Pinched Nerve

What is a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve is commonly referred to as such when a nerve has been compressed, stretched or resisted from moving freely as it normally should. It can happen in any portion of the body, including the neck, lower back and shoulders. Having a “pinched nerve” is not really a diagnosis, but rather it is a non-medical catch all phrase for a peripheral neuropathy, radiculopathy, or plexopathy; regardless, it either hurts when you have one. Pinched nerves usually present as a focal area of pain along with sensations of, numbing, shooting or tingling which travels outward following a certain body movements. One commonly seen “pinched nerve” presents as pain shooting down from the neck, going into shoulder, arm and sometimes into the hand. Another common one presents as pain shooting down from the low back or buttock region, into one leg and sometimes the calf.

What causes a pinched nerve?

As stated before, a pinched nerve is really just a nerve or nerve tissue which has been irritated. Usually this irritation comes in the form of a buildup of fibrous scar tissue, in a portion of the body. This scar tissue is a normal occurrence but it becomes the root of the “pinched nerve” problem when there is too much in an area where a nerve is located. This scar tissue can cause the nerve to stick to structures around it, such as muscles and ligaments. The reason this occurs is because when fibrous scar tissue is used in the body, it is laid down in a haphazard fashion. When I think about it, I can always picture losing a game of Tetris as a kid, when the blocks just keep stacking up. Regardless of what you have been told by your chiropractor, majority of these cases are primarily soft tissue injuries, not from the spine. Now there can be spinal involvement, but it is usually not the main cause of a pinched nerve.

How do I get rid of a pinched nerve?

Based upon what was previously stated, an effective treatment is one which can remove the adhesions or scar tissue from a pinched nerve and any surrounding tissues. This should only make sense when considering the primary cause. Many treatments claim to remove scar tissue however some work faster than others.

What is the best treatment for a pinched nerve?

Active Release Techniques® (ART®) is a relatively new form of soft tissue treatment, which has been dubbed the “gold standard” by athletes from around the globe. In fact, most NFL, NBA and NHL teams have an ART® provider. In regards to pinched nerves, Active Release Techniques® has over 50 different protocols for commonly pinched nerves in the body. For the most commonly pinched nerves, Active Release Techniques® has another set of nerve flossing protocols called the Long Tract Nerve Entrapment Protocols®, which are so efficient at freeing up pinched nerves that some patients have reported feeling a complete resolution of symptoms after a few minutes. Although not everyone gets these types of results, most people can feel a significant difference in 3-4 treatments.

If you or someone you know is suffering from a pinched nerve, please contact your Temecula Chiropractor Dr. Horst today to stop living in pain!