Your nervous system is the control center of your body. Everything that you do, sense, or think is controlled by the brain and its huge network of nerves. Any harm to the brain or spinal cord, or to the peripheral nerves extending from the spinal cord may result in serious damage to the body.
Types of Nerves and Symptoms of Nerve Damage:
Your nervous system comprises of three types of nerves. Below are their function and symptoms showed when there is damage to these nerves.
1. Sensory Nerves:
These nerves send stimuli from the skin and muscles back to the spinal cord and brain for processing.
Symptoms of damage to these nerves are:
- Pain
- Increased sensitivity
- Numbness
- Tingling and burning sensation
- The trouble with positional awareness
2. Motor Nerves:
Motor nerves control your movements and actions under the command of your brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of motor nerve damage are:
Also Read: 6 Lesser known Causes of Muscle Twitching
- Weakness
- Muscle twitching (fasciculation)
- Muscle atrophy
- Paralysis
3. Autonomic Nerves:
These nerves control the involuntary and partially voluntary actions of your body e.g, breathing, heartbeat, metabolism, and thermoregulation.
Following symptoms are associated with damage to these nerves:
- Unable to sense chest pain like angina or heart attack
- Sweating too much (hyperhidrosis) or sweating too little (anhidrosis)
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Bladder dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
5 Most Common Causes of Nerve Damage:
1. Cancer:
Cancer disrupts the nervous network in multiple ways. Tumors can pressurize and crush the nerves, damaging them. Some types of cancer cause nutritional deficiencies that harm nerve function. Some forms of chemotherapy and radiotherapy also cause nerve damage. You can find the best oncologist in Karachi or any other main city of Pakistan via Marham.pk.
2. Diabetes:
Up to 70% of people with diabetes experience nerve damage that is more likely to get worse as the disease progresses. Diabetic neuropathy is a dangerous complication that affects all three types of nerves. Sensory nerves are the most vulnerable to damage in diabetes. Find and consult with the best endocrinologist in Karachi, Lahore or other main cities of Pakisanvia Marham.pk.
3. Trauma:
A traumatic injury or experience leads to nerve damage and nerve pain including pinched nerves in the neck, crush injuries, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
4. Autoimmune Disorders:
These disorders affect the nervous network causing nerve pain and nerve disruptions. Some of these diseases include:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Guillain-Barré syndrome (a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves)
- Myasthenia gravis
- Lupus
- Inflammatory bowel disease
5. Infectious Diseases:
Infectious diseases like Lyme disease, the Herpes viruses, HIV, and Hepatitis-C harm the nerves that lead to poor brain and body coordination. To treat infectious diseases book an appointment with the best infectious disease specialist in Karachi, Lahore or any other main city of Pakistan via Marham.pk.
