An MRI may be able help identify structural lesions that may be pressing against the nerve so the problem can be corrected before permanent nerve damage occurs. Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings.
How do you test for nerve damage?
The signs of nerve damage
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
- Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock.
- Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
- Regularly dropping objects that you're holding.
- Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
- A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.
Can you see neuropathy on MRI?
Because the vast majority of people with peripheral neuropathy (also called polyneuropathy) have the longest nerves of the body primarily affected (mostly in the toes and feet, but sometimes also in the hands), there is essentially no justification for MRI of the brain or spine in these cases.
