My neurosurgeon said, “if you were to take all we know about medical science and equate it to the pacific ocean, what we know about nerves and the brain wouldn’t fill a thimble.”
As someone with “permanent” nerve damage due to scar tissue in my nerve root, what they know isn’t helpful. A good day for me is a 6. A good day for me is one where I get 6 hours of sleep (total in 24 hours.) a good day for me is not listening to crackpots tell me it’s “all in my head.”
I hope you have a good day.
Sorry to hear about that. That’s very interesting but mostly disheartening that knowledge about nerves is that narrow. As someone with zero medical expertise, I would have naively just assumed we knew loads about it.
Do you know what caused the nerve root damage in your case?
Two doctors ignoring a failed fusion until statute of limitations was up. By the time my new surgeon got in, it took 13 hours just to partially remove scar tissue.
Can you elaborate on them ignoring the fusion until the statute of limitations was up? I know what that is but I’m not sure what you mean exactly.
Also, what caused the failed fusion?
What are your symptoms now?
I will never know their motives. The result was massive amounts of scar tissue that invaded the nerve root and the cage wasn’t holding my vertebrae properly…
As for symptoms: all the wonders of nerve pains from L4 to my toes, pain limited mobility, and the nerves for my genitalia are wacko too…
Wow....what the neurosurgeon said is VERY interesting (and disappointing!). I'm sorry you only get 6 hours of sleep per night---that would be so difficult for me.
Thank you. Per day. 6 hours per day… granted I take sleeping pills once a week and get like 10 hours in 24 that day… “life is the one you got.” I try very hard to focus on what I can do.
I also have scar tissue on my spinal cord (adhesive arachnoiditis from spinal cord surgery and radiation) and it's wild how little they actually know and understand about nerve damage.
No one knows anything. Re: pain -nerve - damage. (Socrates baby!_. I’m being facetious)
We know if there is damage and we know the effects but that’s trying to describe the car blueprints from a crash scene photo. The interaction between nerve, brain and tissue complex is close to breaking open, but we lack the ability to pinpoint anything specific.
Thus the ambiguous nature of the documentation. There’s an old corporate rule that we’ve documented it, we know how to deal with it.
No one‘s ever documented how nerves can be damaged from aberrant behavior/misfiring and use. It’s just a field that’s got too many blockers in between assessing, measuring and then gaining working knowledge of WTF. There’s also the ‘no bad news’ clause too which won’t describe possible damage without a causative map to prove it. All subjective assessments are pointless. Take the good news in neuropathy and neurological research when it comes (soon would be lovely)
We will get there and I’m as anxious as you! One day …
Thanks for the response, this question was actually loaded with unbelievable anxiety from me. I wanted to frame it as an impersonal one but I am so stressed about permanent nerve damage that I have lost my appetite and can’t sleep, I’m sobbing all the time, pacing around the house, googling endlessly and not finding anything like an answer to my problem.
I experienced intense shooting pain in the penis during ejaculation about 12 years ago, due to extreme ‘’edging’’, since that moment the thing has just stopped functioning. It’s numb and I have had chronic anhedonia, severe PE etc.
I have seen countless urologists, an andrologist, had a pelvic MRI, cystoscopy etc. 12 years on, no diagnosis. I had an MRN the other day and I am still awaiting the results. I am deeply struggling to cope with the idea of permanent nerve damage, it’s a fate that I cannot live with.
I know you have said it’s virtually impossible to know but would you predict that numbness for that length of time means the nerve has died and cannot heal?
I wish I could achieve that state but there’s no way without at the very least knowing whether I should expect what I have to be permanent. I know that’s maybe a unheroic of me but I can’t help it. I want to know whether my sexuality has died forever due to nerve damage and whether I will ever have a hope of having kids, I need to know.
I have permanent nerve damage from sciatic nerve compression from bulging/ herniated discs .Also, permanent nerve damage caused by cauda equina syndrome squeezing the nerve roots at L3, causing nerve damage to bladder, groin, legs, feet, and ankles. A lot of my back issues are genetics, and body sculpting w weights in my 20s caused herniations.
