Nerve Injuries
Nerves are the “electrical wiring system” that carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body; some messages are sent to muscles to make the body move, while others provide information about pain, pressure, and temperature. Nerves are very fragile structures and can be damaged by pressure, stretching, or lacerations; an injury to nerves of the upper extremity can result in significant pain and dysfunction. The sooner these injuries are identified and treated, the better the prognosis is for recovery. Microsurgical techniques are often used for nerve repairs. During the recovery phase-when the nerve regenerates-hand therapy is an important part of achieving a good recovery.
