Do you have pain and numbness somewhere in your upper or lower extremity? You may have an entrapped nerve. Nerve entrapment is a type of pinched nerve that causes neuropathy symptoms to a peripheral region, such as your wrist, hand, arm, shoulder, calf or foot. Typical entrapped nerve symptoms include pain, numbness, burning, tingling, muscle weakness, muscle atrophy and loss of function.
A nerve usually becomes trapped by chronic pressure from swelling and inflammation, frequently caused by repetitive stress or associated with arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, an enlarged lymph node, abscess of an infection, tumor, fracture or hematoma are some other causes of nerve entrapment as well.
An entrapped nerve often occurs at a joint where the compression forces the nerve to repeatedly rub against a rough surface, e.g. a bone or ligament. Eventually, this action in repetition may lead to nerve damage.
There are various sites where a nerve can become compressed. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common health condition related to nerve entrapment. And the ulnar nerve, which runs through your elbow, is also vulnerable to being trapped.
Initial treatment for a trapped nerve is rest. A couple of ways you can accomplish this is by immobilizing the joint area via a splint or adjust the way you perform an activity, for instance stop leaning on your elbows. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pain relievers or having a cortisone injection can offer quick symptom relief. Should these treatment measures fail, then surgery to relieve nerve pressure is in sometimes required.