Nerve damage causes are numerous: illness, trauma or restriction. Even minor nerve damage can impair motor skills, create extreme pain and loss of sensations. Depending on what is causing the nerve damage you may be able to cure the effects of it. Talk to your doctor to get a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
Impairments
An impairment to a nerve is different than a traumatic injury to the nerve. Nerve damage due to an impairment is a symptom of another condition such as a herniated disc in the spine or carpal tunnel syndrome. Because this is type of nerve damage is symptomatic from another condition, fixing the problem should alleviate pressure preventing further nerve damage. In these situations, you should be able to regain full function to the nerve over time as nerves do regenerate on their own when given the conditions to do so. Thiamine and DHA (found in Omega-3 fatty acids) are important supplements to help the body have the materials needed for nerve regeneration.
Illness and Disease
Many diseases lead to nerve degeneration and eventually partial or complete paralysis. These include tumors, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome and diabetes. If damage to the nervous system occurs from degeneration, nerves begin to die. While you can manage some diseases other conditions can only offer pain management and quality of life. In some cases fatty acids, B vitamins, acetyle-L-carnitine, lipoic acid, capcaicin, turmeric and vitamin E can help improve nerve health and function. Please understand that these are not treatments to consider outside of traditional medical care and some illnesses will only be hastened by supplement use. New research from the Mayo Clinic has discovered a way to help improve myelin growth--the tissue surrounding nerves--that has improved damaged nerves in multiple sclerosis tests. Further testing is required.
Trauma
Traumatic injuries damage a specific spot of a nerve, often cutting a part or all of the nerve. For peripheral nerves injured but not severed, it is possible for a nerve graft to be performed. This procedure takes a piece of nerve from another part of the body and inserts it into the area of damage. For severed nerves, a surgeon may be able to reconnect the damaged nerve fibers. According the the Mayo Clinic, these procedures are successful but will not be advisable for patients showing signs of natural nerve healing. This procedure is also an important step in curing spinal cord injuries.
