Does nerve damage heal?

On Behalf of | Nov 20, 2023 | Catastrophic Injuries |

In some cases, those who are injured will suffer extensive nerve damage. For example, a worker at an oil field could break a limb in a fall. Nerves may be torn in the process of this fracture. Even after the break itself heals and the bone is repaired, that person could still be dealing with lasting nerve damage.

It is possible for this nerve damage to heal over time. Every month, nerves can regenerate enough cells to grow approximately an inch. Those who are dealing with nerve damage will often go through physical rehabilitation or physical therapy as they work with a medical team and try to promote nerve healing.

Healing may be incomplete

That said, experts warn that recovery is often slow. It takes a lot of time and people aren’t going to immediately be back to the same physical abilities. Once again, this is true even when other parts of the injury – like the aforementioned fracture – have already completely healed.

These experts also point out that nerve healing can be incomplete. Someone may have absolutely no feeling at the time of the injury. They may slowly regain some feeling and mobility, but they may still have limited functionality and they may feel tingling in the extremities or other types of discomfort. This means that even a nerve that has healed could leave someone with long-term symptoms that they have to deal with.

The financial side

As such, those who have been injured may be concerned about their high medical bills, fundamental changes to their life, lost wages and other such costs. They need to know how to use the legal system to seek proper compensation.