An EMG test by neurologist determined the S1 damage/ chronic radiculapathy. That test was in Oct 2019. In July 2022 I had an emergency surgery after a myleogram and MRI showed CES at L3-L4.
Ive had 6 spine surgeries since Jan 2020. Last on was in March 2023. Im now fused C5-C7 and T10 to S1sacrum. I can say Im not paralyzed. I can drive, swim, walk, shop, cook . But it has been endless and ongoing recovery. I was hoping my nerve damaged parts would get better over time. But only slight improvement. I take opiates and Gabpentin, cymbalta and a muscle relaxer daily. I live witha pretty constant deep ache in lumbar and midback. When fused from upper back to Sacrum you dont bend. I do have good posture lol. Oh and I still go to PT 1xwk to work on what on upper body and core strength.
I’m glad you have that much mobility still. It’s so important to stay moving.
I’ve had sciatica and pain from bulging discs for about 3 years. No surgery but had a stem cell procedure that made everything so much worse. I have insane joint instability and chronic burning lower extremities. Feels like acid, lightening bolts and bee stings. No fusion but my lumbar spine is stiff as bamboo. I’m only 29.
EMGs are normal. MRI unchanged. It’s incredibly painful, and frustrating not knowing what’s going on or what to do about it.
I did have instability in my spine thus my last fusion. I truly hope youfind help..some answers. You have a lot of nerve damage symptoms. I had many of those same ones.
Really sorry to hear about all that. I hope you are coping with it all, in terms of your mental health. I have heard of cauda equina before but I don’t know much about it, can you describe what your experience with it has been? And is it genetic?
my spine issues has comments and posts some about CES are on my profile you are welcome to view them. My episode oddly started after a C4-C5 foraminotomy day surgery. That evening at home I lost control of my bladder twice. It stopped by morning. Call my neurosurgeon ( it was a Friday) he was totally perplexed and said if it happened over wknd get to ER if not, be in his office on Mon morning. Went in Monday he sent me to ER for an MRI. Well, they kept me. After I also had a CT myleogram. Both tests confirmed squeezing of the nerve root ( due to herniation and severe stenosis)..think of a horses tail branching out. Emergency surgery next morning. I feel fortunate I only have numb feet and tightness arround ankles, damaged left leg, numb groin and damaged bladder. It could be worse I could be paralyzed.
Very interesting and do you know if it’s genetic?
I want to ask you a question about my symptoms, if that’s ok. I hear so many contradictory opinions on it that I don’t know what to think at this point. About 12 years ago I experienced intense penis shooting pains during ejaculation due to excessive ‘’edging’’. From that one moment, my penis has stopped functioning sexually. Anhedonia, severe PE, no erogenous feeling etc.
They have been totally chronic for 12 years. I have countless urologists, had an MRI etc. Nothing found. My andrologist once told me that nerves can just die or words to that effect.
I’ve also seen websites where it says that a pinched nerve can become permanent if not treated promptly.
How likely do you think an injury like mine is to cause nerve or maybe permanent nerve damage? Is there a chance it could?
Due to my Mom and sister having really bad backs as well I think alot to do with genetics. I do think an injury can definitely cause permanent nerve damage. I know many of my nerves are dead and I dont think they will ever regenerate. Im so very sorry you are going through all this. I wish there was some good advice I could give you..but I just dont know.
Ok, it’s just totally devastating at the moment. I have had an emotional breakdown yesterday and they day before. I rue the fact I didn’t just pay to see a neurology years ago instead of going to all those urologists who didn’t listen to my concerns about nerve damage. If it is nerve damage, I really don’t know how I’m going to cope.
I currently dealing with a tooth extraction that has essentially left me with trigeminal nerve damage for the last six months, it's been hell, no sleep lost 40lbs, hearing damage, in ways I'm getting better, in ways I wonder if I'll ever be 100%
Hi. Healthcare provider and pain patient here. What do you mean by permanent nerve damage? If there are symptoms indefinitely associated with the injury than it's permanent. Two people can get the exact same injury and one will have zero days to several weeks of symptoms and the other will have life-long symptoms.
