Nerve Damage Caused by Cold Therapy Devices

What is neuropathy?

Nerve damage is often referred to as neuropathy.  The word neuropathy is derived from two Latin terms:  “neuro” referring to the nerve, and “pathy” indicating disease.  Peripheral neuropathy is a condition involving the nerves outside the central nervous system, mainly in the arms and legs.

The majority of the peripheral nerves are responsible for the sensations you feel such as touch, pain and temperature.  Nerve damage or neuropathy normally occurs when the outer sheathing or the protective covering (myelin) of nerve cells degenerate.   Without this protection, the electrical signals are not transferred, reducing sensation.  As nerve damage gets worse, the nerves either lose their ability to transmit information (resulting in numbness), or they start sending false signals (such as pain or tingling). 

How do cold therapy machines cause nerve damage?

Cold therapy devices, often prescribed by doctors after surgery, apply freezing temperatures directly to the skin for significant periods of time.  Using these cryotherapy machines affects the temperature and duration of exposure, often causing significant frost bite and skin damage.  Such trauma can often result in permanent nerve damage to the affected area.

What are the symptoms of neuropathy?

Neuropathy symptoms depend on the type of nerves – motor, sensory, or autonomic – that are damaged.  Some people may experience numbness, tingling, and pricking sensations, sensitivity to touch, or muscle weakness. 

Others may suffer more extreme symptoms, including burning pain (especially at night), shooting pain, atrophy, paralysis, or organ or gland dysfunction.  Numbness, pain, or tingling in the feet and ankles or legs may, after several years, lead to weakness in the muscles of the feet and a burning sensation in the extremities.

Contact an Experienced Cold Therapy Attorney

You should contact a medical professional immediately if you are experiencing nerve damage with symptoms such as:

* Tingling or numbness in the fingers, toes or legs;

* Cold, burning or pain in the hands, feet or legs;

* Extreme sensitivity to touch;

* Sharp pains or cramps, stabbing and shocks, shooting pain; or

* Loss of balance and coordination.

In addition, you should contact an attorney to help you recover damages for your cold therapy injury.  At O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath, our attorneys have handled several ice therapy cases, helping people obtain requisite compensation for the injuries and nerve damage they’ve sustained due to the use of a cold therapy device.  If you have any of the symptoms above, and believer you’ve sustained nerve damage by using an ice machine, contact us today for a free consultation.