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Top 5 Signs You Have a Pinched Nerve

Written By Northgate Chiropractic Clinic on April 25, 2019

If you have ever experienced a pinched nerve, you know how uncomfortable the feeling is—just the word alone makes you cringe a bit.

A pinched nerve is the result of too much pressure being applied to your nerves from the surrounding tissues, such as cartilage, muscles, the bones, or tendons. The nerve is compressed and impairs your body from functioning normally.

While most people do not treat nerve pressure, pinched nerves can cause increased pain and inflammation, as well as reduced mobility. Pinched nerve symptoms often appear in your arms, hands, legs, or feet, but it’s possible to feel the sensations anywhere in the body.

Pinched Nerve Symptoms

Oftentimes, pinched nerve symptoms are manageable and will loosen up on their own in a few days. However, if the pain is overwhelming and the pressure continues to go unchecked, you could experience long-term chronic pain or even permanent nerve damage.

Patients suffering from the following symptoms may have a pinched nerve:

1.     Pins and Needles

Your body consists of three main types of nerves—sensory nerves, motor nerves, and autonomic nerves. Pins and needles, or paresthesia, occurs when your sensory nerves are being compressed and cannot transmit signals to the rest of your body.

2.     Decreased Sensation or Numbness

Numbness or sensation loss is a result of the pressure constricting poor blood flow and depriving the nerve cells of oxygen. With less oxygen, your nerves are unable to fire and function correctly.

This symptom may not go away until you receive pinched nerve treatment.

3.     Foot or Hand “Falling Asleep”

We’ve all experienced the sensation of resting your arm or leg a certain way for too long. This is often caused by compressing the nerve ending with surrounding tissues and tendons temporarily.

However, if you experience this symptom out of the blue, it’s important to consult a doctor for the root cause.

4.     Burning Pain or Ache

A common pinched nerve symptom, this pain occurs because something near the nerve is inflamed and compressed, or the nerve itself is irritated. This will be a sharp pain that might radiate outward where the nerve ends, like the lower leg or hand.

5.     Muscle Weakness

Muscle weakness is a symptom that one of your motor nerves, nerves that send messages from your brain to your muscles, is being pinched. Causing muscle fatigue or weakness—this symptom is a sign that the muscle connected to the nerve is not functioning correctly.

Pinched Nerve Treatment

Chiropractors will perform alignments or spinal manipulations to apply pressure on the skeletal system and eliminate the nerve blocks to allow proper circulation throughout the body again. This circulation helps relieve the pinched nerve pain, assists it in healing faster, and prevents future damage.

Schedule Your Appointment

If you think you have a pinched nerve, Northgate Chiropractic Clinic will perform an examination to locate the treatment area and restore total body mobility with spinal alignments and manipulations. With this pinched nerve treatment, your body will have the ability to recover and return to full functionality.

It’s important to listen to your body, understand the symptoms, and consult with your chiropractor on your pinched nerve treatment plan, especially if you experience ongoing discomfort. Give us a call today at (507) 285-1677 to schedule your appointment. We are here to help.


Posted In: Chiropractic Pinched Nerves