What it means
Sensory (afferent) nerves bring information in from the skin, muscles, joints, organs, eyes and ears. Motor nerves carry commands out to muscles. Damage to sensory nerves, as in diabetic neuropathy, causes numbness, tingling or burning pain, and a person may not feel injuries.
For the nurse
Teach clients with poor feeling in the feet to check them every day, test bath water with the elbow, and always wear shoes.
At a glance
| Spanish | nervio sensitivo |
|---|---|
| Also written | sensory nerves |
Related terms
numbness
Loss or reduction of feeling in a part of the body.
neuron
A nerve cell: a cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the nervous system.
peripheral nervous system
All the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, which link them to the rest of the body.
somatic
Relating to the body, as opposed to the mind.