Experiencing radiating pain? Limited mobility? Having trouble standing or sitting in certain positions? While there are many possible causes of these common complaints, it’s very possible that the culprit is simple: a pinched nerve.

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What is a Pinched Nerve?

Pinched nerves are nerves that are irritated, inflamed, compressed or literally being pinched by bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments. The nerve responds to this irritation or damage by sending out signals that alert you that something is very wrong. It’s up to you to respond to the messages delivered by your pinched nerve, resolving the cause of the problem. In other words, you need to relieve the nerve of the pressure through chiropractic adjustment and/or massage (and in some extreme cases, surgery).

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Pinched Nerve Symptoms

When patients come to me complaining of the following, I immediately investigate to see if they are dealing with a pinched nerve:

• Radiating down
• Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations
• Limited range of motion
• Trouble sitting or standing
• Difficulty changing positions (i.e. from sitting to standing, or from lying down to getting up)
• Problems bending forward or arching the back
• Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position or painful spasms when rolling over or changing positions
• Muscle spasms
• Clenched muscles

Some symptoms are less obvious than others. For example, nerves control and coordinate internal organ function, so sometimes a seemingly unrelated health problem (i.e. digestive issues) can be traced back to a pinched nerve.

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Most Common Causes of a Pinched Nerve

When a patient comes in with pinched neck symptoms, we conduct a comprehensive consultation including x-rays and risk factor assessment. In most cases, pinched nerves are caused by:

• Subluxations (misalignment of spine)
• Disc degeneration (when the shock absorbing cushioning material between discs begins to deteriorate)
• Osteoarthritis (as evidenced by bone spurs or degeneration of cushioning between bones)
• Disc protrusions or herniation (a form of misalignment in which a disc protrudes and rubs against nerves)
• Chemical neuritis (irritation related to inflammation of muscles and tissues)

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Pinched Nerve Treatment Options

Pinched nerves are quite common. For example, let’s say you pull a muscle. As the muscle becomes inflamed (natural healing response of the body), the nerves in that area of the body can become compressed, irritated or also inflamed. If space becomes tight, nerves get pinched.

Even more common, let’s say you have to brake quickly in traffic or your dog pulls hard on the leash. As a result, your spine may get misaligned ever so slightly, resulting in compression and a pinched nerve. A simple chiropractic adjustment can restore alignment and relieve pressure from the nerve.

Unfortunately, a lot of people turn to pain relievers when they experience a pinched nerve. While this may provide temporary partial relief, it does not correct the underlying cause of the problem. In fact, masking the pain may encourage you to do things that make the problem worse.

For best results, see you chiropractor for a series of adjustments to remove the pressure from that nerve (and keep it properly aligned). Use ice and heat (alternately) to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to the healing area. If you have room in your budget, you may also want to visit a massage therapist or use a massage table (like the ones available free-of-charge in our office) to reduce muscle cramping. Presto! That pinched nerve will thank you for taking care of your body.

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Looking for Huntersville Chiropractic for Pinched Nerve Relief?

Call us at 704-947-7272 to arrange an appointment with Dr. Doyle or just stop by our office. We’ll help you figure out the best path forward to optimal health.