How do I know the nerve is recovering? As your nerve recovers, the area the nerve supplies may feel quite unpleasant and tingly. This may be accompanied by an electric shock sensation at the level of the growing nerve fibres; the location of this sensation should move as the nerve heals and grows.
You may experience tingling feelings and possibly sensations similar to electrical shock, which is a good sign of having new sensitive nerves. Whatever you feel during the journey, be sure to talk to your doctor about it during your follow-up appointments.
As you heal from a pinched nerve, the pain will weaken and may feel more like a dull, throbbing pain that occurs less often.
To achieve full recovery, the nerve must undergo three main processes: Wallerian degeneration (the clearing process of the distal stump), axonal regeneration, and end-organ reinnervation.
It may take many months for a nerve to grow from where it is injured all the way to its target. During the healing time, you might have pain or “pins and needles” sensation along the course of the nerve. You may need therapy to help keep your joints moving and your pain controlled while your nerve is growing.
As the nerve recovers, feeling and movement will slowly start to come back. Nerves regenerate at ~1 milimetre per day, which means that full recovery can take a number of months and sometimes years, and in some cases may never come back completely.
Green and leafy vegetables. Broccoli, spinach and asparagus all contain vitamin B, a nutrient important for nerve regeneration and nerve function. Spinach, broccoli and kale also contain a micronutrient called alpha-lipoic acid that prevents nerve damage and improves nerve function.
Nerve Pain Progression
Left untreated, nerve damage may worsen over time. It can sometimes start in the nerves farthest from the brain and spinal cord -- like those in the feet and hands.
You may need to rest the affected area until it's healed. Nerves recover slowly, and maximal recovery may take many months or several years.
Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can feel as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. You may be very sensitive to touch or cold. You may also experience pain as a result of touch that would not normally be painful, such as something lightly brushing your skin.
Symptoms depend on which nerve is damaged, and whether the damage affects one nerve, several nerves, or the whole body. Tingling or burning in the arms and legs may be an early sign of nerve damage. These feelings often start in your toes and feet. You may have deep pain.
It can feel like pins and needles, a burning feeling, or an electric shock. While the cause of this symptom can vary, it's always a good idea to seek medical attention if it persists. Tingling is a sign of nerve damage, but it's also a sign that your nerves are healing, making this an extra confusing symptom.
Smoking constricts the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the peripheral nerves and can worsen neuropathic symptoms. Exercise can deliver more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to far-off nerve endings, improve muscle strength, and limit muscle atrophy.
Without properly functioning nerves, you are likely to experience uncomfortable or even painful sensations. These occur because the nerves are not able to carry the correct signals from the brain to the spinal cord. The signs of nerve damage include the following: Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
Magnesium for Nerve Pain:
A few small studies have shown benefit (Journal of Family Practice, Aug. 2015). An animal model suggests that magnesium supplementation may reduce pain from diabetic neuropathy and restore sensation (Journal of Physiology, Nov. 1, 2010).
While the general benefits of aerobic and flexibility exercises are well-known, increasing movement and heart-rate are particularly important for people suffering with peripheral neuropathy. Physical activity can improve blood circulation, which strengthens nerve tissues by increasing the flow of oxygen.
Pushing your body will only make your pinched nerve worse. Additionally, stop if you feel tingling or numbness in your arms or hands. It can also be helpful to avoid exercises that put a lot of tension on your neck. These include exercises like sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, and even bridges.
People who have opted for massage therapy to treat nerve damage have reported feeling better after their sessions as their symptoms reduced. Lighter and softer strokes, often used in Swedish massages, are typical what works in such cases.
So how long does a pinched nerve cause pain and discomfort? In most cases, symptoms improve and nerve function resumes to normal within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
Pinched nerves can last from a few days to about a month, depending on how you treat it. It is typically a temporary condition that you can treat on your own, but it's important to not ignore long-lasting or acute pain as it could be the sign of a bigger problem.
Therefore, it can take weeks or months for function to return to “normal”. Also, since the blood flow to the nerves in the latter scenario has been compromised for a longer period of time, they become more engorged with blood after flow is restored and then that extra blood takes time to return to its baseline levels.
Clinical studies have shown that electrical stimulation enhances axon growth during nerve repair and accelerates sensorimotor recovery.
B vitamins are known for their ability to support healthy nervous system function. Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 have been found to be especially beneficial for treating neuropathy. Vitamin B-1, also known as thiamine, helps to reduce pain and inflammation and vitamin B-6 preserves the covering on nerve endings.