• Print
• « Prev

Pinched Nerve Causes

• BlinkList
• del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• StumbleUpon
• Technorati

Receive a FREE Consultation with a Medical Professional! Contact Us by:
Submitting your info
or
Call (866) 850-6139

Warning: You must enable JavaScript!!

First Name

Last Name

State Please select Alaska Alabama American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Federated States of Micronesia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces Middle East Armed Forces Americas (except Canada) Armed Forces Pacific MX-AG - Mexico: Aguascalientes MX-BC - Mexico: Baja California MX-BS - Mexico: Baja California Sur MX-CM - Mexico: Campeche MX-CS - Mexico: Chiapas MX-CH - Mexico: Chihuahua MX-CO - Mexico: Coahuila MX-CL - Mexico: Colima MX-DG - Mexico: Durango MX-DF - Mexico: Federal District MX-GT - Mexico: Guanajuato MX-GR - Mexico: Guerrero MX-HG - Mexico: Hidalgo MX-JA - Mexico: Jalisco MX-ME - Mexico: Mexico State MX-MI - Mexico: Michoacán MX-MO - Mexico: Morelos MX-NA - Mexico: Nayarit MX-NL - Mexico: Nuevo León MX-OA - Mexico: Oaxaca MX-PB - Mexico: Puebla MX-QE - Mexico: Querétaro MX-QR - Mexico: Quintana RooSinaloa MX-SL - Mexico: San Luis Potosí MX-SO - Mexico: Sonora MX-TP - Mexico: Tabasco MX-TM - Mexico: Tamaulipas MX-TL - Mexico: Tlaxcala MX-VE - Mexico: Veracruz MX-YU - Mexico: Yucatán MX-ZA - Mexico: Zacatecas AB - CA Province: Alberta BC - CA Province: British Columbia MB - CA Province: Manitoba NB - CA Province: New Brunswick NL - CA Province: Newfoundland and Labrador NT - CA Province: Northwest Territories NS - CA Province: Nova Scotia NU - CA Province: Nunavut ON - CA Province: Ontario PE - CA Province: Prince Edward Island QC - CA Province: Québec SK - CA Province: Saskatchewan YT - CA Province: Yukon

Zip

Phone

Email

Best Time Best time to Call Morning Mid Day Evening Anytime

Have you been in pain for 6 months or more?

Yes No
Select yes or no

Have you seen an orthopedic or neurosurgeon who has recommended that you have surgery to correct your condition?

Yes No
Select yes or no

Have you had an MRI or CTScan in the last 2 years?

Yes No
Select yes or no

Submit

Privacy

What is a Pinched Nerve

It is important to understand the anatomy of the spine when determining whether you suffer from a pinched nerve. There are vertebrae that are located in three areas of the spine. The first area is the cervical spine (neck); the second is the thoracic (middle back); the third is the lumbar spine (lower back). Each vertebra is separated by a disc. Surrounding the vertebrae are nerve roots and nerves and surrounding the nerves are tissues such as muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Now that the main parts of the spine have been identified, it is important to understand the function of the vertebrae and discs. The vertebrae allow for flexibility and also protect the spinal cord. The disc acts as a shock absorbing cushion due to its soft, water like substance contained within the nucleus of the disc.

A pinched nerve is one type of damage or injury to a nerve or set of nerves. This can occur when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues. This pressure disrupts the nerve’s function.
Compression, constriction or stretching may cause a pinched nerve. Other common conditions that may develop are carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow. The extent of the damage could be temporary, however the damage could also become permanent.

Depending on the location of the pinched nerve, will determine the condition you may experience. For example, a herniated disc in your lower spine may cause the sciatica nerve to be compromised. If the sciatica nerve is pinched, the pain will radiate through the buttocks and down the leg. Similarly, if pressure is applied to nerves in your neck, shoulder, elbow or other areas of your body, the pain will travel outward from the nerve to the affected area of your body.
Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve

Symptoms may include

• Tingling or the feeling of pins and needles
• Numbness or decreased sensation in the area of the body affected
• Sharp or burning pain radiating outward to the affected area of the body
• Coughing, sneezing or straining may aggravate the affected area, most especially if the pinched nerve originates in the spinal cord
• Muscle weakness

Risk Factors for a Pinched Nerve

There are a number of factors that may increase the risk in experiencing a pinched nerve. These may be: Repetitive job activities; Poor posture; Osteoarthritis; Sports or hobbies requiring repetitive movements; and Obesity.

Preventing a Pinched Nerve

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Maintain good posture
• Regular exercise that includes strength and flexibility exercises
• While engaging in sports and hobbies, be mindful of any activities that may have repetitive movement and limit those movements

Prognosis of a Pinched Nerve

With rest and other conservative treatments, most people recover from a pinched nerve within a short time and most often with no permanent damage. Once the pressure is relieved, nerve function returns to normal. Should the pressure continue, however, chronic pain and permanent nerve damage may occur. In some cases, surgery is necessary.

Should surgery be required, it is important to have all facts before making this decision. There are a number of risks that may result from conservative surgery. In this day and age, there are breakthroughs in the medical industry and different surgeries are now available to you. A minimally invasive surgery has proven to be very effective and the benefits surpass those of traditional surgery.