Pinched Nerve: What it is and How to Fix It

A “pinched nerve” is the name given to the uncomfortable sensation, pain, or numbness caused when increased pressure leads to irritation or damage to a peripheral nerve (A peripheral nerve is one that is outside the brain and spinal cord.). Although this condition is often associated with back pain or a neck injury, almost any nerve is susceptible.

Damage from a pinched nerve may be minor or severe. It may cause temporary or long-lasting problems. The earlier you get a diagnosis and treatment for nerve compression, the more quickly you’ll find relief. In most cases, chiropractic care can help. In some cases, you can’t reverse the damage from a pinched nerve. But treatment can usually still relieve pain and other symptoms. Chiropractic specifically looks for the source of the impingement and via means of restoring normal alignment and various therapies, alleviates the compression on the nerve.

Causes of Pinched Nerves

A pinched nerve occurs when there is “compression” on a nerve. The pressure may be the result of repetitive motions, trauma or it may happen from holding your body in one position for long periods, such as sleeping awkwardly or sitting for prolonged periods of time.

Nerve compression often occurs when there are misalignment’s in the spine, bulging discs or swelling around the joint. Other sources of nerve entrapment may include ligament thickening, scar tissue/post surgical adhesion’s, arthritic bone spurs, stenosis, and tendinopathy.

Inflammation or pressure on a nerve root exiting the spine may cause neck pain, low back pain or radiculopathy. Radiculopathy means the nerve can refer pain and dysfunction to the arms and legs. This can lead to pain in the shoulders, elbows, hands, wrist and fingers if there is a pinched nerve in the neck. There can also be pain in the hips, groin, knees, ankles and toes if there is a pinched nerve in the low back.

Symptoms of Pinched Nerves

The most common symptom of a pinched nerve is a tingling sensation, which can be accompanied by some numbness. This may initially come and go, but over time becomes persistent. Or you may have other symptoms without pain. These are some of the more common symptoms of compressed nerves:

• Pain in the area of compression, such as the neck or low back
• Radiating pain, such as sciatica or radicular pain
• Numbness or tingling
• “Pins and needles” or a burning sensation
• Weakness, especially with certain activities

There are also many common areas where nerves are pinched. Here are just a few:

• carpal tunnel (where the median nerve at the wrist is injured)
• ulnar nerve at the elbow (frequently caused by leaning on elbows while sitting or driving)
• lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (This is also known as meralgia paresthetica, caused by compression of the sensory nerve leading to the upper thigh. This may also be seen in pregnancy, when the enlarging uterus can also cause nerve compression.)
• common peroneal nerve injury (associated with crossing the legs at the knee)
• sciatic nerve problems or sciatica, pain which travels from the low back into the leg (This is frequently used to label the symptoms associated with a pinched nerve in the low back or lumbar spine. Patients with this condition describe pain which travels from the back into a leg or hip.)
• cervical spine (A pinched nerve in the neck can cause pain or tingling to travel into the arm or shoulder blade region.)

How to Fix a Pinched Nerve

The treatment of a pinched nerve depends upon the location and the cause. Resting the affected area is often very effective, especially in cases of injury caused by repetitive activities.

Physical therapy is frequently beneficial when a pinched nerve is caused by problems in the neck or low back. Exercises may strengthen the back or core muscles and decrease or eliminate pressure on a nerve root. Learning to adjust your body positions and posture may also help reduce the likely hood of having a pinched nerve. Chiropractic treatments are also a good and natural way to fix a pinched nerve.

The Takeaway

In short, a pinched nerve occurs when there is “compression” on a nerve. There are a few ways to prevent them and treat them.

If you are interested in deep tissue massages, I encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our trusted practitioners. We also offer many other holistic treatments such as: acupuncture, homeopathy, and spinal decompression. If you need some help figuring out what service is right for you, try our personalized consultation.

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