Nerve Degeneration

Nerve degeneration occurs when various areas of the nerve cells are damaged and no longer able to correctly send signals to the body area the nerve serves. The Atlas Institute proudly offers its patients solutions for nerve degeneration in Denver.

What is Nerve Degeneration?

The nerve, over time, breaks down. It may be the symptom of a disease, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or MS. Nerve health can also be affected by toxic exposure, nerve entrapment, trauma, lesions, an accident, surgery, an infection, viruses, pressure, deficiencies, or alcohol misuse. Several different areas of the nerve cells can be damaged, causing the nerve to stop functioning correctly.

What Areas of the Body can be Affected by Nerve Degeneration?

The nerve system outside the brain and spinal cord, the peripheral nerve system, can suffer nerve degeneration, impacting a range of areas of the body, including:

Hands
Feet
Legs
Arms
Chest

What are the Symptoms of Nerve Degeneration?

The symptoms of nerve degeneration include:

Tingling
Burning pain
Shooting pain
Loss of sensation
Numbness
Weakness
Lack of coordination
Vision changes
Muscle wasting

Treatments for Nerve Degeneration

The nervous system is extremely complex, and treating nerve degeneration was at one time considered impossible. Over the years, research has led to the development of advanced treatments that can help with nerve regeneration. At The Atlas Institute, our specialists perform a range of the most advanced treatments for peripheral nerve conditions, including nerve degeneration in Denver. The treatments we deliver include:

Nerve grafts: Nerve grafting, or nerve transplant surgery, can be performed to replace a gap in a nerve that has been damaged due to impact or injury. In this procedure, a section of a healthy nerve is harvested from another body area. The damaged section of nerve is removed and replaced with the healthy section of nerve, allowing it to regenerate with time.
Nerve repair: A damaged nerve may be restored with advanced nerve repair. The technique employed by the nerve surgeon will reflect the type of damage to the nerve, and may be nerve transfer, nerve grafting, or a direct repair to the nerve itself.
Nerve transfers: Scarred or injured nerve tissue is removed from the ends of a damaged nerve, and then either reconnected, or replaced with a healthy nerve portion harvested from the body. The nerve fibers must be aligned with the help of a microscope and transferred with ultimate precision for a successful surgery.
Regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI): First developed to allow a patient to control a prosthetic. It is among the most advanced techniques for nerve regeneration. It may be the approach for patients who have suffered an amputation, or a neuroma, a benign tumor of nerve tissue. Once a painful neuroma is removed, this procedure can help keep it from returning with time.

Nerve Injuries and Treatments

An injured nerve can develop a disorganized growth of nerve cells, a neuroma. The neuroma can be painful or cause a tingling sensation when pressured. These growths can occur after a trauma, such as an accident or surgical treatment. The cell growth can be the source of ongoing pain and discomfort, and can occur after hernia repair, or any surgery, or be an unfortunate and uncomfortable side effect of an amputation. Every treatment performed at The Atlas Institute Peripheral Nerve Care in Denver will be carefully planned and performed with ultimate skill and precision. The goal – a patient who is living without pain, with a better quality of life.

Why Choose The Atlas Institute?

To create a successful treatment plan, the underlying case of nerve degeneration must be diagnosed. The Atlas Institute is a state-of-the-art nerve center, equipped with the latest in diagnostic and therapeutic technology, that delivers both surgical and non-surgical solutions for nerve pain or dysfunction.

The surgical treatment for nerve degeneration is a very advanced technique. The team at The Atlas Institute is down-to-earth, focusing purely on the technical aspects of surgery and treatment. Every member of the surgical team and support staff is to be able to look and function beautifully through thoughtful and meticulously performed surgery. The surgical team has extensive training and experience in nerve-specific maladies and delivers the full spectrum of treatments. The surgical team is among the most experienced, talented, and dedicated in the Denver area and beyond.