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Treating Pinched Nerve with Chiropractic Services

If you’re suffering from radiating pain, numbness, or weakness, you may have an agonizing pinched nerve. At Reset Chiropractic, we have experience treating pinched nerve – we understand it can be extremely painful and we’re here to help. Our proven chiropractic adjustments bring rapid relief allowing damaged nerves to heal. This detailed article will cover treating pinched nerve causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and how our drug-free treatments can help you avoid the risks of medication or surgery.

A woman is being helped treating pinched nerve by a chiropractor.

Understanding What’s Causing Nerve Compression

A pinched nerve refers to unhealthy pressure exerted on a nerve or group of nerves. The extra compression disrupts nerve signals between the site of irritation down to the extremities causing miserable symptoms. Nerves may get pinched when nearby structures like bones, discs, ligaments or muscles constrict the nerve. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist involves compression of the median nerve. In the neck, a herniated cervical disc can directly pinch spinal nerves. Elbow nerve compression like cubital tunnel syndrome puts the ulnar nerve under duress. Poor posture over years, acute injuries, inflammation and arthritis commonly trigger increased nerve pressure too.

Pinched nerves can uncomfortably arise in various locations, but they most frequently occur in the wrist, elbow, neck, low back or shoulders. Regardless of the area impacted, the amplified pressure interrupts nerve signals. This leads to the classic symptoms patients describe to us like radiating pain, numbness, muscle weakness and that annoying tingling sensation.

Why Choose Reset Chiropractic for Treating Pinched Nerve?

Chiropractic physicians receive advanced education on the intricate nervous system and specialized training to expertly detect and treat pinched nerve conditions. We are experts at locating nerve interference and gently restoring normal nerve function. Reset Chiropractic employs proven adjustment techniques in treating pinched nerve discomfort right at the source whether in the wrists, neck or low back. We also customize supplementary treatments to decrease local inflammation allowing the irritated nerves to properly heal. Our whole body approach includes custom exercises plus ergonomic and lifestyle advice tailored to each patient. This effectively prevents future recurrences of painful nerve compression symptoms.

Recognizing the Signs of Nerve Trouble

The wide spectrum of potential pinched nerve symptoms can make these conditions difficult to diagnose. Since nerve compression can produce symptoms mimicking other disorders, it is wise to seek a thorough chiropractic evaluation if you have any of the following:

• Sharp, radiating or shooting nerve pain

• Numbness, burning or tingling

• Muscle weakness

• Limited range of motion

• Clumsiness or frequent dropping items

       

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• Neck, shoulder or back soreness

Headaches

You may chalk up the symptoms to getting older, “sleeping wrong” or general achiness. But dismissing subtle early warning signs allows increased nerve damage over time. Nerve compression causes progressive injury to nerve fibers even if pain dissipates temporarily. Catching it early makes conservative care more effective for symptomatic relief and reducing permanent injury.

A woman is getting a massage in a London chiropractic massage practice.

The Pinched Nerve Assessment

Given the vast spectrum of possible signs and symptoms, pinched nerves can be complicated to accurately diagnose. Appropriate tests must assess both the physical joint dysfunction and nerve transmission interference. If you are experiencing symptoms suggestive of a potential pinched nerve issue in the wrists, neck or back, we will perform a comprehensive evaluation at Reset Chiropractic tailored to your unique situation. This includes:

Comprehensive Health History: We take time to listen closely to your full story so we can most effectively help. Describe all your symptoms, any recent injuries, medical history and family background.

Complete Nerve-Focused Physical Exam: We will check range of motion, assess muscle weakness versus strength, test reflexes and meticulously palpate for joint swelling or muscle spasms. Your balance and coordination will be screened as well.

Postural & Ergonomic Evaluation: We examine spinal curves, limb angles, and your everyday motions that may be irritating pinched nerves like typing posture.

Advanced Imaging When Required: If the initial exam and findings warrant, we may order x-rays or MRI scans to clearly visualize any nerve compression and pinpoint underlying issues like disc bulges or bone spurs. However, absent distinct clinical signs and symptoms, advanced imaging results can be misleading and fail to match up with the true pain generator.

Electrodiagnostic Testing: Nerve conduction and EMG studies may be used to confirm true nerve compression versus muscle strain mimicking pinched nerve pain.

By fully assessing both the physical joint dysfunction and nerve transmission interference, Reset Chiropractic precisely diagnoses nerve compression issues before creating customized treatment plans.

       

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Reset Chiropractic’s Proven Approach to Pinched Nerve Relief

Once pinched nerves are properly diagnosed, Reset Chiropractic employs an array of safe, effective evidence-based treatment options to suit each patient:

Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments: We expertly perform specific spinal manipulations and extremity adjusting proven to mobilize irritated nerve roots and relieve inflammation. This decreases nerve compression stopping those symptoms.

