Pinched Nerve

What is a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve is an aptly named condition in which surrounding tissue puts pressure on one of your nerves. Pinched nerves commonly occur in your lower back, your wrist, and your neck, though they can develop in other areas.

What are the signs of a pinched nerve?

The signs of a pinched nerve depend upon its location. To give you an idea of what to look out for, the following are the key symptoms for the three major areas where pinched nerves develop:

Low back

If you have a pinched nerve in your lower back (often sciatica), you may feel pain, tingling, or numbness down one side of your buttocks and down the back of your leg. The pain can also be local, too.

Neck

If the compromised nerve is in your neck, you may feel pain, tingling, and numbness that radiate down your shoulder and arm.

Wrist

Commonly known as carpal tunnel syndrome, you feel pain, tingling, and numbness in your affected hand.

How are pinched nerves treated?

Depending upon the degree and location of the nerve impingement, your provider at Premier Injury Providers typically starts conservatively by recommending:

• Getting full rest and sleep
• Massaging your back
• Wearing a back brace or splint
• Using an ice pack on your back, neck, or wrist
• Resting with a heating pad on the back
• Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs 

If your pinched nerve doesn’t resolve itself, your doctor turns to more aggressive treatments to help you find relief, including:

Regenerative medicine

Your doctor uses platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which releases growth factors into the damaged tissue, to encourage rebuilding and repair.

Spinal cord stimulation

Your physician uses neuromodulation devices to alter the nerve activity in your back. The electrical stimulation interrupts and weakens the pain signals sent from your spine and brain.

Radiofrequency ablation

Your doctor uses radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to relieve chronic pain by heating and disabling specific nerves with radiofrequency waves.

To find the right treatment for your pinched nerve, call Premier Injury Providers or request an appointment online today.