Peripheral Nerve Disorders
![Image of physician and nurse reviewing 3D model of brain](/files/MSHealth/Assets/Media/final/HS/Care/PeripheralNerve.jpg)
Sometimes your pain can become chronic and not easily treated by standard medical care. This may occur because of an issue with your peripheral nervous system. Our doctors are committed to treating our patients with the utmost care and respect. We work with you both before and after surgery to help you return to daily living.
The peripheral portion of the nervous system involves the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body. The system acts as a messenger service carrying information (such as pain, pressure, heat, and spatial awareness) from your body to your brain. It also carries motor information from your brain and spinal cord back to the muscles of your body. This includes voluntary movement as well as involuntary functions such as breathing.
Of the many diseases and disorders that affect the peripheral nervous system, some are well suited for neurosurgical treatment, such as the surgical freeing of entrapped nerves.
Some of the major peripheral nerve conditions that we treat are:
- Brachial plexus disorder
- Entrapped Nerves
- Neuropathic pain
- Peripheral nerve trauma
- Tumors
Diagnosis and Treatment
To find out if you have a problem with your peripheral nervous system, we use state-of-the-art technology such as:
- Magnetic resonance neurography uses magnetic resonance imaging to produce cross-sections of your body’s nerves. These scans help us distinguish peripheral nerves from their surrounding tissue, as well as damaged nerves from healthy nerves.
- Electrodiagnostic studies use electrophysiological tests to measure the electrical properties of tissues to help diagnose damage to peripheral nerves.
- Intraoperative monitoring uses electrophysiological tests to monitor peripheral nerve function during surgery. These detections allow our doctors to continuously check how you are doing throughout the surgery, to protect the nerve function.
Meet Our Faculty
Nirit Weiss, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery