Sensory nerve

A sensory nerve conducts a signal that one of the senses has picked up to the central nervous system. Sensory cells provide the perception of sensation, such as warmth, cold, and pain.

A sensory nerve is also called an afferent nerve. It conducts impulses toward the central nervous system. The motor nerve, or efferent nerve, works in the opposite direction and transmits signals from the central nervous system.

Sensory receptor cells can therefore conduct stimuli from outside to the central nervous system, such as pain and temperature, but also information about the position of a joint or body part. The 'receivers' located in the musculoskeletal system are called proprioceptors. For that reason, the sense of the musculoskeletal system is also called proprioception.

The cell body of a sensory nerve fiber lies in a swelling just in front of the spinal cord. This is called a spinal ganglion (spinal nerve ganglion). Each ganglion has one projection that splits into two fibers. One goes to the skin or to the musculoskeletal system, and one ends in the spinal cord.

Symptoms of sensory nerves

Because of the course of sensory nerves, it is relatively easy to determine where the problem lies when nerves are affected. For example, tingling or a dull feeling on the little-finger side of the hand immediately indicates to a physical therapist, primary care physician, or neurologist which nerve is involved and where that nerve exits the spinal cord.

In this way, the practitioner can assess the course of the nerve to investigate where the nerve is being pinched. A pinched nerve is what causes the familiar sleeping or tingling fingers or feet to occur.