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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Can a Chiropractor Help Your Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve is a type of injury that occurs when a nerve or set of nerves in the body are stretched, constricted, or compressed. This can cause a number of symptoms including a numbing sensation, "pins and needles" feeling, and/or a burning feeling around the affected area. Often the symptoms from a pinched nerve can lessen simply with rest, but when they do not, a chiropractor is then your best bet.

What Are Some Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve can cause multiple problems that can affect your daily life. Some symptoms you may not be aware of that could be caused by an underlying pinched nerve include:

Neck Pain
Back Pain
Shoulder Pain
Headaches
Spinal Pain
Radiating Arm or Leg Pain
Limited Range of Motion
Trouble Sitting for Long Periods of Time
Difficulty Finding Comfortable Sleeping Positions

How Does a Chiropractor Treat a Pinched Nerve?

When rest does not help a pinched nerve, visiting a chiropractor is your next step. They will perform a full consultation that will include your health history and a full examination physical exam to check for any nerve interference to the nerves. This will help your chiropractor better understand the underlying cause of your pain and discomfort.

After the underlying cause has been discovered, your chiropractor will discuss their idea of treatment for your specific problem. This will not only relieve you from your pain, but it will remove the underlying source. They will also recommend exercises and other practices you can employ on your own to strengthen the area and reduce the risk of the problem recurring.

Treatments your chiropractor could use to help your pinched nerve include:

Chiropractic adjustments to manipulate your spine, legs, arms, and/or neck.
Physiotherapy, which involves using ultrasound treatment, electrotherapy, or ice packs, to reduce inflammation, pain, or muscle spasms.
Flexion distraction, a decompression technique that requires a specially designed table, to take pressure off your spine and help with alignment.

Resources: Kempsville Chiropractic, Cornerstone Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, rolf.org

Yucha Chiropractic & Massage in Pottstown, PA provides chiropractic treatment to help people live more productive and active lives. Common conditions that are solved with chiropractic treatment at Yucha include pinched nerves, sciatica, migraine headaches, and herniated (slipped) discs.

Posted by: Ashley Dempsey