Nerve compression syndrome or compression neuropathy, is caused by direct pressure on a nerve.
It is known as a trapped nerve.
Its symptoms include pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness.
Common in trapment neuropathies include: carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy, and moralgia paresthetica.
Cervical radiculopathy is also considered as a peripheral nerve compression with pain traveling down the upper extremity into the last two digits that can come from either C8 cervical radiculopathy or an older neuropathy, or both.
C6 a C7 radiculopathy can present similarly to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Electromyography can be helpful in determining peripheral causes of pain.
Symptoms of entrapment neuropathy affects just one particular part of the body, depending on which nerve is affected.
Median carpal tunnel carpal tunnel syndrome
Median (anterior interosseous) proximal forearm anterior interosseous syndrome
Median pronator teres pronator teres syndrome
Median ligament of Struthers Ligament of Struthers syndrome
Ulnar cubital tunnel Cubital tunnel syndrome
Ulnar Guyon’s canal Guyon’s canal syndrome
Radial axilla Radial nerve compression
Radial spiral groove Radial nerve compression
Radial (Posterior interosseous) proximal forearm posterior interosseous nerve entrapment
Radial (Superficial radial) distal forearmWartenberg’s Syndrome
Suprascapular suprascapular notch suprascapular nerve entrapment
Common peroneal fibular neck peroneal nerve compression
Tibial tarsal tunnel tarsal tunnel syndrome
Saphenous Roof of Adductor canal
Saphenous nerve entrapment syndrome
Lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh inguinal ligament meralgia paraesthetica
Sciatic piriformis piriformis syndrome
Iliohypogastric lower abdomen iliohypogastric nerve entrapment
Obturator obturator canal obturator nerve entrapment
Pudendal pelvis pudendal nerve entrapment
Abdominal cutaneous nerves abdominal wall anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome
Symptoms manifest as tingling, numbness, and/ or a burning sensation in the area of the body affected by the corresponding nerve.
Causes;
A nerve may be compressed by prolonged or repeated external force.
Part of the patient’s body can cause the compression-tumor, ganglion cyst or a haematoma.
Expansion of the tissues around a nerve in a space where there is little room for this to occur-carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral edema.
Diabetes is a clinical condition that increase susceptible to nerve compression.
Pathophysiologically, external pressure reduces flow in the vessels supplying the nerve with blood.
Vasoconstriction of the vasa nervorum local ischemia, which has an immediate effect on the ability of the nerve axons to transmit action potentials.
Over time, focal demyelination occurs, followed by axonal damage and finally scarring.
Symptoms and signs vary by which nerve is affected, where along its length the nerve is affected, and how severely the nerve it is damaged.
Early manifestations include
positive sensory symptoms particularly tingling and neuropathic pain, followed or accompanied by reduced sensation or complete numbness.
Later phenomena include muscle weakness is usually noticed later, with muscle atrophy.
A compression neuropathy is usually diagnosed clinically on the basis of the symptoms and signs alone.
Nerve conduction studies can confirm the diagnosis, quantifying the severity, and ruling out involvement of other nerves.
A mononeuropathy, may cause similar symptoms to compression neuropathy.
Treatment is directed to the underlying condition.
A weight loss program is the most appropriate treatment for compression neuropathy caused by obesity.
Compression neuropathy occurring in pregnancy often resolves with delivery.
Some compression neuropathies are amenable to surgery: carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome.
Surgery depends on the severity of the symptoms, the risks of the proposed operation, and the prognosis if untreated.
After surgery symptoms may resolve completely, but compression was severe or prolonged some symptoms may persist.
The goal of treating nerve compression is to relieve forces on the nerve.
Nerves are very slow to heal.