Soft Tissue Techniques: Myofascial release, trigger point therapy and instrument-assisted soft tissue methods relax tense musculature constricting nerve pathways.

Physiotherapy: Gentle heat/ice therapy, electrical muscle stimulation and ultrasound are used to alleviate nerve inflammation and muscle tension.

Prescriptive Exercises: Custom nerve gliding movements, stretches and low impact strength training help fully decompress for treating pinched nerves and prevent recurrence.

Lifestyle Counseling: We provide tailored guidance on optimal sleeping positions, ergonomic corrections, stress reduction techniques and weight management.

When indicated, we may provide custom splints or braces for added wrist, elbow or neck stability allowing nerves time to heal properly. Although infrequently needed, we can refer you to a hand surgeon or spine specialist for medications, injections or surgery if more aggressive care is warranted down the road.

A Track Record of Lasting Pinched Nerve Relief

This combination of chiropractic adjustments, physiotherapy, custom exercises and lifestyle counseling produces long-lasting pinched nerve relief for most Reset Chiropractic patients. We have helped countless back pain, sciatica, and carpal tunnel sufferers avoid the risks of medications, injections or surgery through our conservative nerve decompression protocols. Patients are always overjoyed to ditch those painful pins-and-needles sensations and regain strength in affected areas like hands and feet. We empower patients to prevent future flare ups with education. Why continue to suffer with a painfully pinched nerve any longer? Contact Reset Chiropractic today to schedule your tailored assessment.

The Critical First Phase of Treating Pinched Nerve

When caught early before excessive scarring and degradation, pinched nerves often heal well with conservative chiropractic care. However, a compressed nerve can progressively worsen if left untreated. And pinched nerves rarely improve on their own without properly addressing the source factors causing the nerve irritation in the first place. Ongoing compression ultimately leaves nerves unable to properly transmit signals leading to chronic issues (see other Chronic Pain Treatments) like:

• Permanent Numbness and Tingling: Early pins-and-needles sensations become permanent numbness which spreads

       

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• Weakness and Coordination Problems: Nerves lose ability to activate muscles leading to weakness/ instability

• Severe Burning Pain: As neurons die off, persistent throbbing pain intensifies

• Paralysis: In severe long-term compression like a tumor, muscles may fully paralyze

That first phase of pinched nerve care is critical before you develop chronic nerve deficits. Seeking prompt treatment when symptoms first arise gives nerves the best chance of bouncing back before extensive damage happens. Even if your discomfort fades away temporarily, underlying nerve inflammation and compression still lurks needing proper care. And left unchecked, symptoms inevitably return worse than before.

Risk Factors for Developing Painfully Pinched Nerves

Pinched nerves can really happen to anyone. But certain situations do increase your risk:

Jobs or Athletics with Repetitive Motions: assembly line work, shelving items, pitching balls, golf swings

Trauma: car accidents, falls on ice, sports collisions, impact injuries

Weight Gain: excess pounds strain joints like wrists and knees where nerves pass

Poor Posture: slouching slims spinal openings putting pressure on nerves

Family History: nerve compression issues tend to run in families

Chronic Diseases: diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders spur inflammation

Structural Changes: bone spurs, fluid retention with pregnancies or hormonal changes

Pinpointed Areas Most Prone to Pinched Nerves

While nerves can get pinched almost anywhere, some locations see more compression issues including:

Lower Back: Lumbar spinal nerves get pinched exiting the bony spinal column or by herniated discs. This causes sciatica radiating down the leg.

Wrist: Swelling within carpal tunnels compresses the median nerve causing numbness, tingling and weakness in thumb, index and middle fingers.

Shoulders: Injury or poor posture leads to pinched nerves between neck vertebrae or under shoulder blades.

Elbow: Cubital tunnel syndrome from swelling or bone spurs puts pressure on ulnar nerves. (See our other post!)

Ankles/Feet: Sports injury, arthritis and inflammation pinch nerves between small foot bones causing burning or numbness.

High-Risk Occupations for Pinched Nerves

Some professions clearly raise risk for certain pinched nerves including:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: computer programmers, hair stylists, factory workers, cashiers

• Sciatica: truck, bus and heavy equipment drivers from long sitting plus vibration

• Radiculopathy: nurses, teachers and athletes with frequent neck motion

• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: telephone customer service using handsets plus resting elbows on desks

If you regularly perform repetitive arm, hand and neck motions, take preventative ergonomic steps now before pain starts. Let us help you minimize compression forces on vulnerable nerves.

