Serious injuries, arthritis, and accidents may cause pinched nerves. What is a pinched nerve though?  Most people may not even know if they have a pinched nerve. If an individual experiences tingling, numbness, or pain in the leg, it’s a sign of a pinched nerve.

It may not seem like much at first, but if left unattended, a pinched nerve can hamper the body’s ability to transmit signals, limit normal movements and interfere with daily activities. Can a chiropractor treat a pinched nerve? The answer is yes, but how?

This blog discusses the symptoms, treatment and medications for pinched nerve. Without further delay, let’s get started.

What Is a Pinched Nerve?

To understand what a pinched nerve is, we must understand the musculoskeletal system. The bones, muscles, and nerves form the musculoskeletal system, enabling movement and support. When the bones, muscles, or ligaments compress or irritate the nerve, it results in a pinched nerve.

8 Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve

The brain is also a part of the nervous system and it receives signals when a pinched nerve occurs. When the bones, ligaments, and muscles compress the nerve, it sends mixed signals to the brain. Desi, you may face pinched nerves when surrounding tissues like bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and other nervous systems, gay pressure more than necessary. It gives you extreme pressure that disrupts its functions abruptly. That directly leads to various uncomfortable and deviating systems. It can have several other symptoms to recognize. The symptoms of a pinched nerve we have explained are as follows;

1: Numbness

Numbness happens when you experience the loss of sensation. For example, you may not feel anything or have a dead feeling in the affected area.

Whey It Happens: even the loss of sensation can have several regions, and nerve compression can be one of the main reasons. When compression occurs in the nerve, it reduces proper signal transmission to the brain, and as a result, it receives decreased feelings. 

Which Part of the Body gets affected?

It can be your hands, fingers, feet, or legs.

2: Tingling

Also known as pin and needle, Tingling feels like prickling, an electric sensation. It happens due to partial compression of the nerve. It usually disrupts normal nerve impulses and experiences abnormal sensation. The common body parts that can have tingling, includes arms, legs, hands, or feet. 

3: Sharp, Burning, or Stabbing Pain

Sharp pain is when a part of your body feels sudden or intense pain or when you experience pain, such as an electric shock or a deep ache. It usually happens when a nerve gets irritated and sends exaggerated pain signals to the brain. Body parts that can have sharp pain include the neck, lower back, and wrists. 

4: Muscle Weakness

Do you feel difficulty while gripping, lifting, or moving, it can be a sign of  muscle weakness. The common cause for the weakness is prolonged never compression. When you have consistent nerve compression, it rescues the strength of your body part and sends weakness signals to muscles. 

5: Radicular pain

Radicular or radiating pain is when you feel pain starting from one point and ending to another. For example, pain traveling through the spine to limbs. This happens when you have persistent pressure on spinal nerve roots. Sometimes, you may feel pain shooting from lower back down the leg. 

6: Muscle spasms or Twitching

When you experience sudden jerking near the affected nerve or your involuntary muscle contraction experience sudden yet stabbing pain. It happens due to never misfiring which as a result disrupts normal muscle control. Body parts, like thighs back muscles, or calves are the most affected area. 

7: Worsening pain with certain movements

Do you experience stabbing pain when you take any action? For example, you feel pain or increased pain while turning the head, lifting an arm, or moving forward. These are the symptoms of worsening pain or certain movements. This happens when your movement comprises the never further which amplifies irritation. The most complained pain types include neck pain, shoulder pain, and others. 

Due to the mixed signals sent to the brain, individuals don’t feel pain at the affected nerves. Instead, the pain spreads to other parts of the body. The symptoms of pinched nerves in the spine include the following-

• Cervical radiculopathy – Pinched nerve in the neck
• Thoracic radiculopathy – Pinched nerve in the middle/upper back
• Lumbar radiculopathy – Pinched nerve in the lower back

Read More : Pinched Nerve in Shoulder – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Other Types Of Pinched Nerves

Apart from the 8 pinched nerve issue we have learned, there are several other types of pinched nerves that can disturb you the most. They are as follows-

• Median pinched nerve in the wrists – Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Radial nerve in the elbows – Radial tunnel syndrome
• Lower back and upper chest nerves – Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Ulnar nerve at the elbow/wrist – Ulnar nerve entrapment
• Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in the thighs – Meralgia paresthetica
• Peroneal nerve on the foot – Fibular tunnel syndrome
• Sciatic nerve in the lower back, hips, butt, and leg – Sciatica
• Tibial Nerve in the heel/foot sole – Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Pinched nerves can also include tingling or the feeling of numerous needles pricking the foot. Sitting or lying down in a bad posture can also trigger a pinched nerve. Once the individual gets out of the bad position, the nerve pain subsides and gets better.

