Is Nerve Pain In Your Arms Normal After An Accident?

For painful or uncomfortable arm-related symptoms after an accident, you could very well be dealing with nerve damage. The nerves in your spinal cord aren’t just linked to your brain, they can affect arm injuries as well. While nerve pain in your arms is common after enduring a car crash, it’s still a condition that should be checked out by your local chiropractors at Impact Medical Spring Hill.

The Complexities of Nerve Damage

Nerve pain in your arms can be caused by radiculopathy and pinched nerves. Pinched nerves are especially common in car crashes where the body is scrunched upon impact, compressing your spine which houses your nervous system. Radiculopathy and pinched nerves in the arm can last roughly 8 weeks before going away, but it’s best to get checked after a week of symptoms to avoid the risk of permanent damage. An example of permanent nerve damage in the arm is peripheral neuropathy.

How Do These Injuries Happen?

Of course, nerve damage can happen during an impactful accident. But more specifically, any trauma to the nerves can travel to the limbs including the arms, wrist, and hand. The nerve connecting to your arm can be bruised, crushed, cut, or anything similar, to transmit pain signals from the arm to the brain.

The Primary Nerves In Your Arm: The median nerve in the center The radial nerve on the thumb side The ulnar nerve on the pinky side

Is It Nerve Pain? How to Tell:

Just because you feel pain in your arms doesn’t always mean it’s related to your nerves. The way you can tell if the sensation you’re feeling is nerve pain is if you start to lose feelings of sensation in the affected area, like a tingle or numbness. Nerve pain can also be identified by impeded functionality, an indication that the nerves aren’t able to properly send signals when attempting to move your arm. More subtle signs include impacted wrist mobility, weakened muscles, and abnormal sweating. Interventional pain management techniques can help treat these symptoms. We’ll talk about these methods, plus other effective tips for treating nerve pain.

Top Ways to Soothe Nerve Pain in the Arms

The most effective at-home treatments for nerve pain in the arm are similar to common methods for most injuries such as heat and ice packs, anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medications, and simple rest. In some cases, your doctor may suggest wearing a splint to keep your arm stable as it heals.

If at-home methods aren’t working, you can ask your doctor if you qualify for a corticosteroid injection which is a steroid shot consisting of cortisone to reduce inflammation and relieve pressure on the nerves that are affecting your arm pain. For nerve pain that refuses to go away even after a steroid injection or two, surgery is often the next step as a direct approach to loosening the pressure on the nerves.

Learn more > The Most Effective Treatments For Pinched Nerves After an Accident, Ranked

For Nerve Pain In the Arms and Everywhere Else, Impact Medical Can Help!

Contact your trusted team at Impact Medical Spring Hill for nerve pain treatment near you. Whether you’re experiencing nerve pain in the arms, wrists, or hands, we have the means to relieve your symptoms so you can recover from your injuries. Give your local office a call at 352-631-6512 to schedule a consultation!