It is common for people to say that they have a “pinched nerve” when describing their pain when they come to our Sioux Falls office. Often, this means that a nerve has pressure on it from other structures or tissues in the body. The patient may have a sharp pain or pain that travels, or radiates, to another place on their body.
Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve
What are some symptoms of a pinched nerve? Often a person may have a sharp pain in their neck, middle back or lower back that is worse with movement. It may radiate pain, tingling or numbness down an arm or leg. Often, the pain isn’t as bad when holding still. Also, often the pain isn’t improving on its own. Pinched nerves may be caused by trauma or sometimes it may be hard to find what caused the pain. Sometimes, a person may wake up with the pain and simply feel like they “slept wrong” or in a poor posture.
What are some causes of Pinched Nerves?
Pinched nerves can be caused by bones, ligaments, intervertebral discs, muscles, or other tissues that place pressure on the nerve. When the pressure is on the nerve, the brain reports discomfort in the form of pain, tingling or numbness, to the brain. When a patient presents with symptoms of a pinched nerve, a chiropractor will take a health/case history and perform an examination to try to determine what structure is affecting the nerve. Imaging such as x-rays or an MRI may also be recommended to find out the cause of a patient’s symptoms. Once the cause of the symptoms has been determined, your chiropractor will recommend what the best care may be. In some cases, such as if there is a broken bone or concerns of permanent damage, a patient may not be a good candidate for chiropractic care. In such cases consultations with another health care provider such as a neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon or a physical therapist, may be recommended.
Contact our Office
If you think that you may be suffering from a pinched nerve and live in or near the Sioux Falls area, please contact our office for a chiropractic consultation. In many cases, chiropractic adjustments and exercises can help resolve the symptoms of a pinched nerve. Our chiropractors would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and help you decide if chiropractic care is a good option for you.