Symptoms of cervical nerve damage

Nerves are widely distributed in the human body. They control the life activities of various parts of the body. It can be said that our daily life and activities are inseparable from the nervous system, so their health is particularly important. The cervical nerves are relatively widely distributed and have the widest range of action. Let's take a look at the symptoms of cervical nerve damage.

1. Spinal shock is a clinical phenomenon that occurs after spinal cord injury, characterized by complete flaccid paralysis below the injured segment, accompanied by loss of various reflexes, sensations, and sphincter functions. In cases of minor injuries, this phenomenon can be recovered within a few hours or days without leaving any sequelae. However, in more serious injuries, this phenomenon will last for a long time, and it often takes 3 to 6 weeks before autonomous spinal cord activity below the injured segment gradually appears. In spinal shock, it is often difficult to determine whether the spinal cord injury is functional blockade or anatomical transection, but the longer the spinal shock lasts, the more serious the damage.

2. Sensory impairment: All sensations below the level of injury are lost. Sensation will gradually return after the spinal shock has recovered. Sometimes during the spinal shock period, some sensation in the anus and perineum may be retained, indicating that the spinal cord injury is incomplete.

3. In case of transverse motor function injury, the motor function below the injured segment completely disappears after the spinal shock period, but the muscle tone gradually increases and the reflexes become hyperactive. Some injured people may gradually develop autonomous muscle activity after recovering from the spinal shock period, but the muscle groups under the jurisdiction of the damaged segment may show signs of relaxation, atrophy, and disappearance of tendon reflexes. If the signs of lower motor neuron paralysis can be found clinically, it would be of great significance for localization diagnosis.

4. After the reflex shock period disappears, the reflexes of the paralyzed limbs gradually become hyperactive, and the muscle tone changes from relaxation to spasm. People with complete spinal cord injury may eventually develop flexion paraplegia, while people with partial spinal cord injury may develop extension paraplegia. If the skin of the lower limbs is stimulated, it can cause involuntary flexion and urination, which is called the general reflex.

5. Bladder function Different types of neurogenic bladder may occur in spinal cord injury at different stages. During the spinal shock period, the patient presents with an atonic bladder. When the shock gradually recovers, the patient presents with reflex bladder and intermittent urinary incontinence. When the spinal cord recovers to the point where reflexes appear, stimulating the skin of the lower limbs can produce involuntary reflex urination. In the late stage, it manifests as contracture of the bladder. When the patient has gross reflexes, it may present as an uninhibited bladder.

The above are the main symptoms of cervical nerve injury, which have a great impact on the life activities of the human body. Therefore, it is recommended that patients receive treatment in time. Because the nervous system is widely distributed, the surgical process also needs to be a meticulous process, so try to choose a regular hospital.