How to Heal a Damaged Nerve

Nerve damage can occur in a variety of ways. Two of the most common causes of nerve damage are injury and diseases such as diabetes, which, as it progresses, can cause neuropathy or nerve pain. But nerve damage, most often in the form of the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome, can even happen to office workers while they sit at their computers. A damaged nerve can cause pain and numbness and can be frustrating to live with. But there are ways you can heal a damaged nerve. Five of them are listed below:

Alfalfa

A damaged nerve needs chlorophyll to support its recovery, and alfalfa is one of the best sources of chlorophyll. Eat your alfalfa sprouts! If you find, however, that you can’t bring yourself to do this, you can always take alfalfa in supplement form.

B Vitamins

To heal a damaged nerve, you need to have adequate amounts of B vitamins in your system. Vitamins B-1, B-6, and B-12 all have been shown to be important for nerve function. Some studies have even indicated that deficiency in these vitamins can damage your nerves. These vitamins can be found in supplement form, either separately or as part of a B-complex vitamin and in various foods like eggs, whole grains, and greens. If you aren’t afraid of needles, your doctor could also give you injections of these vitamins.

TENS

TENS is an acronym for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. TENS stimulates the nerves with an electric current that can cause the brain’s pain receptors to become confused. This current can disrupt the pain response and relieve the discomfort of a damaged nerve. Patients who use TENS have patches attached to their skin and are hooked up to a portable TENS unit, from which the electric current is generated. You might feel anxious about having electric currents go through your body to heal your nerves, but don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt!

Acupuncture

This method is not for those who are afraid of needles, though it isn’t nearly as painful as it may look. Acupuncture involves inserting small needles into the patient’s skin. These needles can be inserted into many different places on the body, depending on the area to be treated. It is possible that acupuncture works to heal damaged nerves by helping the body release endorphins that eliminate pain.

Nerve Graft Surgery

If all else fails, surgery can heal a damaged nerve. Similar to skin grafts, nerve grafts involve removing the damaged nerve portion and replacing it with a piece of undamaged nerve from somewhere else in the body.

Healing a damaged nerve can take time, but supporting your body’s natural healing process and stimulating the immune system are important for helping your body to heal the nerve on its own. Surgery can rebuild your damaged nerve quickly if the body’s healing process is too slow or not effective enough. If you find you are experiencing nerve problems such as pain or numbness, the above suggestions may be of use to you.