Nerve damage in the hand, wrist, or elbow

Nerve damage can impair your daily activities and cause severe pain. Ohio State’s hand experts are here to help.

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Nerve injuries in the hand and upper extremities

Your upper extremity, which includes the shoulder, arm, forearm and hand, is rich with nerves that control movement, feeling and reflexes. These nerves begin in the neck, forming a complex network known as the brachial plexus. Larger nerves near the neck branch into smaller nerves as they extend down your arm.

An injury to your upper extremity (shoulder, arm, elbow, hand) can sometimes also result in an injury to the nearby nerves. Nerves are fragile, and an injury can cause muscles to stop working properly and result in loss of feeling.

In some instances, a nerve is just bruised and will heal on its own over time. Some nerve injuries can be severe if the nerves are cut or crushed, and may require hand surgery to repair.

The Hand and Upper Extremity Care Team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the most trusted resource in the region to treat complex nerve injuries. These hand specialists have expertise in nerve damage repair and collaborate with other specially trained physicians across the academic medical center to ensure you receive the care and results you need.

Types of nerve injuries

We have expertise in treating all types of nerve injuries, including:

Ulnar nerve – A condition called cubital tunnel syndrome causes pain, tingling or numbness in your hand due to a pinched nerve. Another condition known as claw hand deformity occurs when there’s been damage to the ulnar nerve.
Radial nerve – Radial tunnel syndrome causes pain and numbness in your hands and arms and is caused by repeated pressure on the area of your elbow commonly known as the “funny bone.”
Median nerve – One of the most commonly known conditions — carpal tunnel syndrome — affects the median nerve, causing pain or numbness in the fingers and wrist.

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Treating nerve damage in hands or arms

Ryan Schmucker, MD, a hand surgeon at Ohio State, explains common nerve injuries and new treatment options available at Ohio State to improve your quality of life and restore function.

What causes nerve injuries?

Nerve damage is usually caused by compression, stretching or a cut. These may be more generally due to overuse, traumatic injury or certain disorders. Nerve damage can happen suddenly or over a long period of time, which, for example, is the case in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Some hand conditions can lead to nerve damage if not properly treated, including:

Symptoms of nerve damage

The signs of a nerve injury can be different depending on which nerve is injured and the severity of the injury. Symptoms can be constant or come and go intermittently. In general, you may experience:

Numbness or loss of sensation in your arm or hand
Weakness or loss of function
Pain that may or may not be felt at the site of an injury

Diagnosing nerve injuries

Understanding your specific nerve injury, its location and its impact on your daily life is key to providing you with the best treatment for success. Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history, any accidents you may have had and any recent surgeries. After conducting a physical exam and understanding your symptoms, your doctor will likely recommend one or more of the following imaging tests:

Electromyography (EMG) – A test to assess the health of muscles and nerve cells.
Nerve conduction study – This test can help diagnose issues with your peripheral nerves.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Ultrasound

What are treatment options for nerve injuries?

Your recommended treatment plan will depend on the underlying cause of the nerve damage and the severity of the injury. If your nerve is injured but not cut, it may be able to heal without surgery.

Nonsurgical treatment and hand therapy

If the nerve injury is not severe, the nerve may heal on its own with rest. However, nerves recover slowly and may take months or even years.

At Ohio State, our team of experts offers hand therapy to help restore movement and mobility. This may be done as a stand-alone treatment or as a postoperative therapy.

Surgery to repair nerve damage

Our hand surgeons are experts at treating complex nerve injuries. Sometimes a nerve sits inside a tight space or is compressed by scarring. Your surgeon may be able to enlarge the space or free the nerve from the scar.

If a nerve is cut completely or damaged beyond repair, your hand surgeon can either remove the damaged section and reconnect the healthy nerve ends (known as nerve repair) or implant a new piece of nerve from another part of your body to close the gap (nerve graft).

Why come to Ohio State for nerve damage in your hand and upper extremity?

Our team of specialists has expertise in orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery and occupational therapy to ensure you get the care you need to improve your quality of life.