5 Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Pinched Nerves

The problems we have explained earlier in this article have one Common solution that is chiropractic care. It provides instant pain relief, improves motion, and streamline medication and healing. We have explained the benefits of chiropractic care for pinched nerves. They  include the following-

• Pain relief
• Improved range of motion
• Reduced dependence on medication and surgery
• Addresses the root cause of the pinched nerve
• May restore optimal nerve function and overall health

Key Reasons Causing Pinched Nerves

As stated above, pinched nerves occur when bones, ligaments, and muscles compress against the nerves. This swelling may also occur due to excessive swelling and inflammation. Other than the above-mentioned reasons, additional causes for pinched nerves include the following-

• Rheumatoid arthritis – Joint inflammation that irritates or puts excessive pressure on the surrounding nerves.
• Osteoarthritis – When an individual’s cartilage gives away, their bones rub against each other. The body adapts by growing new bone which may interfere with nerve function.
• Injuries – Injuries related to bones, joints, ligaments can cause a pinched nerve.

Other Causes of Pinched Nerves

• Herniated discs
• Spinal tumors
• Spinal stenosis
• Spinal fractures

Factors increasing the risks of pinched nerves include the following-

• Older adults above 55 may experience pinched nerves due to arthritis and age-related degeneration.
• Excessive body weight can put undue pressure on the joints and nerves.
• Pregnancy can push organs and tissues to the side, resulting in pinched nerves.
• Excessive wear and tear caused by strenuous sports or manual labor can cause pinched nerves.

Diagnosis and Treatment

If the pinched nerve does not heal over time or show signs of improvement, it is time to consult a reputed chiropractor or Physical Therapy Clinic like Town Physical Therapy. The expert may begin by asking some routine questions followed by examining the affected areas and checking for changes in reflexes. The diagnosis for pinched nerve usually involves-

• X-ray – An X-ray scan detects bone anomalies that irritate/press on nerves.
• Ultrasound – Highlights nerve compression or ligament damage
• CT scan – Provides detailed 3D images of the bones, muscles, and soft tissues.
• MRI scan – Determines whether soft tissues are causing the nerve compression.
• EMG study – EMG or nerve conduction study identifies the cause of pinched nerves.

Treatments for a Pinched Nerve

When a person experiences a pinched nerve, he can approach a doctor to get treated. However, traditional doctors may only have the knowledge and expertise to reduce the pain. Only a qualified professional with experience in chiropractic services can find the root cause of the problem and decide the right course of treatment.

Treatment for a pinched nerve includes the following-

• Ample rest is a must to ensure proper healing.
• Refrain from performing strenuous activity or exercise targeting muscles in the affected area.
• Regular physical therapy for muscle strengthening.
• Electrical stimulation to improve nerve function and promote muscle relaxation
• Medications like pain relievers and corticosteroid injections may help.
• In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to reduce pain or reduce pressure.
• Ice/heat packs are decent home remedies, but they may not cure a pinched nerve.
• Spinal decompression may be effective for pinched nerves/back pain.

Usually, a pinched nerve heals gradually. It can take four to six weeks for a pinched nerve to heal. However, if the symptoms last longer than that, it is best to consult a reputed chiropractor near you.

8 Tips to Prevent Pinched Nerve

The following tips may help prevent pinched nerve

• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Perform stretching and mobility exercises to ensure optimal health of muscles and bones.
• Maintain good posture while sitting, walking and standing. Avoid slouching or hunching.
• Use chairs that support your lower back.
• Avoid sitting for extended periods.
• If you work in a sedentary job, ensure that the screen is at eye level.
• Sleep on supportive mattresses and pillows that provide adequate neck support.
• Stay hydrated at all times to ensure optimal health of the discs between the vertebrae.

Final Thoughts

The severity of a pinched nerve differs from person to person. If the symptoms don’t disappear after a few weeks, it is advisable to consult a professional chiropractic service provider. Town Physical Therapy is a reputed healthcare institution specializing in neurological conditions including pinched nerves. Do not neglect an issue until it becomes a life-threatening problem. Talk to our experts at Town Physical Therapy to see what we can do for you.