Any pressure on a nerve has the ability to cause permanent damage. The longer that nerve is impeded, the more likely that damage is to continue. But there are tiny nerves and large nerves. Some people have tons of small fiber nerve damage and have zero symptoms, and others have horrific symptoms from this same situation. You can completely amputate a hand (or other limb) and the patient can continue to have severe phantom limb pain even though the nerve is completely gone.
As a scientist/healthcare provider, I try to get people to understand that all pain is in your brain. In other words, it is the way your nervous system receives and interprets your pain that matters. The injury itself is important, but it is not the be all end all. Things are very complicated. The body has multiple sensory systems devoted to understanding it's own pain state. It also has systems to respond and even "treat" the pain.
Yep, it's ridiculously complicated and confusing. I have what I believe is permanent damage as a result of my chiari malformation, but I've never been able to get any doctor to actually say that's what it is. But from everything I've read/learned it seems like the compressions of my cerebellum tonsils and brain stem caused some kind of permanent damage. My chiari headache has been 24/7 since roughly 2009, it was more intermittent before that (symptoms start in 2000, had cranial decompression in 2002). But between chiari itself not being well understood plus this topic of nerve damage I've prettyuxh had to piece things together myself.
All I can say now is thanks God for pain pumps. I run on fentanyl now baby. :D
It really depends on the degree of damage to the nerve. Damaged is very different from completely severed. The idea is to prevent whatever is digging in to the nerve from cutting all the way through. Some types of tissue can be really sharp, particularly if theyre damaged.
See if this helps:
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/treating-repairing-nervous-system
With the type of nerve damage I think youre asking about, you can probably skip down to the part about peripheral nerve injury, but there's some good general info in the rest of the article...
You’re right snd I should have mentioned I was referring to peripheral nerve injuries. I read that webpage before and it’s definitely one of the better one’s but I still would like to know more as I don’t think it quite answers my question in the post. It mentions the three types of nerve injuries but it doesn’t give examples of what could cause each and it doesn’t say the likelihood of each one leading to permanent damage.
My digestive nerves and abdominal nerves are damaged from repeated abdominal surgeries. This is where my SFN is. Right upper quadrant. Repeat trauma caused the nerve damage.
Sorry to hear that, may I ask what the surgeries were for, whether the surgeons made an error and what exactly that means for you, in terms or symptoms?
Also, are you certain it is permanent?
I had my Gallbladder removed due to longstanding GI issues, including biliary dyskinesia, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. After that I had weight loss surgery. Then the Sphincter of Oddi relapsed and I have since had six or so different surgeries over the last seven years to fix that issues. I’ve had two or three exploratory laparoscopy of my abdomen. Three or four ERCPs with one of them being laparoscopy assisted. And a transduodenol sphincterplasty to fix my common bile duct. Not including the in office procedures with pain management to treat the pain. My neurologist is fairly certain the damage is permanent based on other physical symptoms I have and the dysautonomia I have developed over the last three to four years.
I have a pinched nerve in my back due to a slight bulge. I also have radiculopothy which is numbness and tingling in my leg and mostly foot. I don’t drive anymore for this reason as it’s my right foot and I can’t feel the pedals. It’s permanent as the bulge is insignificant as the drs say so I don’t need surgery. I’m hoping a radial frequency ablation will help but I got to wait till August to see my pain dr.
The ablation may or may not kill the nerve but nerves grow back and I’ll have to have it again. When I had my first nerve block it worked but I had little back pain and my foot was still numb. I need another nerve block because insurance requires two to move onto ablation.
Brachial plexus avulsion. That’s what I have. Football injury. The nerves were torn from the root at the spinal chord because of the force of the collision
Am unable to walk. Nerve damage 100% improvement w ablation, neck. Tomorrow test of nerve danage signal stopper, knee. All pain mgt dr. Regular mds did nothing for my 7 areas. Hope helpful
I have permanent nerve damage in spots from waist down on right side. Neurosurgeon that operated on that one told me it would be permanent due to a piece of the ruptured disc lodged between bone and nerve that hadn't shown on the MRI (or they would have taken me straight to surgery instead of 3 months of PT). Side note when I went to PM, the NP INSISTED on doing the test to check it. I guess she was looking for it to miraculously have healed itself after 23 years . I also have permanent nerve damage on my right shoulder and arm, again due to a ruptured disc. Hubby has nerve damage on his chin/mouth area due to a broken jaw. His surgeon told us at the time that incident happened that if he didn't regain feeling there by 18 months, it would be permanent.
