What is nerve entrapment?
There are many conditions affecting the wrist that may cause a range of symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain. These can adversely affect the quality of your life including the ability to work, sleep and enjoy recreational activities.
At the Center for Integrated Pain Management a customized treatment plan is designed to give you optimal health and relief. Below is a list of elbow, hand and wrist conditions that the Center treats:
A diagnosis will be made once Dr. Kulick reviews your family history, completes a thorough physical examination and conducts an in-office ultrasound. If necessary, Dr. Kulick may request that you obtain an MRI, a CT Scan or additional X-rays in order for him to precisely determine the diagnosis and treatment plan.
To learn more about the treatment and relief of wrist conditions please contact our office at 212-867-1777.
Nerve entrapment, sometimes called a pinched or compressed nerve, is a condition that can cause pain, weakness, and decreased function. This problem occurs when tissues like bones, cartilage, tendons, and scar tissue place undue pressure on a nerve.
With nerve entrapment, there is usually a degree of movement to the nerve or tissues around it. This can have a rubbing, sawing, or slapping effect on the nerve, further damaging it and causing more intense symptoms.
This can be caused by jobs, sports, or activities that involve long-term repetitive movements, previous injury or surgery, and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
What kinds of nerve entrapment are there?
Dr. Kulick treats a number of nerve-entrapment syndromes, many of which are named for the nerves that are most affected.
Nerve-entrapment syndromes treated by Dr. Kulick include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: affects the wrist and forearm
- Cubital tunnel syndrome: affects the elbow
- Sural nerve entrapment: affects the calf of the leg, especially after foot surgery
- Saphenous and peroneal nerve entrapment: affects the leg
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment: affects the upper leg and thigh
- Pudendal nerve neuralgia: affects the pelvic floor or genitals
When you have nerve entrapment, it can create difficult symptoms that can cause decreased mobility or the inability to participate in your normal level of activity.
What are symptoms of nerve entrapment?
When your nerves are compressed, pinched, or entrapped it can create symptoms such as:
- Numbness or decreased sensation
- Pain or burning along the nerve
- Muscle weakness
- Sharp or shooting pains
- Feeling of pins and needles
- Decreased function
When your symptoms interfere with life, it is important that you seek treatment to avoid further, potentially permanent damage to the nerve.
What treatments are available for nerve entrapment?
Nerve entrapment can be treated with a variety of methods, including surgery.
Initial treatment is often conservative and can include:
- Rest and immobilization
- Braces or splints
- Physical therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Ultrasound-guided injections
Dr. Kulick is proud to offer ultrasound-guided hydrodissection as a highly effective, minimally invasive treatment for nerve entrapment. This procedure relieves pressure on the nerve, allowing it to move freely, and potentially giving nearly immediate pain relief.
For a consultation about your nerve-entrapment pain, call or book an appointment online today.
