At Mayo Clinic, your treatment team will include doctors who have training in nervous system conditions (neurologists) and in repairing nervous system structures (neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons). Other specialists also work with your team and you to determine the most appropriate treatment for your injuries.

If your nerve is injured but not cut in two, the team will assess whether the nerve is healing.

• If your nerve is healing properly, which can take up to two years, there is a good chance that you won't need surgical repair.
• You'll need regular checkups to make sure your recovery continues to its maximum potential.
• Depending on the type and severity of your nerve injury, you may need prescription or over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to relieve your pain. You may also need physical therapy to prevent stiffness.

Nerve graft
Nerve tissue can be grafted to fill gaps in damaged nerves.

Enlarge

Nerve transfer
Nerves can be transferred to fill in for injured nerves.

Enlarge

Surgery

• If one of your peripheral nerves fails to heal properly, your surgeon can use electromyography (EMG) testing in the operating room to assess whether scarred nerves are recovering. Doing an EMG test directly on the nerve is more accurate and reliable than doing the test over the skin.
• Sometimes a section of a nerve is cut completely or damaged beyond repair. Your surgeon can remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve ends (nerve repair) or implant a piece of nerve from another part of your body (nerve graft). Those procedures can help you heal and help your nerves to regrow. Sometimes your surgeon can borrow another working nerve to make an injured nerve work (nerve transfer).
• If you have a particularly severe nerve injury or one that has been untreated for a long time, your doctor may suggest surgery to restore function to critical muscles by transferring tendons from one muscle to another.

Restoring function

A number of treatments can help restore function to the affected muscles.

• Braces or splints. These devices help hold the affected limb, fingers, hand or foot in the proper position to improve muscle function.
• Electrical stimulator. Stimulators can activate your muscle served by an injured nerve while the nerve regrows. However, this treatment may not be effective for everyone. Your doctor will discuss electrical stimulation with you if it's an option.
• Physical and occupational therapy. Therapy involves specific movements or exercises to keep your affected muscles and joints active. That therapy can prevent stiffness and help to restore function and feeling.

Read more about electromyography at MayoClinic.com.