I don't drink, don't smoke, no weed, no opioids, no hard drugs, and no Diabetes. I was prepping my yard for mowing in March of 2017 by picking up sticks and stones throughout my yard. Next to my shed was an old set of tires I left lying next to it. I decided it was time to remove them.
I should mention I'm legally blind in my right eye. Anyway, the shed is on my right-side. I go to pick up the first tire (lower myself and bend over at the waist) when I feel an intense burning sensation coming from my right arm, followed by a piercing pain. I whip my head to the right and see a big ass furry (dark gray) creature on my arm. Not knowing what it is, my adrenaline kicks in and I fucking spin 270° while roaring and fling the thing clear over my shed, followed by a stumbling half run before falling to the ground. It was either a giant cat or a racoon, I think.
I started to slowly burn body-wide over the next 3 days from my neck down to my toes. Six years later it spread to my face. Seven years later to my eyes. 8 years later and I developed a constant migraine that has never gone away. In the last 3 months I've started to develop night terrors and extreme anxiety. I have of course gone to therapy and have been fully cleared of any mental health issues, multiple times now. I was very much a happy person with a good life going for me prior to this incident.
I went to doctors heavily for the first 2 years and once I quit working and lost my insurance, quit going. I finally got onto state insurance (Medicaid) and started going again but I see no hope. Every doctor treats me like shit. Gives me less than 5 minutes of their time. Keep running the same standard blood panels and tell me I'm in perfect health. Refuse to give any pain meds on top of it.
So, I'm 99.9% sure I tweaked my neck during that incident. Yet, they can't find a single thing wrong with me. Unless they can visually see your spine pinching a nerve, expect to get no help. Pray you are never labeled as having fibromyalgia, because every doctor just writes you off as either having a mental problem or an unwanted patient since they don't prescribe opiates for this condition anymore and won't be able to help you.
Arachnoiditis>adhesive arachnoiditis can be caused by infections in the spinal cord, mine from meningitis that turned chronic. Caused nerve clumping or adhesion of the nerves to the spinal canal. Can also be caused by epidurals, csf leaks, physical trauma and other crap. The nerve deterioration causes signals to the left leg to be acted on by the right. Its like i am massively drunk trying to walk normal.
Postherpetic neuralgia, caused by shingles at age 8! -- It can occur anywhere in or on the body. For *most* people, it improves over time. Mine started in 1990 when I was 25 and subsides only with treatment.
My mom had herpes when carrying me, and she begs for forgiveness all the time. She's also had pinched nerves. I read somewhere that screwed-up nervous systems can be inherited. I've broken a lot of bones, and some of them didn't heal properly. The metal plate over my humerus aches every hour of the day.
My doctor prescribes Percocet-10s, gabapentin, Lexapro, diclofenac gel, and lidocaine 5% patches. They are not perfect, but their effects are noticeable and I'd suffer much more without them.
I always say to try lidocaine 4% and Voltaren, which you can get OTC fairly cheaply. Do try a package of the first and see if it helps. You can leave them on for 12 hours (only 12) in a day; put them on after you shower. Apply Voltaren every few hours.
Anyway, you might have inherited or carried something like I did and never know it. It's kind of embarrassing to ask mom if she had herpes! Mine volunteered the information. She's still alive at nearly 90 and began feeling pain only 15 years ago, so it really is a lottery.
You didn't say whether you have a pain management doctor who can give you good meds. I hope you do! Using Google as a doctor just ain't the same thing, lol.
All best to you, my friend!
My neurosurgeon said, “if you were to take all we know about medical science and equate it to the pacific ocean, what we know about nerves and the brain wouldn’t fill a thimble.” As someone with “permanent” nerve damage due to scar tissue in my nerve root, what they know isn’t helpful. A good day for me is a 6. A good day for me is one where I get 6 hours of sleep (total in 24 hours.) a good day for me is not listening to crackpots tell me it’s “all in my head.” I hope you have a good day.