Distinct Pinched Nerve Conditions and Symptoms

Since over 100 types of nerves relay signals throughout the body, pinched nerves produce diverse arrays of discomfort depending on which nerves face compression. Symptoms relate to which functions that specific nerve controls. Here are various common pinched nerve syndromes:

Cervical Radiculopathy: Compression of spinal nerves exiting the cervical vertebrae causes pain radiating along the shoulder, chest wall, arms and fingers depending on the level pinched. Other symptoms may include headaches, dizziness or shoulder blade pain.

Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica): Pressure on lower spinal nerves as they exit through the vertebral column leads to shooting pain down the buttocks and leg associated with sciatica. Numbness, tingling and burning sensations frequently extend into the feet as well.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Swelling within carpal tunnels at the wrist presses on the median nerve leading to thumb, index and middle finger pain often worse at night early on. Hand coordination suffers plus loss of grip strength eventually occurs.

Ulnar Nerve Pinch (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome): Elbow swelling or bone spurs constricts the ulnar nerve causing little finger and ring finger numbness or pain. Clumsiness and hand weakness develops over time.

Common Peroneal Nerve Dysfunction: Compression near the knee or at the fibular neck commonly related to crossing legs causes burning pain or numbness on top of the foot and difficulties lifting the foot at the ankle.

Morton’s Neuroma: Thickened nerve tissue often between the third and fourth small metatarsal bones in the ball of the foot leads to burning pain and numbness of the toes.

Knowing the most likely nerves impacted based on your symptoms helps tailor treatments for faster relief. And identifying any occupational overuse factors allows proactive corrections minimizing further damage.

Seeking Advanced Imaging for Pinched Nerves: When It’s Helpful vs. Harmful

With back, neck or extremity symptoms potentially signaling a lurking pinched nerve, patients naturally wonder about the role of MRI scans or x-rays. Advanced diagnostic imaging clearly offers certain benefits helping identify nerve compression. Soft tissues like bulging discs, bone spurs, ligament thickening and subtle fractures impacting nerves may show up on MRIs or CT scans guiding care. However, a deeper dive into current medical research indicates overutilization of high-tech imaging frequently proves minimally useful or even potentially harmful to pinched nerve diagnosis and treatment plans.

Absent distinct indicators of nerve compression on exam, studies discovered many MRI findings fail to correlate well with the actual clinical symptoms that patients describe. Things like mild disc bulges and degenerative changes are often incidental normal aging issues versus the true pain generator causing discomfort. So seeing these minor findings on an MRI may derail you and your doctor from identifying the real source of symptoms.

Research also shows no difference in recovery times whether patients with mere back or neck soreness underwent early MRIs or waited. But alarmingly, those receiving early MRIs tend to have higher rates of surgery, injections, medications and even disability claims – all which convey health risks. Apparently if abnormalities show up on imaging, physicians feel compelled to aggressively treat issues that may resolve naturally.

For true pinched nerve conditions like sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome, MRI and CT scans certainly play an occasional role confirming nerve compression. However, skilled chiropractic physicians like those at Reset Chiropractic detect most nerve entrapments through precise clinical examination tests prior to considering advanced diagnostics. This prevents unnecessary radiation exposure and drives efficient diagnosis steering patients away from risky pain medications or surgery if able. Talk to us about whether you might benefit from imaging or if it could open the door to overly aggressive care in your situation.

Treatment Options Compared for Painful Pinched Nerves

If you’re suffering with miserable pinched nerve discomfort whether in the neck, back or extremities, you’re likely exploring various treatment alternatives. Let’s compare options available for compressive peripheral nerve syndromes:

Pain Medications – Treating Pinched Nerve

Prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers like NSAIDs or acetaminophen may temporarily dampen nerve pain signals. However, drugs rarely resolve any underlying nerve compression or inflammation. Since pinched nerves generally don’t improve without fixing alignment problems or swelling issues, medications generally offer minimal lasting benefit on their own. They simply hide developing damage. Plus long-term use of pain pills presents safety concerns like organ damage or addiction.

Cortisone Injections – Treating Pinched Nerve

Injecting anti-inflammatory cortisone around irritated nerves may help reduce swelling and discomfort short term. However, benefits usually fade within weeks to months. And while shots carry little risk initially, repetitive injections over time may weaken local tissues leading to further injury like tendon ruptures. So patients often get caught having shots more frequently just chasing pain relief. Make sure to have an exit plan and try more restorative options first.

Surgery or Procedures – Treating Pinched Nerve

If conservative care fails to relieve pinched nerves causing weakness or severe pain, procedures like carpal or cubital tunnel release surgery may be indicated. More involved spinal decompressive surgery helps take direct pressure off severely compressed nerves as well. While sometimes unavoidable if nerves become severely damaged or compressed, operations do convey risks of infection, slow recovery or even nerve injury plus long term recurrence. Exhaust nonsurgical options first.

