Oftentimes what we envision is worse than reality, and the scariest thing we can experience is our own imagination. This is especially true for anyone experiencing unknown complications with their body. You might experience unpleasant symptoms and begin imagining the worst, then you might hop online to self-diagnose and before you know it you’ve convinced yourself that you have some form of malignant tumor with only a few days left to live. In most cases, when you discover the cause, it might not be bad at all and the treatment plan is straightforward and the outlook is positive. For example, if you suffer from the symptoms of a pinched nerve, your imagination might run wild, but working with the chiropractic team at RxWellness Spine & Health can help you improve and return to your normal lifestyle.
What Is a Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve is when too much pressure is placed on the nerve root. This pressure can be from muscles, bone, cartilage, tendons, or any surrounding tissue, and it can result in radiating pain and chronic discomfort. A pinched nerve can occur almost anywhere throughout the body, but some of the most common types are sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome. The best way to see results is by working with a professional who will attempt to relieve the pressure on the nerve, as opposed to prescribing pain medication that prevents you from feeling the problem. Schedule a consultation with the chiropractic team at RxWellness Spine & Health, and our chiropractors will help you heal without numbing your sensation to pain.
What Causes Pinched Nerves
Many potential risk factors can contribute to a pinched nerve. For example, women are more likely than men to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. Additional risk factors include:
Obesity: People with obesity have extra weight that can compress the nerve in certain areas. The extra weight increases their risk of developing conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and experiencing the discomfort that comes with a pinched nerve.
Pregnancy: Weight gain and water weight can cause swelling in the joints that can compress nerve pathways, resulting in constant pain.
Jobs or Hobbies: Any job or hobby that requires overuse of the same muscle groups can increase the risk of a pinched nerve. For example, sports like tennis or golf or work like typing or delivering packages can cause inflammation or swelling to the overused muscle group, which can compress the nearby nerve.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis causes a lot of inflammation which can compress the nerves at the joints.
If you experience any of the above risk factors, then suffering from a pinched nerve is increasingly likely. The best types of preventative methods are maintaining good posture, stretching the muscles, improving flexibility, trying to limit repetitive activities if possible, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Symptoms of Pinched Nerves
If you are experiencing extreme discomfort and believe you might be suffering from a pinched nerve, a few symptoms include numbness, muscle weakness, tingling, radiating pain, and the sensation that the affected area is asleep. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule your consultation at RxWellness Spine & Health and our chiropractic team can help you alleviate the discomfort.
Numbness
If you are experiencing numbness, it can be categorized as a loss of sensation in the area affected by the pinched nerve. For example, a pinched nerve in the neck can cause numbing in the shoulders, hand, or arm. And a pinched nerve in the wrist can cause numbness or tingling in the hands and fingertips.
Muscle Weakness
A pinched nerve can affect your motor functions making it difficult to do basic tasks like walking normally or holding a cup of water. If you are having trouble doing simple tasks that you once did without difficulty, a pinched nerve could be the culprit.
Tingling
This is the sensation of pins and needles and will be felt along the nerve pathway of the affected area. Depending on where the nerve is compressed, you will experience the sensation in different areas of the body.
Radiating Pain
When the nerve is pinched or compressed, you will experience radiating pain along the pathway of the nerve. For example, a pinched nerve in the neck can radiate pain along the shoulder, neck, arms, hands, and fingers.
Affected Area Falls Asleep
We’ve all experienced this sensation at one point or another. If you sit in a position too long or fall asleep in a weird position, you may wake up with your arm or your leg feeling numb. It’s usually no big deal, and you’re back to normal after a few short minutes. In someone suffering from a pinched nerve, this experience occurs often and is prompted by the slightest things.
How RxWellness Spine & Health and Relieve Painful Discomfort from Pinched Nerve
The symptom levels of someone suffering from a pinched nerve can vary greatly, but regardless of how you feel, you want to work with a medical professional who will attempt to relieve pressure off the nerve. The goal is to allow the nerve to function freely without being compressed or burdened by surrounding tissue. At RxWellness Spine & Health, we utilize the best chiropractic team in the nation, the most skilled massage therapist, and the most state-of-the-art equipment. Our goal is not to numb your symptoms with pain medication as most doctors do, but instead, we aim to target the discomfort at the source so relief is more permanent and long-lasting. Your care plan may include chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue manipulation, cold laser therapy, electric stimulation, VibraFlex technology, or any other combination of services your doctor believes will help you see an improvement.
Contact Us
The symptoms of a pinched nerve can be very unpleasant, but the best thing you can do is schedule a consultation at RxWellness Spine & Health. Our chiropractic team will help relieve symptoms and get you back to your old self as soon as possible. Our doctors are very open and will work diligently to reduce your discomfort. You are always encouraged to ask plenty of questions and provide feedback on your treatments. Our goal is not only to help you feel better but also to help you understand why you are experiencing this discomfort, so you can take a more active approach in your recovery and see even better results by being aware of how you can improve your lifestyle. If you have any questions or would like to set up a consultation at any of our offices across the Virginia, Maryland, and DC area please give us a call at 1(703) 904 9666 or book a consultation online.