Are you feeling tingling or weakness in your hand? The cause could be the Radial Nerve!

Have you ever felt a tingling sensation in your hand, or a sudden feeling of numbness? Maybe you even find it difficult to grasp something in your hand. One reason for this could be a problem with a very important nerve in our hand. Today we are talking about the Radial Nerve, which is very important for the movement and sensation of our hand.

Simply put, what is the Radial Nerve?

Think of our nervous system as a system of electrical wires. The brain is the main powerhouse. From there, these electrical wires, or nerves, help carry messages to and from all parts of the body.

The radial nerve is another major "cable" that carries messages to our hands. It provides movement and sensation to parts of our hand, forearm, wrist, and arm. We have this nerve in both hands.

It is called "radial" because this nerve runs along the radius bone, one of the two bones in our forearm.

What service does this nerve provide for us?

The functions of the radial nerve can be divided into two main parts. They are controlling movements (Motor function) and providing sensations (Sensory function) . Let's see what they are.

Other important nerves in our hands

In addition to the radial nerve, there are several other major nerves that help with the function of our hand.

• Median nerve
• Ulnar nerve
• Axillary nerve
• Musculocutaneous nerve

Where is the radial nerve located?

To understand this, let's compare our nervous system to a large tree. The spinal cord is the trunk of the tree. Nerves spread throughout the body as if branches branch out from there.

The radial nerve begins in the brachial plexus , a network of nerves that joins together from our neck and upper chest. This network of nerves runs down our arm through our armpit.

The course of the radial nerve is like a winding river.

1. Starting from the armpit: This nerve wraps around the humerus, the long bone that runs from our shoulder to our elbow, and then comes down.

2. Through the elbow: It passes through a narrow tunnel called the radial tunnel, formed between the bones and muscles on the outside of the elbow.

3. Bifurcation into two branches: At the elbow, this nerve divides into two main branches:

• Superficial branch: This only provides sensation. It runs along the forehead to the wrist and fingers.
• Deep branch: This branch travels through the muscles of the forearm and helps extend the wrist and fingers. It ends at the wrist.

What are the common conditions that affect the radial nerve?

The radial nerve can be damaged for a variety of reasons. The most common cause is pressure on the nerve, which can lead to neuropathic pain.

Here are some such situations:

• Radial nerve entrapment: This condition can occur when the nerve becomes compressed anywhere along its path. Depending on the location of the compression, pain, sensation, or movement problems may occur.
• Radial tunnel syndrome: This is caused by compression of the nerve inside the radial tunnel at the elbow. Symptoms include pain around the elbow and weakness in the forearm and wrist.
• Radial nerve palsy: "Palsy" means weakness or paralysis. This can be caused by sleeping with your arm stiff, using crutches, or a fracture of the humerus bone. This causes symptoms such as numbness and weakness in the arm. One of the main symptoms of this condition is "wrist drop."
• Wartenberg syndrome: In this condition, the sensory branch of the nerve at the wrist is compressed by muscles.

What are the symptoms of damage to the radial nerve?

Symptoms may vary depending on where the nerve is damaged, but there are some common symptoms.

How do we keep this radial nerve healthy?

There are many simple things we can do to keep our nervous system healthy.

• Avoid prolonged crutching: Do not keep your elbow, wrist, and hand in the same position and do not hold them in place. If you use crutches, take frequent breaks.
• Be safe: Follow safety precautions when engaging in activities that involve high-impact falls. Fractures of the humerus can cause nerve damage.
• Manage chronic diseases: If you have diseases that can damage your nerves, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, it is very important to control them well.
• Quit smoking: Tobacco use reduces blood flow to the nerves.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.
• Reduce stress: Relax your mind through activities like meditation and walking.

When should I see a doctor?

• If it's difficult to pick up or hold something.
• If you cannot extend your hand, wrist, or fingers.
• If you have persistent pain, tingling, or weakness in your hand, wrist, or fingers.
• If the wrist hangs down (Wrist drop).

We usually don't think much about our body's nerves until we have a problem. But it's only when we experience some weakness that we realize how important nerves like the radial nerve are to our daily activities. That's why it's so important to be aware of these symptoms.