Chiropractic Care – Treating Pinched Nerve

Chiropractic takes a whole body, restorative, drug-free approach to pinched nerves. Benefits include better alignment relieving nerve compression, decreased inflammation facilitating healing, and strengthened muscles supporting joints protecting nerves. Patients also learn healthy movement patterns to minimize compression forces long term. Along with pain relief, chiropractic adjustments help restore proper nerve signal transmission reducing numbness, tingling and weakness. Therapy plans are customized to each patient’s situation and adjusted as they respond. Chiropractic offers a safer, non-invasive option over pain medications, shots or surgery in most cases of nerve entrapment syndromes like back pain, sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome.

We understand how painful a pinched nerve can be. When you are treating pinched nerve, you might look for the fastest solution. We would encourage you to consult our chiropractic practice to learn how we are treating pinched nerve. It might not be where you first think to come, but let us help you by treating pinched nerve. Treating pinched nerve will be one of the more important quality of life treatments you seek out!

 

Lifestyle Factors Impacting Pinched Nerve Healing

Although chiropractic care along with ancillary physiotherapy works to directly relieve nerve compression, optimizing daily habits better allows irritated nerves to fully heal. Attention to the following areas helps short circuit pain cycles to stop pinched nerve symptoms:

• Posture Habits: Slouched sitting staring at phones or computer screens necessitates overcorrection. Stand and move for five minutes hourly plus ensure ergonomic desk set up.

• Sleep Positions: Side or back sleeping with a pillow between knees works best to decompress back nerves versus stomach sleeping. cervical rolls support necks properly.

• Job Tasks and Athletics: Alter repetitive motions that aggravate like lifting techniques; add wrist braces with forceful tasks.

• Stress Levels: Anxiety and high stress amp up muscle tension across shoulders/necks constricting nerves. Practice daily relaxation rituals.

• Nutrition Support: Anti-inflammatory diets high in fish, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables encourage nerve healing. Stay well hydrated with water which lubricates nerve sheaths.

Cultivating healthier habits takes consistency over time. But pays big dividends in terms of less pinched nerve flair ups. Contact us to craft a comprehensive plan for your specific needs!

FAQs - Treating Pinched Nerve

Q: What are the causes of a pinched nerve?

A: A pinched nerve can be caused by various factors such as a herniated disk, spinal stenosis, injury, or pressure on the nerve from surrounding structures.

Q: What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve?

A: The symptoms of a pinched nerve may include pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the affected area.

Q: How can I relieve pain from a pinched nerve?

A: You can relieve pain from a pinched nerve by using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen, applying heat or ice, or undergoing physical therapy.

Q: What can cause a pinched nerve in the neck?

A: A pinched nerve in the neck can be caused by factors such as poor posture, repetitive movements, or injury.

Q: Are there any home remedies for a pinched nerve?

A: Yes, you can try home remedies such as rest, gentle stretching, and using ergonomic devices to alleviate the symptoms of a pinched nerve.

Q: How does one treat pinched nerve?

A: The treatment for a pinched nerve may involve medications, physical therapy, steroid injections, or in severe cases, surgery to relieve pressure on the affected nerve.

Q: What are the symptoms and causes of a pinched nerve?

A: The symptoms of a pinched nerve include pain, tingling, or weakness, and the causes may include injury, compression, or pressure on the nerve.

Q: How can I relieve pressure on a nerve?

A: You can relieve pressure on a nerve by adjusting your posture, using ergonomic tools, or undergoing physical therapy to alleviate the underlying cause of the compression.

Q: What is the best treatment for pinched nerves?

A: The best treatment for pinched nerves depends on the underlying cause and may involve a combination of medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications to alleviate symptoms and prevent recurrence.

Q: Can a pinched nerve go away on its own? 

A: In some cases, a pinched nerve may resolve on its own with rest, home remedies, and avoiding activities that exacerbate the symptoms. However, persistent or severe cases may require medical intervention.

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Reset Chiropractic & Rehab

We are your Shockwave Treatment Clinic!

We are a wellness-based clinic that focuses on a thorough assessment to help determine the root-cause of your symptoms, to get you back to moving, living and feeling well. We can’t wait to meet you!

Our location

330 Pond Mills Road, Unit 102 London, Ontario N5Z 5A9

Opening Hours

Monday — 8am-11:30am
Tuesday — 8am-12pm & 3pm-7pm
Wednesday — 9am-2pm
Thursday — 8am-11am & 3pm-7pm
Friday — 11am-5pm
Saturday — 8am-12pm

Contact

Phone: (519) 649-4046
Email: resetchiropractic@gmail.com

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