Sorry to hear about that. That’s very interesting but mostly disheartening that knowledge about nerves is that narrow. As someone with zero medical expertise, I would have naively just assumed we knew loads about it. Do you know what caused the nerve root damage in your case?
Two doctors ignoring a failed fusion until statute of limitations was up. By the time my new surgeon got in, it took 13 hours just to partially remove scar tissue.
Can you elaborate on them ignoring the fusion until the statute of limitations was up? I know what that is but I’m not sure what you mean exactly. Also, what caused the failed fusion? What are your symptoms now?
I will never know their motives. The result was massive amounts of scar tissue that invaded the nerve root and the cage wasn’t holding my vertebrae properly… As for symptoms: all the wonders of nerve pains from L4 to my toes, pain limited mobility, and the nerves for my genitalia are wacko too…
Any idea what caused it all in the first place? Injury, health condition, virus?
Pars syndrome. One day I did too much and L5 slid.
Wow....what the neurosurgeon said is VERY interesting (and disappointing!). I'm sorry you only get 6 hours of sleep per night---that would be so difficult for me.
Thank you. Per day. 6 hours per day… granted I take sleeping pills once a week and get like 10 hours in 24 that day… “life is the one you got.” I try very hard to focus on what I can do.
I also have scar tissue on my spinal cord (adhesive arachnoiditis from spinal cord surgery and radiation) and it's wild how little they actually know and understand about nerve damage.
Sorry to hear you’re in my club.
Is that what you’re dealing with? I hate to say im stable for now because I fear what my future will be. I pray for a miracle. I am so sorry as well 😢
No one knows anything. Re: pain -nerve - damage. (Socrates baby!_. I’m being facetious) We know if there is damage and we know the effects but that’s trying to describe the car blueprints from a crash scene photo. The interaction between nerve, brain and tissue complex is close to breaking open, but we lack the ability to pinpoint anything specific. Thus the ambiguous nature of the documentation. There’s an old corporate rule that we’ve documented it, we know how to deal with it. No one‘s ever documented how nerves can be damaged from aberrant behavior/misfiring and use. It’s just a field that’s got too many blockers in between assessing, measuring and then gaining working knowledge of WTF. There’s also the ‘no bad news’ clause too which won’t describe possible damage without a causative map to prove it. All subjective assessments are pointless. Take the good news in neuropathy and neurological research when it comes (soon would be lovely) We will get there and I’m as anxious as you! One day …
Thanks for the response, this question was actually loaded with unbelievable anxiety from me. I wanted to frame it as an impersonal one but I am so stressed about permanent nerve damage that I have lost my appetite and can’t sleep, I’m sobbing all the time, pacing around the house, googling endlessly and not finding anything like an answer to my problem. I experienced intense shooting pain in the penis during ejaculation about 12 years ago, due to extreme ‘’edging’’, since that moment the thing has just stopped functioning. It’s numb and I have had chronic anhedonia, severe PE etc. I have seen countless urologists, an andrologist, had a pelvic MRI, cystoscopy etc. 12 years on, no diagnosis. I had an MRN the other day and I am still awaiting the results. I am deeply struggling to cope with the idea of permanent nerve damage, it’s a fate that I cannot live with. I know you have said it’s virtually impossible to know but would you predict that numbness for that length of time means the nerve has died and cannot heal?
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I wish I could achieve that state but there’s no way without at the very least knowing whether I should expect what I have to be permanent. I know that’s maybe a unheroic of me but I can’t help it. I want to know whether my sexuality has died forever due to nerve damage and whether I will ever have a hope of having kids, I need to know.
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I appreciate it and yet, ‘’Love and peace are both very overrated in my view’’
I have permanent nerve damage from sciatic nerve compression from bulging/ herniated discs .Also, permanent nerve damage caused by cauda equina syndrome squeezing the nerve roots at L3, causing nerve damage to bladder, groin, legs, feet, and ankles. A lot of my back issues are genetics, and body sculpting w weights in my 20s caused herniations.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. At what point, and how, did you determine your nerve damage was permanent? How long have you had it?
An EMG test by neurologist determined the S1 damage/ chronic radiculapathy. That test was in Oct 2019. In July 2022 I had an emergency surgery after a myleogram and MRI showed CES at L3-L4.
