It shouldn’t be a surprise that hand injuries are among the leading causes of missed workdays and visits to emergency centers, costing millions of dollars in workers’ compensation costs and lost productivity.
The hand is one of the most complex parts of the body with the movement of tendons, bones, tissues and nerves allowing you to perform a wide variety of complex tasks.
While sudden traumatic injuries, such as lacerations, punctures or fractures may result in nerve damage, many are associated with repetitive stress.
Types of Nerve Damage
There are generally two categories of nerve damage that can result from:
Bruising, tearing, or stretching of a nerve or the surrounding tissue.Typically associated with a traumatic accident versus repetitive stress, these types of nerve damage injuries would be most serious and can result in loss of function or movement and may limit mobility and strength.
Pressure on nerves that block the transmission of signals to and from the brain. This type of condition is many times associated with loss of blood supply to the affected area, whether from a traumatic accident or stress on the area over a period of time.
Early Detection and Treatment
As with all workplace injuries, successful outcomes are attributed to early detection and immediate intervention. Delays in the diagnosis or treatment of hand injuries can lead to significant morbidity as many long-term complications are dependent on timely intervention. Although some injuries can be treated by nonspecialists, it is important to understand the diagnostic and therapeutic options so that injured worker can be triaged appropriately.
Quick Tips and Tricks
Looking for easy tips ANYBODY can use to quickly assess for nerve damage with hand injuries?
Download our free guide: Hand Injuries – 3 Quick Ways to Assess for Nerve Damage.
Holly is an ER nurse by trade, but loves content marketing. She was born outside the box and believes everything is better with “sprinkles and sparkles”. She is passionate about impacting lives and uses marketing as her platform for sharing practical solutions to address real life occupational health challenges.
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