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Pinched Nerve – Why It Hurts and What You Can Do to Cope

You wake up with a grimace on your face as you experience a sudden burning sensation on your lower back, buttocks, and legs. It has been like this for days, and you can’t help but wonder, “what’s wrong with me?”. So you head over to your doctor and later find out that you have a pinched nerve. “Whatever does that mean?” you say to yourself. 

Every pinched nerve chiropractor in Sioux Falls has encountered many patients who have the situation. In most cases, they also ask things like “why does a pinched nerve hurts so much?” and “how can I cope with a pinched or irritated nerve?”.

That’s why we thought of discussing everything there is to know about a pinched or compressed nerve. If you or your loved one has this condition, you might find it helpful to check our discussion below. 

What Happens When You Have a Pinched Nerve?

As we explain to patients seeking a pinched nerve chiropractor in Sioux Falls, nerve pinching or compression essentially occurs when your tendons, bones, or ligaments put undue pressure or stress on a nerve root. 

Sometimes, the nerve pinching occurs after a trauma to the head or neck. It can cause the cervical spinal bones to shift and put pressure on various nerve roots. It can also occur due to pre-existing health conditions like bulging discs, bone spurs, osteoarthritis, and spinal tumors. 

Unfortunately, when you have nerve pinching or compression, the affected nerve fails to perform its function. As a result, your brain and the affected muscles fail to communicate clearly, resulting in pain and other mishaps like weakness and numbing.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and pinched nerve, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

How Can a Pinched Nerve Affect You?

The discomfort that arises from a pinched or compressed nerve often affects particular body regions like the lower back, the wrist, and the upper body. In addition, nerve pinching can also lead to the onset of various conditions such as:

  • Sciatica – A debilitating condition that causes radiating pain from the lower back to the toes. 
  • Radiculopathy – A nerve pinching condition of the spine that causes pain that spreads from the back to the arms and legs. 
  • Neuropathy – When your peripheral nerves get compressed, you might develop neuropathy. It causes tingling in your feet, hands, and other body parts. 
  • Trigeminal neuralgia – TN affects the trigeminal nerve, a nerve bundle that controls facial muscle movements. It causes extreme pain when you brush your teeth, touch your face, chew, or yawn. 
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome – If the pinching occurs along the median nerve or the nerve bundles in the wrist, you develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It causes discomfort when you move your wrist or fingers. 

How Can You Know If You Have a Pinched Nerve? 

Sometimes, it’s tricky to determine whether you have a pinched nerve. That’s because some of its symptoms, like backaches or muscle tingling, can stem from carrying a heavy load, maintaining a poor posture, or having other conditions. 

If you experience persistent pain, pins and needles, muscle weakness, or disturbed sleep, it may help to consult with your physician as soon as possible. This way, you can narrow down the potential causes of your symptoms. It will also help you gauge the damage to your affected nerves.  

Your doctor might require you to undergo tests like X-ray examination, MRI scan, electromyography, and high-resolution ultrasound. Once you get an official diagnosis, you can begin seeking remedies to alleviate your symptoms. 

Caring for a Pinched Nerve 

Thankfully, while having a pinched nerve can be quite a painful experience, patients have plenty of options to cope and manage their symptoms. Here are a few ideas you can take inspiration from:

Rest

Give yourself a break, especially if your job entails doing labor or manual work. This helps minimize the impact of your bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints on the damaged nerve. It also helps your body recuperate, especially if you have started addressing the root cause of the pinching problem with the help of a pinched nerve chiropractor in Sioux Falls. 

Work on your body posture

Millions of people complain of back pain, neck pain, and a long list of other painful sensations due to the popular work-from-home arrangement. This happens because of poor posture while sitting down in front of the computer or desk. 

Over time, the neck bones shift from their original place, causing many problems like unlevelled shoulders and legs, irritation of the brainstem, and pinching of your nerve roots. It would help if you considered making necessary corrections to your sitting or standing posture. 

Ice or heat packs

Hot and cold therapy is probably the favorite go-to pain remedy of many people around the globe. It’s cheap and practical because it helps soothe the nerves and muscles (cold therapy) and hasten the healing process of the damaged tissues (heat therapy). Start with cold therapy first if you notice swelling, then gradually shift to heat therapy to help your body recover faster.  

How A Pinched Nerve Chiropractor In Sioux Falls Can Help You

A seemingly simple pinched nerve problem can pave the way for several issues that may severely impact your daily life. That’s why if you get diagnosed with nerve pinching or compression, it’s practical to seek procedures like upper cervical care right away. 

Earlier in the discussion, we briefly mentioned how a pinched nerve likely develops through misaligned neck bones. If you previously got hurt the head or the neck, you might have what we call a cervical subluxation. And unfortunately, this might be the ultimate culprit behind your nerve pinching or compression. 

Besides the remedies we shared above, you might find it helpful to receive upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. This way, you can restore your spine’s curvature and alleviate pressure on the nerve roots and brainstem. It’s a straightforward and gentle process that many patients have tried to experience lasting relief from a pinched-nerve-caused condition. 

Work with a friendly and dedicated pinched nerve chiropractor in Sioux Falls today! You may reach us at Genesis Family Chiropractic at 605-334-0900 or email us at info@genesisnucca.com. You can also book an appointment today and begin your path to recovering a pinched-nerve-caused health problem.

To schedule a consultation in our Sioux Falls office call (605) 334-0900, or just click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.

Book an Appointment Now!

The best way to schedule an appointment is to use our online booking system, or send a text with your name and preferred appointment day(s) / time(s) to (605) 334-0900. We will find a time for you in the schedule ASAP!
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