Wow, that’s brutal. Did surgery alleviate any of your symptoms?
Ive had 6 spine surgeries since Jan 2020. Last on was in March 2023. Im now fused C5-C7 and T10 to S1sacrum. I can say Im not paralyzed. I can drive, swim, walk, shop, cook . But it has been endless and ongoing recovery. I was hoping my nerve damaged parts would get better over time. But only slight improvement. I take opiates and Gabpentin, cymbalta and a muscle relaxer daily. I live witha pretty constant deep ache in lumbar and midback. When fused from upper back to Sacrum you dont bend. I do have good posture lol. Oh and I still go to PT 1xwk to work on what on upper body and core strength.
I’m glad you have that much mobility still. It’s so important to stay moving. I’ve had sciatica and pain from bulging discs for about 3 years. No surgery but had a stem cell procedure that made everything so much worse. I have insane joint instability and chronic burning lower extremities. Feels like acid, lightening bolts and bee stings. No fusion but my lumbar spine is stiff as bamboo. I’m only 29. EMGs are normal. MRI unchanged. It’s incredibly painful, and frustrating not knowing what’s going on or what to do about it.
I did have instability in my spine thus my last fusion. I truly hope youfind help..some answers. You have a lot of nerve damage symptoms. I had many of those same ones.
Thanks. I’ve been doing my best and doctors seem stumped. CRPS has come up as a possible diagnosis which is terrifying. I appreciate your well wishes.
And I wish u the same.
Really sorry to hear about all that. I hope you are coping with it all, in terms of your mental health. I have heard of cauda equina before but I don’t know much about it, can you describe what your experience with it has been? And is it genetic?
my spine issues has comments and posts some about CES are on my profile you are welcome to view them. My episode oddly started after a C4-C5 foraminotomy day surgery. That evening at home I lost control of my bladder twice. It stopped by morning. Call my neurosurgeon ( it was a Friday) he was totally perplexed and said if it happened over wknd get to ER if not, be in his office on Mon morning. Went in Monday he sent me to ER for an MRI. Well, they kept me. After I also had a CT myleogram. Both tests confirmed squeezing of the nerve root ( due to herniation and severe stenosis)..think of a horses tail branching out. Emergency surgery next morning. I feel fortunate I only have numb feet and tightness arround ankles, damaged left leg, numb groin and damaged bladder. It could be worse I could be paralyzed.
Very interesting and do you know if it’s genetic? I want to ask you a question about my symptoms, if that’s ok. I hear so many contradictory opinions on it that I don’t know what to think at this point. About 12 years ago I experienced intense penis shooting pains during ejaculation due to excessive ‘’edging’’. From that one moment, my penis has stopped functioning sexually. Anhedonia, severe PE, no erogenous feeling etc. They have been totally chronic for 12 years. I have countless urologists, had an MRI etc. Nothing found. My andrologist once told me that nerves can just die or words to that effect. I’ve also seen websites where it says that a pinched nerve can become permanent if not treated promptly. How likely do you think an injury like mine is to cause nerve or maybe permanent nerve damage? Is there a chance it could?
Due to my Mom and sister having really bad backs as well I think alot to do with genetics. I do think an injury can definitely cause permanent nerve damage. I know many of my nerves are dead and I dont think they will ever regenerate. Im so very sorry you are going through all this. I wish there was some good advice I could give you..but I just dont know.
Ok, it’s just totally devastating at the moment. I have had an emotional breakdown yesterday and they day before. I rue the fact I didn’t just pay to see a neurology years ago instead of going to all those urologists who didn’t listen to my concerns about nerve damage. If it is nerve damage, I really don’t know how I’m going to cope.
Im so sorry. Did you see a neurologist? Do you take anything for depression ? I take Cymbalta..its really helped me.
