As an occupational therapist, you might be working with lots of various types of nerve injuries. In this blog post, I’m going to talk a little bit about nerve compressions. If you think about it, all of our nerves come out of one place, and we could be working with people with hand and arm injuries who have nerve compression issues.
There are three types of nerve injuries. There’s compression, traction, and lacerations. So when it comes to nerves, you can work on all those things, but first, it requires you to understand what nerves are and what they do, right?
Occupational therapy offers many opportunities, including jobs for occupational therapists working with nerve injuries. Having this knowledge can help you take your career to the next level.
The Structure of the Spine and Nerves
The brain sits on top of the spine, which is divided into three parts: the neck, the middle back, and the lower back.
- The neck part has seven bones. It helps you move your head.
- The middle back part has twelve bones. It connects to your ribs and protects your heart and lungs.
- The lower back part has five bones. It supports your upper body and helps you move your lower back.
Knowing about these parts helps you understand how your spine works and what can happen to it. For those looking for jobs for occupational therapists, this understanding is essential when dealing with patients suffering from nerve injuries.
Nerves and Their Pathways
What happens here, when we as occupational therapists work with various types of injuries, is that all of the nerves essentially come out of the neck and move down the arm. So, in this case, you have your cervical spine, right? That’s the part of your spine in your neck. Then, from this area, we have a group of nerves called the brachial plexus. This group of nerves spreads out and turns into what we call the terminal branches, which are the nerves that go all the way down to your arm and hand.
Understanding the Brachial Plexus
Everyone thinks, “Oh my God, I have to know the brachial plexus!”. You actually don’t need to know it in detail unless you’re studying for the CHT exam. For the most part, if you have a book, you’re allowed to look at it. This is one of the reasons I always recommend “Rehab of the Hand” as a great resource to have and keep, so you can look through it. Yes, you can go on the internet and find stuff, but sometimes it’s really nice to have a book you can solidly go to and get the specific information you need based on what you’re looking for. This knowledge is vital for anyone considering jobs for occupational therapists focused on nerve injuries.
Types of Nerve Injuries
Now, like I said, when we work with nerve injuries, we can work with compression injuries, traction injuries, and laceration injuries. The majority of us work with compression issues that are very chronic in nature. So this is our chronic type of injury. Then, we have traction and laceration types of injuries, which are considered acute injuries because you don’t just cut a nerve or pull on a nerve. Something has to happen for that kind of injury to occur, right? From an acute injury, it can then become chronic.
The Nerve Pathway in the Arm
If you think about the journey of a patient, they can come to you for many different reasons or in many different ways. So, as we go along, let’s start with your shoulder. Then we move down to your elbow, which is always important to check. And, of course, below that are your wrists and hands. When you look at it, you can see the pathway the nerve takes through your arm. I didn’t make this up; it’s just how we were designed!
Understanding Peripheral Nerve Injuries
What happens when you have a peripheral nerve injury is that it presents itself one way. On the other hand, when you have a central nervous system injury, like a stroke (though there are other neurological central nervous system injuries), the injury is to the brain, and it affects the arm in a different way.
Peripheral vs. Central Nervous System Injuries
These are all different types of nervous system or neurological injuries. In hand therapy, most certified hand therapists (CHTs) are known for working with peripheral nerve injuries. However, what I’m hoping to do as I share more information is to encourage more occupational therapists to feel comfortable working with all types of stroke-related injuries, all the way down through the arm.
Embracing a Holistic Approach
You don’t have to say, “Oh, I’m not a hand therapist.” I think you should be. Maybe that’s just my opinion, but you don’t have to be a certified hand therapist to understand how the whole arm is supposed to work.
Leveraging Anatomy as an Occupational Therapist
As occupational therapists, one of the things we have the capacity to do is break down activities and identify needs based on anatomy. Let me know if that makes sense. Leave me a comment below and tell me what questions you have about what I’ve already discussed.
Diving Deeper: Nerve Compression Injuries
Inside the mentorship program, we’re going to dive much deeper into nerve compression injuries. I want to help you critically think through not just the anatomy because everyone gets stuck on that, but also how to apply that anatomy. All along the way, you should be able to perform clinical testing and determine what treatment is appropriate, whether it’s a splint or something else.
- Types of Nerve Injuries
- Compression Injuries
- Traction Injuries
- Laceration Injuries
Each type of nerve injury requires a specific understanding and approach, ranging from acute to chronic cases. The main goal is to equip occupational therapists to handle a variety of nerve-related problems.
If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge about hand therapy and nerve injuries, check out my latest YouTube video:
In this video, I dive into the anatomy of the brachial plexus, explore the different types of nerve injuries, and share practical tips for treating patients with compression, traction, and laceration injuries. Whether you’re an occupational therapist or exploring jobs for occupational therapists, you’ll find valuable insights and guidance.
Understanding Nerve Injuries So You Can Provide Better Treatments
Feel free to leave a comment below with any questions or thoughts on this topic.
Jobs for Occupational Therapists: Take the Next Step with Hand Therapy Secrets
If you’re ready to grow as an occupational therapist and help more people, I’m here to guide you through the process.
Whether you’re curious about hand therapy certification or want to know how to become a certified hand therapist, Hand Therapy Secrets can help you achieve your goals.
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