Understanding Compressed Nerve Syndrome

What is Nerve Compression Syndrome of the Extremities?

Your nervous system transmits information between your body and brain, controlling your muscle movements and organ function and allowing you to detect light, odor, taste, temperature, and pain. Your nervous system consists of two parts:

Central nervous system: made up of the spinal cord and brain
Peripheral nervous system: nerves that branch off the spinal cord and extend throughout the body

Nerve compression syndrome occurs when tissue swelling or damage puts pressure on a peripheral nerve that connects to a limb, like your wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, buttock, or leg. There are many types of nerve compression syndromes, some of which you may have heard of before. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common type of nerve compression syndrome, for example. You may be experiencing symptoms of one of the following types of nerve compression syndrome:

Carpal tunnel syndrome: affects the wrist (median nerve)
Pronator teres syndrome: affects the elbow (median nerve)
Radial tunnel syndrome: affects the elbow (radial nerve)
Suprascapular nerve entrapment: affects the shoulder (suprascapular nerve)
Thoracic outlet syndrome: affects the lower neck and upper chest (brachial plexus)
Cubital tunnel syndrome: affects the elbow or wrist (ulnar nerve)
Guyon’s canal syndrome: affects the wrist (ulnar nerve)
Meralgia paresthetica: affects the thigh (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve)
Peroneal nerve compression: affects the lower leg (peroneal nerve)
Pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome: affects the pelvic area (pudendal nerve)
Sciatica: affects the lower back, hips, butt, or leg (sciatic nerve)
Tarsal tunnel syndrome: affects the foot heel or sole (tibial nerve)

Symptoms

When a peripheral nerve is pinched or compressed, it can interfere with the nerve's ability to send and receive signals for muscle movement, sensation, and pain. Symptoms tend to come on increasingly and may range from mild to severe. Your symptoms may be greater at certain times of the day or when performing certain activities. Depending on which nerve is affected, you may feel:

Pain
Loss of sensation (tingling or numbness)
Weakness in a limb
Inability to move a limb
Inability to grasp or hold onto items
Trouble lifting a foot or hand
Muscle loss

Causes

The nerves that often travel through small openings (called tunnels) in your joints are the ones most often affected by nerve compression syndromes. There are many possible causes for damage, swelling, or inflammation that leads to nerve compression, including:

Accidents and injuries
Arthritis
Joint sprains
Broken bones
Frequent repetitive movement
Diabetes
Dislocated joints
Herniated Disks
Surgical complications
Thyroid gland issues (hypothyroidism)

Risk Factors

Some people are at more risk for nerve compression syndrome than others. Changes to your body from pregnancy or weight gain can put pressure on a nerve, while repeated motions performed at your job can also increase your risk. Athletes, construction workers, people who work on computers, and those who work assembly lines are often at risk for compressed nerve syndrome. Crutches, casts, and splints can also put pressure on a nerve, resulting in compressed nerve syndrome.

Diagnosing Compressed Nerve Syndrome

To diagnose nerve compression syndromes, your doctor will conduct a physical examination and a thorough medical history. Your doctor may ask you to grip, hold, or pick up an item, for example. Your doctor may also request a diagnostic test, such as:

EMG (electromyography): measures muscle and nerve function
MRI or neuromuscular ultrasound: imaging tests to look for compressed nerves and signs of arthritis, bone fractures, or other soft tissue injuries

Nerve Compression Syndrome Treatment

Treatment options for nerve compression syndromes can range from conservative non-invasive treatments to surgical options. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following to help relieve the pressure from a compressed nerve.

Conservative Nerve Compression Syndrome Treatment

Restricting motion: wearing a brace or splint can help keep a joint, such as your wrist, in a neutral position. For those with carpal tunnel, bracing at night can keep the wrists from curling up at night as you sleep. Wearing a splint during the day may help prevent repetitive motions that can aggravate symptoms.

Medications: your doctor may prescribe an over-the-counter or prescription medication to help with pain and inflammation, such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen.

Steroid injections: corticosteroid injections will often provide some form of relief for nerve compression syndrome. However, the compression and symptoms may return.

Modifying movement: if a repetitive movement from sports or work is aggravating your symptoms, you may need to halt or modify that movement to slow or stop the progression of your condition.

Physical therapy: exercises targeted at flexibility, balance, strength, enhancing fine motor skills, or helping a patient return to work activities safely.

Surgical Nerve Compression Syndrome Treatment

If non-surgical treatments don't provide relief for compressed nerves, your doctor may recommend a surgical treatment option. The goal of nerve compression syndrome surgery is to increase the size of the tunnel (joint opening) that is causing pressure on the nerve.

In most cases, nerve decompression surgeries are done under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. However, in some cases, your doctor may recommend general anesthesia.

During the surgery, a surgeon will make a tiny incision that divides the roof of the tunnel, thereby increasing its size and releasing the nerve pressure. As the ligament heals, it will grow across the division, resulting in more space for the affected nerve and flexor tendons.

Your doctor may recommend that you wear a brace or splint for a few weeks following your procedure and may limit your activities for a few weeks, as well. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy during your recovery period, as well. Full recovery following surgery for carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve entrapment, or other nerve compression syndromes can take anywhere from several weeks to several months.

Our Doctors

The surgeons at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction are leaders in the field of nerve surgery. Our cutting-edge and highly successful nerve surgery program helps patients treat a variety of nerve compression syndromes.

Physician

Michael Rose

MD, FACS

Patient Stories

Find out what life looks like on the other side of a nerve compression syndrome surgery. Explore our patient success stories and discover how patients just like you overcame the pain and loss of mobility along their healing journey.

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Insurance Information

The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction participates in a wide range of insurance plans, including those listed below. However, each physician has their own accepted insurance and hospital affiliations. Before scheduling an appointment, please contact your insurance carrier to confirm that your provider is in-network.

If we are not an in-network provider, our friendly insurance specialists will help you find the most coverage available for your treatment.

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