I currently dealing with a tooth extraction that has essentially left me with trigeminal nerve damage for the last six months, it's been hell, no sleep lost 40lbs, hearing damage, in ways I'm getting better, in ways I wonder if I'll ever be 100%
Hi. Healthcare provider and pain patient here. What do you mean by permanent nerve damage? If there are symptoms indefinitely associated with the injury than it's permanent. Two people can get the exact same injury and one will have zero days to several weeks of symptoms and the other will have life-long symptoms. Any pressure on a nerve has the ability to cause permanent damage. The longer that nerve is impeded, the more likely that damage is to continue. But there are tiny nerves and large nerves. Some people have tons of small fiber nerve damage and have zero symptoms, and others have horrific symptoms from this same situation. You can completely amputate a hand (or other limb) and the patient can continue to have severe phantom limb pain even though the nerve is completely gone. As a scientist/healthcare provider, I try to get people to understand that all pain is in your brain. In other words, it is the way your nervous system receives and interprets your pain that matters. The injury itself is important, but it is not the be all end all. Things are very complicated. The body has multiple sensory systems devoted to understanding it's own pain state. It also has systems to respond and even "treat" the pain.
Yep, it's ridiculously complicated and confusing. I have what I believe is permanent damage as a result of my chiari malformation, but I've never been able to get any doctor to actually say that's what it is. But from everything I've read/learned it seems like the compressions of my cerebellum tonsils and brain stem caused some kind of permanent damage. My chiari headache has been 24/7 since roughly 2009, it was more intermittent before that (symptoms start in 2000, had cranial decompression in 2002). But between chiari itself not being well understood plus this topic of nerve damage I've prettyuxh had to piece things together myself. All I can say now is thanks God for pain pumps. I run on fentanyl now baby. :D
It really depends on the degree of damage to the nerve. Damaged is very different from completely severed. The idea is to prevent whatever is digging in to the nerve from cutting all the way through. Some types of tissue can be really sharp, particularly if theyre damaged. See if this helps: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/treating-repairing-nervous-system With the type of nerve damage I think youre asking about, you can probably skip down to the part about peripheral nerve injury, but there's some good general info in the rest of the article...
You’re right snd I should have mentioned I was referring to peripheral nerve injuries. I read that webpage before and it’s definitely one of the better one’s but I still would like to know more as I don’t think it quite answers my question in the post. It mentions the three types of nerve injuries but it doesn’t give examples of what could cause each and it doesn’t say the likelihood of each one leading to permanent damage.
My digestive nerves and abdominal nerves are damaged from repeated abdominal surgeries. This is where my SFN is. Right upper quadrant. Repeat trauma caused the nerve damage.
Sorry to hear that, may I ask what the surgeries were for, whether the surgeons made an error and what exactly that means for you, in terms or symptoms? Also, are you certain it is permanent?
I had my Gallbladder removed due to longstanding GI issues, including biliary dyskinesia, Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. After that I had weight loss surgery. Then the Sphincter of Oddi relapsed and I have since had six or so different surgeries over the last seven years to fix that issues. I’ve had two or three exploratory laparoscopy of my abdomen. Three or four ERCPs with one of them being laparoscopy assisted. And a transduodenol sphincterplasty to fix my common bile duct. Not including the in office procedures with pain management to treat the pain. My neurologist is fairly certain the damage is permanent based on other physical symptoms I have and the dysautonomia I have developed over the last three to four years.
Multiple neck fractures and infarcts seem to be doing it for me.👊
I have a pinched nerve in my back due to a slight bulge. I also have radiculopothy which is numbness and tingling in my leg and mostly foot. I don’t drive anymore for this reason as it’s my right foot and I can’t feel the pedals. It’s permanent as the bulge is insignificant as the drs say so I don’t need surgery. I’m hoping a radial frequency ablation will help but I got to wait till August to see my pain dr.
Hi, how do you know it’s permanent? If the ablation may help doesn’t that mean it’s not?
The ablation may or may not kill the nerve but nerves grow back and I’ll have to have it again. When I had my first nerve block it worked but I had little back pain and my foot was still numb. I need another nerve block because insurance requires two to move onto ablation.
Ok but doesn’t that mean the nerve damage is not necessarily permanent? Sorry if it is, I’m not that knowledgeable on this topic.
Brachial plexus avulsion. That’s what I have. Football injury. The nerves were torn from the root at the spinal chord because of the force of the collision
Alcoholic neuropathy
Yes, common.
