Compression or elongation of a nerve, resulting in sensations of numbness, tingling, weakness, and occasionally pain in the region served by the affected nerve. Examples of nerve entrapment include conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, where pressure on the median nerve within the wrist leads to symptoms in the thumb, index, and middle fingers; herniated disc, in which pressure on the nerve root extending from the spinal cord causes symptoms in the back and legs; and crutch palsy, characterized by the radial nerve being compressed against the upper arm bone (humerus), resulting in symptoms in the wrist and hand.
Recovery of a damaged nerve can require a considerable duration. In more severe instances, surgical decompression might be needed to alleviate the pressure on the affected nerve.