Pinched Nerve

One of the diagnoses that we see most frequently at Yeronga Chiropractic is what’s commonly known as a pinched nerve. Up and down the spinal cord, you have nerves extending out to the other parts of your body. These nerves carry important signals/information from point A to point B and are vital in governing the flow and function of the body.

It is important to explain that the feeling of nerve pain isn’t always because the nerve is actually pinched; it can be irritated through inflammation, stretch, or overstimulation too. But for ease of typing, “pinched” will do.

A pinched nerve can drastically impact your quality of life. If you play sports or live an active lifestyle, it can limit your mobility and range of motion. If you play the guitar or some other instrument, it can reduce the dexterity of your hands and limit your effectiveness as a musician. No matter who you are or what you do, it can lead to excessive pain and discomfort.

When a nerve is ”pinched,” that means it is being compressed by some other part of the body. Theoretically, any nerve in the body can become compressed. However, pinched nerves are most common in areas where there is minimal protection from soft tissue and/or where the nerve has to snake its way through narrow spaces.

In such situations, your nerves can become pinched or pressured (leading to irritation) between bones, ligaments and tendons resulting in pain, loss of dexterity or function, tingling sensation and more. One example is a herniated disc—a common cause of pinched or inflamed nerve symptoms in the back.

One of the usual sites of nerve involvement is in proximity to their spinal exit points as they branch off from the spinal cord . Depending on which nerve is being compressed, the location of the symptoms can vary Pain or other symptoms manifesting themselves in the neck, upper back, shoulder, arms, lower back or lower limbs can reliably indicate the region of the problem.

As mentioned previously, symptoms of pinched nerves can vary depending on the location and severity of the compression. In some cases, you will merely feel pain in the location of the pinched nerve. In other cases, the pain will radiate throughout a larger portion of your body, as with sciatica. Some pinched nerves also create feelings of tingling or heat—often described as a ‘pins and needles’ sensation.

Severe nerve compression can lead to more than just pain. For instance, some cases of nerve pinching in the neck result in numbness or weakness up and down the arm. In such a scenario, you might feel like you are losing some of the strength or dexterity in your wrist, hand and fingers.

In any case, prompt examination and investigation is warranted. In more severe cases of loss of function, referral for a surgical opinion is necessary, sometimes urgently.

If you feel any of the symptoms described above, it is best to seek treatment sooner rather than later. Over time, the effect of a pinched nerve can become progressively worse, leading to greater pain or increased loss of strength, sensation and function.

At Yeronga Chiropractic & Wellness Centre, we treat pinched nerves with appropriate chiropractic management. Through the use of minor spinal adjustments, soft tissue tecniques and stretch—as well as other treatment options, such as acupuncture—we can reduce or eliminate the pressure that is compressing your nerve. Such a treatment can provide near-instant relief for the pain in your back, neck or other parts of your body.

Chiropractic treatment is effective for treating pinched nerves because it goes right to the root of your pain or symptoms. While the pain of a pinched nerve can radiate outwards from the primary locus, the pressure that is being placed on the nerve is still the full extent of the problem. By restoring the function of the joints and musculoskeletal tissues, chiropractic treatment removes the cause of your pain, thereby delivering pain relief at both the locus of the pain and wherever it had radiated.

At Yeronga Chiropractic, Dr Aidan McGuigan is qualified and experienced in locating the cause of a pinched nerve and providing the necessary chiropractic treatment to address it. If you are contending with pain, numbness, weakness or ‘pins and needles’ tingling, give us a call to schedule an appointment.

When you come in for your first appointment, we will consult with you on your pain and your medical history, to get a quick picture of what we are dealing with. If necessary, we will refer for x-ray or MRI scan to review the alignment of your spine and locate problem areas. If appropriate Dr McGuigan will use adjustments and other techniques to offer quick and effective pain relief.

Don’t live with these symptoms: you don’t have to. Instead, call Yeronga Chiropractic on (07) 3892 1440 to get the pain relief you’ve been seeking.