One of the most serious consequences of a dog bite is nerve damage. Even if the visible injury doesn’t seem severe, the extreme strength of a dog’s jaw can easily compress or tear nerves. Since this tissue cannot regenerate, nerve damage is permanent and can have lifelong consequences.
Keep reading to learn about the types of nerve damage dog bites commonly cause, symptoms of nerve damage after a bite, and what your next step should be if you or someone in your family were attacked by a vicious dog.
The After Effects of Nerve Damage
Nerves are the body’s communication pathways. They’re how your brain tells your legs to move or for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s hungry. It’s also how the body senses pain. When nerve tissue is damaged, it can no longer “talk” to your brain or vice versa.
A few different things can happen when this occurs. Sensation may be lost entirely, or pain signals can misfire and cause injured people to be in frequent or even constant pain even though the injury has healed.
Not a lot can be done once nerve damage occurs. Different therapies and medications may help relieve symptoms, but improvement can be unpredictable and sporadic. After the nerve tissue has healed as much as it’s going to, dog bite victims are often left with lasting problems.
Depending on the severity of the injury, these individuals may have difficulty working, socializing, or even taking basic care of themselves. Treatments, physical and emotional therapy, and other support services may be needed long term.
Kinds of Nerve Damage That Can Happen After a Dog Bite
There are three primary kinds of nerve damage that can happen when a dog bites:
1. Neurapraxia
Neurapraxia occurs when a nerve is compressed and is usually temporary. This often happens when a dog bites but doesn’t break the skin and is the least serious type of nerve damage. People with this condition might experience sensation and mobility loss that can last anywhere between hours to weeks and sometimes even months.
2. Axonotmesis
If nerves are stretched or pulled beyond their capacity to do so, this can result in axonotmesis. It’s more serious than neurapraxia but many people can recover with adequate medical support. Paralysis of the affected area sometimes happens with axonotmesis and recovery can be arduous but is statistically successful.
3. Neurotmesis
Neurotmesis is the most severe and occurs when nerves are torn or severed during a dog attack. Surgery and rehabilitation may be able to restore some functionality to the injured area, but this isn’t guaranteed. The results of the condition are almost always permanent and victims must adapt to a new – and often painful – way of life.
Many dog bite victims experience more than one kind of nerve damage when they are attacked. For example, nerves closest to the injury site might be shredded, while nerves farther away may only be compressed. These conditions are extremely complex and require the skill of a knowledgeable medical professional with experience in dog bite repair and rehabilitation.
Signs You Have Damaged Nerves from a Dog Attack
Nerve damage can result in a wide array of symptoms. Some of the most common include:
- Numbness or the loss of feeling in the area that was bitten
- Burning and tingling, especially if it radiates from the bite
- Sharp or shooting pains when you move the affected body part
- “Pins and needles” sensations, like the area has “fallen asleep”
- Weakness of the affected area or an inability to move it
- Muscle jerking or twitching
How a Qualified Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Near You Can Help
Were you or someone you know hurt by a dog? The next steps you take are very important. At Mazow | McCullough, PC, our experienced Massachusetts dog bite attorneys can help you get the medical care and legal support you need after a dog attack.
Contact us today to book your free initial consultation by calling our Salem, MA law office at (978) 744-8000 or toll-free at (855) 693-9084. We’re here to guide you through the process of obtaining the compensation you need to cover expenses related to the attack and holding negligent dog owners responsible for their actions.
