While muscles often heal on their own within 2-3 weeks, problems with the nerves can be more complicated and long-lasting. There are several types of nerve damage, and they can cause leg and back pain as well as tingling sensations and muscle weakness. Here at Modern Orthopedic Spine Specialists in Thousand Oaks, CA, we can treat even the most complicated cases with orthopedic surgery.
What Are the Signs of Nerve Damage?
There are many reasons why your nerves might be damaged, and while this sometimes happens after an injury, it can also occur gradually due to a genetic condition, bad posture, being overweight, or regularly wearing ill-fitting garments. The nerves are made up of fibers coated in tissues that insulate them from the other structures in your body.
Depending on the severity of the damage, only the fibers are impacted, but in severe cases, the tissues are also weakened. Slight issues often don’t need intervention, but more significant damage needs to be addressed by a specialist.
Leg, Spine, and Back Pain
One of the most common nerve problems is sciatica, which is an irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve that runs down your lower back and into your legs. This condition causes pain that starts in your lower back and often radiates out into the legs. Although it usually gets better within 1-2 months, it can recur. People with severe sciatica should see a doctor to find out what suitable treatment methods there are.
Tingling and Muscle Weakness
If you feel tingling in your hands and feet or your muscles suddenly don’t work as well as they used to, you might be suffering from a problem with your nerves. This can cause you to drop things you’re holding or to fail at a regular task, such as opening jars. Many people also feel compression in their arms and legs, and they sometimes describe a sensation similar to a mild electric shock in their limbs.
Can Orthopedic Surgery Help?
Now that you know the warning signs of damage to your nerves, you might wonder what can be done. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options available for people with sciatica and other nerve issues. Sometimes, they are temporary, and you might be able to get rid of the problem with better posture, a different choice of clothing and shoes, or by implementing measures to lose weight.
However, severe conditions can’t be addressed so easily, and they might need surgical intervention. For example, sciatica is often caused by something pressing on and irritating your nerves. In such a case, removing the bone spur, herniated disc, or other irritants can resolve the issue. In this way, surgery can address the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms, and be the most effective way of getting rid of nerve pain.
A problem with the nerve can cause pain in your back and legs, tingling, and muscle weakness. While slight injuries can heal on their own, many patients benefit from intervention, particularly if there is a structure such as a bone spur that irritates the nerve. Contact us at Modern Orthopedic Spine Specialists in Thousand Oaks to find out more about our treatments for common nerve conditions.
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