How Important Are Your Nerves?

“You’re getting on my nerves“

“I’m a nervous wreck”

“My nerves are shot”

“He’s got  nervous energy”

“She’s got a lot of nerve“

“I’m down to my last nerve“

The word nerve is used in so many contexts, but do we totally understand what nerves do? We are aware that they let us know when we are experiencing pain, but that is not their only function.

Nerves are all about communication, conveying information throughout the body. They are involved in everything the body does, from sensing cold, hot or pain, to regulating breathing to controlling the muscles. Their purpose is to generate electrical excitation in the form of a potential action.

3 Types of Nerves, or Neurons:

1. 1- Sensory Nerves – These are the nerves that allow us to feel pain or other sensations. They take the information from your skin and muscles and send it back to the spine and brain.
2. Autonomic Nerves – These are the nerves that control the involuntary activities of the body such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure or even body temperature.
3. Motor Nerves – These are the nerves that send information from your brain and spine to your muscles, thus controlling your actions and movements.

Even though nerve pain can feel relatively mild, it’s important to have good nerve health because nerves are part of everything you do and can seriously affect your quality of life.

Symptoms of Motor Nerve Damage:

• Weakness
• Twitching
• Paralysis
• Muscle atrophy

Symptoms of Autonomic Nerve Damage:

• Inability to feel chest pain such as heart attack
• Constipation
• Inability to sweat correctly, too much or not enough
• Bladder dysfunction
• Dry eyes or mouth

Symptoms of Sensory Nerve Damage:

• Pain
• Sensitivity
• Tingling
• Burning
• Numbness

There are more than 100 different types of nerve damage, and people can experience more than one type of damage along with its symptoms at the same time. Peripheral nerve damage or Peripheral Neuropathy affects more than 20 million Americans.

The Bellevue Pain Institute is having great success using  Low Level Laser Treatments, a non painful, non-invasive treatment, to treat the pain and symptoms from Peripheral Neuropathy.

This article is not intended to diagnose, but rather to help pinpoint your symptoms so that you can seek professional treatment.

**originally published 1/10/11