Pinched nerves cause pain, discomfort, and tingling sensations that drag on your goals and lifestyle. Plus, they can impact your overall health with negative long-term consequences.
Fortunately, chiropractic care can provide relief for pinched nerves. In this post, we’ll explore the 10 things you need to know about chiropractic and how it works.
We will explore how chiropractors approach pinched nerves, and what you can do to prevent these pesky issues from returning!
At a Glance:
- Chiropractic care is a non-invasive and drug-free treatment option for pinched nerves
- Chiropractors use targeted adjustments to relieve pressure on the affected nerve
- Bad posture and repetitive motion are among the most common causes of pinched nerves
Seeing a Chiropractor for a Pinched Nerve
Chiropractors use non-invasive, drug-free adjustments and manipulations to relieve pressure caused by pinched nerves. When you visit a chiropractor, they will start with an accurate diagnosis to identify the root cause of your pain.
They may use X-rays and other special tests to identify the cause of the pinched nerve. Once there is a diagnosis, chiro’s can offer a personalized plan to tackle your pinched nerve case.
10 Reasons Why Chiropractic Just works
- Non-invasive treatment: Chiropractic care is a non-invasive and drug-free treatment option for pinched nerves, reducing the risk of side effects and complications.
- Focuses on the underlying cause: Chiropractors focus on identifying and treating the root cause of your pinched nerve, rather than simply managing your symptoms. Your whole body can benefit from this approach.
- Safe and effective: Chiropractic care is recognized as a safe and effective treatment for many conditions, including pinched nerves.
- Personalized treatment plan: Chiropractors develop personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific needs and condition, providing a comprehensive approach to healing.
- Spinal adjustments: Chiropractors use specific spinal adjustments – a form of targeted manipulation – to realign the spine, relieving pressure on the affected nerve and reducing inflammation.
- Promotes overall health: Chiropractic care promotes optimal health by improving nervous system function, reducing inflammation, and promoting proper alignment.
- Prevents future nerve interference: Chiropractic care aims to prevent future nerve interference by promoting proper alignment and soft tissue health.
- Reduces muscle tension: Chiropractic adjustments reduce muscle tension around the affected area, providing relief and promoting healing.
- Complements other treatments: Chiropractic care can be used alongside other treatments, such as physical therapy or pain medication, to provide a comprehensive approach to healing.
- Long-term relief: Chiropractic care can provide long-term relief for pinched nerves, reducing the need for surgery or medication.
Chiropractic for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck
A pinched nerve in the neck can cause radiating pain to the head, face, shoulder and hand, with neck stiffness and limited mobility. This can be caused by spinal misalignments or a herniated disc, to name a few.
Chiropractors will perform spinal adjustments to restore movement and relieve pressure on your affected nerve. This allows natural healing. They may also recommend exercises or stretches to strengthen the muscles in the neck and prevent future nerve interference.
Chiropractic for a Pinched Nerve in the Lower Back
Lower back pain is a common symptom of a pinched nerve in the Lumbar spine. This can be caused by a herniated disc, spinal misalignment, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal where your spinal cord lives) and bone spur degeneration.
Chiropractors can perform spinal adjustments to realign the spine and relieve pressure on the affected nerve. Physical therapy might also be recommended to improve muscle strength to prevent future nerve interference.
Chiropractic for a Pinched Nerve in the Shoulder
A pinched nerve in the shoulder can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the arm. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as repetitive motion, bad posture, or an injury.
Chiropractors can use spinal adjustments and manipulations to relieve pressure on the affected nerve. They may also recommend massage therapy to promote blood flow and reduce muscle tension.
Furthermore, chiropractors are well-versed in how to correct your upper-body posture in such cases – this is essential for any shoulder issue.
How do chiropractors diagnose a pinched nerve?
Chiropractors use a variety of techniques to diagnose a pinched nerve. They will start by taking your medical history and performing a physical examination. They may also use imaging tests like X-rays, MRI, or CT scans to get a more detailed look at the affected area.
Once the chiropractor has diagnosed the pinched nerve, they will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. The treatment plan may include chiropractic adjustments, corrective exercises, massage therapy, and work set-up changes.
What is a Pinched Nerve?
A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is compressed or irritated, leading to pain and discomfort in the affected area. This can happen when a nerve is squeezed between tissues such as muscles, bones, or ligaments.
Pinched nerves can cause symptoms such as sharp pain, muscle weakness, and tingling sensations. It can happen anywhere in the body, but the most common areas include the neck, lower back, and shoulders.
Why do pinched nerves happen?
A pinched nerve can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Bad posture
- Repetitive motion
- Impact injury
- Car accidents
- Disc herniation
- Bone spurs
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Cervical spine degeneration
- Spinal misalignments
What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve?
The symptoms of a pinched nerve depend on the affected nerve and the severity of the compression. Some common symptoms include:
- Sharp pain
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle spasms
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Burning sensation
- Loss of sensation
- Difficulty moving the affected area
- Reduced range of motion
Other Ways to Treat a Pinched Nerve
Of course, other treatment options can be used alongside, or instead of chiropractic if preferred. These include:
These treatments, however, are just that. They may only provide short-term relief and do not address the root cause of the problem.
Chiropractic care exists as a truly corrective and long-term solution for pinched nerves.
By promoting proper alignment and soft tissue health, chiropractic adjustments can help prevent future nerve interference so you can get healthy.
Lifestyle changes are important too, including maintaining good posture, staying active, and avoiding repetitive motions – all will lessen your chances of future pain.
FAQ
Why is chiropractic treatment the best option for a pinched nerve?
Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, drug-free alternative to traditional pain management options like pain medication or surgery. Chiropractors focus on treating the root cause of the problem, rather than just masking the symptoms with pain medication.
Chiropractic care is also a holistic approach to healthcare. Chiropractors understand that the nervous system controls your body and that your health depends on a healthy, pressure-free nervous system.
Chiropractic treatment is hugely beneficial in the early stages of a pinched nerve. The earlier the treatment, the better the chances of a full recovery without serious problems.
Should I go to physio or chiro for a pinched nerve?
Chiropractic care is recommended for pinched nerves because it focuses on correcting the underlying issue of nerve interference through spinal adjustments and manipulations.
Physiotherapy may provide temporary relief, but it does not address the root cause of the problem.
What can you expect from a chiropractic treatment for a pinched nerve?
Chiropractic treatment for a pinched nerve begins with an accurate diagnosis. The chiropractor will then create a personalized treatment plan based on your specific needs.
The treatment plan may include spinal adjustments, physical therapy, and massage therapy. You may also be given exercises to do at home to help speed up the healing process.
In some cases, chiropractors may also recommend lifestyle changes, such as dietary adjustments or ergonomic changes, to prevent further nerve compression.
Are you ready to see a chiropractor for your pinched nerve, but have more questions? Send them our way in the comments below and we will do our best to help you out.
Author Bio
Dr. Jason Whealing is a Chiropractor with extensive experience across the UK and Australia. He is passionate about family care and injury management. The cases Jason works with daily include back pain, neck pain, jaw pain, sciatica, knee pain, shoulder pain, headaches and migraine.
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Thanks for helping me understand how a chiropractor could help you with pain relief by adjusting your spine. My friend is interested in improving his physique and appearance this year. I should talk to him about visiting a local chiropractor for an adjustment session for his back pain.