If you experience tingling, numbness or weakness in your hands, arms, legs or feet, it could be a sign of peripheral compression neuropathy. This condition happens when a nerve outside the brain or spinal cord is compressed or squeezed.
Peripheral compression neuropathies can make everyday activities more difficult. You may find it difficult to grip objects, button your shirt or walk without discomfort. Banner Health is here to help you understand what’s going on and find treatments to relieve your symptoms.
Peripheral nerves carry messages between your brain, spinal cord and the rest of your body. Each nerve controls different sensations and movements.
Compression neuropathies happen when a nerve is compressed or trapped by nearby tissue, like bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments. This pressure slows or blocks the nerve’s ability to send signals. As a result, it can cause pain, weakness or numbness in the area it controls.
These conditions are sometimes called:
While carpal tunnel syndrome (compression of the median nerve at the wrist) and cubital tunnel syndrome (compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow) are more common, many people experience other, less familiar types of nerve compression.
These conditions often depend on the type of nerve involved and the location in the body where the pressure is occurring.
Some lesser-known conditions include:
There are many reasons why a nerve might become compressed. It often affects nerves that travel through small openings (tunnels or canals) in your joints.
Possible causes may include:
In some cases, damage to the myelin sheath (the protective layer surrounding a nerve) can make the nerve more likely to become irritated or squeezed.
Anyone can develop nerve compression syndrome, but some people are more likely to experience it than others.
You may be at higher risk if you:
Signs of nerve compression syndrome often depend on the nerve involved.
Common symptoms include:
Symptoms may come and go at first. Over time, they may become more frequent and more intense.
If your symptoms last more than a few days or start to affect your daily activities, it’s time to see a health care provider. Waiting too long can lead to permanent nerve damage or long-term loss of movement.
At Banner Health, we offer expert care from a team that understands compression neuropathies and can guide you toward the best treatment. Find a Banner Health specialist near you.
Your health care provider will review your symptoms, ask about your health history and perform a physical exam. They may check your strength, flexibility and ability to feel different sensations.
Other tools include:
Together, these tests can help locate the compressed nerve and decide on the best treatment approach.
Nerve entrapment syndromes are treated using both non-surgical and surgical options, depending on your symptoms and the cause of the nerve compression.
Most people begin with non-surgical care, especially if the nerve hasn’t been compressed for a long time. These treatments may include:
These approaches can often relieve symptoms and help prevent the need for surgery.
If non-surgical treatments don’t improve symptoms or if the nerve compression is severe, surgery may be recommended. Surgery aims to release the compressed nerve and reduce pain or muscle weakness.
Surgeons at Banner Health use minimally invasive techniques, which involve smaller incisions (cuts) and specialized tools, whenever possible. This often means a faster recovery, less pain and fewer complications.
Recovery depends on the type of treatment you receive, how long the nerves have been compressed and your overall health. Some people feel better right away. Others may take weeks or months to recover fully.
After treatment, your health care provider may recommend:
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