Know Common Causes Of Occupational Nerve Injuries

Things like complex-regional pain syndrome or carpel tunnel syndrome account for some common occupational nerve injuries. All these injuries are mostly related to the peripheral nervous system. Injury to a peripheral nerve or a dysfunctional peripheral nerve can be cause for concern, because it can distort or interrupt the signals or communication between the brain and the related part of the body.

Patients with acute trauma are easily identifiable by the emergency of the event, as in the case of crush injury or laceration. But, repeated mechanical injuries resulting from external forces, as when using a tool in a certain manner or maintaining a body part in a certain position for long periods, may cause sub acute or chronic dysfunct of nerves. The affected person or worker is likely to overlook or ignore the problem until the impaired function affects productivity and safety.
Common Causes Of Occupational Nerve Injuries

• Laceration
• Focal contusion
• Stretching/traction injury
• Compression
• Electric injury

The peripheral nerves are susceptible to such injury because they do not have the barrier of protection that the skull or the spinal cord or the bloodstream provides to the other nerves.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of individual nerve dysfunction can be done with an assessment of the history of loss of specific motor and sensory function and with standard neurological examination. Nerve conduction test and electromyography study help in differentiating between lesser and higher grades of injury. If the nerve injury is a result of trauma, X-rays, CT scan or MRI scan may be needed to assess the associated injury to bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons and ligaments. 

Source: ApolloLife