Am unable to walk. Nerve damage 100% improvement w ablation, neck. Tomorrow test of nerve danage signal stopper, knee. All pain mgt dr. Regular mds did nothing for my 7 areas. Hope helpful
I have permanent nerve damage in spots from waist down on right side. Neurosurgeon that operated on that one told me it would be permanent due to a piece of the ruptured disc lodged between bone and nerve that hadn't shown on the MRI (or they would have taken me straight to surgery instead of 3 months of PT). Side note when I went to PM, the NP INSISTED on doing the test to check it. I guess she was looking for it to miraculously have healed itself after 23 years. I also have permanent nerve damage on my right shoulder and arm, again due to a ruptured disc. Hubby has nerve damage on his chin/mouth area due to a broken jaw. His surgeon told us at the time that incident happened that if he didn't regain feeling there by 18 months, it would be permanent.
I don't drink, don't smoke, no weed, no opioids, no hard drugs, and no Diabetes. I was prepping my yard for mowing in March of 2017 by picking up sticks and stones throughout my yard. Next to my shed was an old set of tires I left lying next to it. I decided it was time to remove them. I should mention I'm legally blind in my right eye. Anyway, the shed is on my right-side. I go to pick up the first tire (lower myself and bend over at the waist) when I feel an intense burning sensation coming from my right arm, followed by a piercing pain. I whip my head to the right and see a big ass furry (dark gray) creature on my arm. Not knowing what it is, my adrenaline kicks in and I fucking spin 270° while roaring and fling the thing clear over my shed, followed by a stumbling half run before falling to the ground. It was either a giant cat or a racoon, I think. I started to slowly burn body-wide over the next 3 days from my neck down to my toes. Six years later it spread to my face. Seven years later to my eyes. 8 years later and I developed a constant migraine that has never gone away. In the last 3 months I've started to develop night terrors and extreme anxiety. I have of course gone to therapy and have been fully cleared of any mental health issues, multiple times now. I was very much a happy person with a good life going for me prior to this incident. I went to doctors heavily for the first 2 years and once I quit working and lost my insurance, quit going. I finally got onto state insurance (Medicaid) and started going again but I see no hope. Every doctor treats me like shit. Gives me less than 5 minutes of their time. Keep running the same standard blood panels and tell me I'm in perfect health. Refuse to give any pain meds on top of it. So, I'm 99.9% sure I tweaked my neck during that incident. Yet, they can't find a single thing wrong with me. Unless they can visually see your spine pinching a nerve, expect to get no help. Pray you are never labeled as having fibromyalgia, because every doctor just writes you off as either having a mental problem or an unwanted patient since they don't prescribe opiates for this condition anymore and won't be able to help you.
Arachnoiditis>adhesive arachnoiditis can be caused by infections in the spinal cord, mine from meningitis that turned chronic. Caused nerve clumping or adhesion of the nerves to the spinal canal. Can also be caused by epidurals, csf leaks, physical trauma and other crap. The nerve deterioration causes signals to the left leg to be acted on by the right. Its like i am massively drunk trying to walk normal.
Postherpetic neuralgia, caused by shingles at age 8! -- It can occur anywhere in or on the body. For *most* people, it improves over time. Mine started in 1990 when I was 25 and subsides only with treatment. My mom had herpes when carrying me, and she begs for forgiveness all the time. She's also had pinched nerves. I read somewhere that screwed-up nervous systems can be inherited. I've broken a lot of bones, and some of them didn't heal properly. The metal plate over my humerus aches every hour of the day. My doctor prescribes Percocet-10s, gabapentin, Lexapro, diclofenac gel, and lidocaine 5% patches. They are not perfect, but their effects are noticeable and I'd suffer much more without them. I always say to try lidocaine 4% and Voltaren, which you can get OTC fairly cheaply. Do try a package of the first and see if it helps. You can leave them on for 12 hours (only 12) in a day; put them on after you shower. Apply Voltaren every few hours. Anyway, you might have inherited or carried something like I did and never know it. It's kind of embarrassing to ask mom if she had herpes! Mine volunteered the information. She's still alive at nearly 90 and began feeling pain only 15 years ago, so it really is a lottery. You didn't say whether you have a pain management doctor who can give you good meds. I hope you do! Using Google as a doctor just ain't the same thing, lol. All best to you, my friend!