Do you feel numb? Is this numbness in your toes or hands? Does it run down an arm or leg? These are all signs of a pinched nerve.
Pinched Nerve Numbness
A pinched nerve essentially means an electrochemical nerve signal interruption is occurring along a nerve’s pathway for some reason. This break in information results in that “fallen asleep” feeling.
Too much pressure on a nerve is the basis of this numbing problem. Some of the sources of pressure are bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, ligament and inflammation. There are other potential causes, which depend on where the affected nerve is located.
You may experience other symptoms beyond numbness when a nerve’s function is disrupted, like:
- pain
- burning
- sciatica
- paresthesia
- muscle spasms
- muscle twitches
- muscle weakness
- carpal tunnel syndrome
A pinched nerve can cause symptoms at the site of pressure or anywhere along its path. So for example, a pinched nerve in your back may cause back pain or only the toes in a foot to go numb.
A few areas of your body that are anatomically vulnerable to nerve compression are the neck, shoulders, spine, pelvis, knees and wrists. Your health care provider can frequently determine which nerve is pinched just by you pinpointing where your numbness is taking place.
A pinched nerve can be symptom of some other chronic health condition, such as a herniated disc, arthritis, osteoarthritis, bone spurs or spinal stenosis. Also, injury, bruising, poor posture, repetitive stress, edema, obesity and pregnancy can be causal factors as well.
Pinched Nerve Relief Treatment
Treatment of a pinched nerve largely depends on what’s causing the pressure. Once relief of your compressed tissue is accomplished, function typically returns in the absence of permanent nerve damage.
Treatment starts with rest and stopping any activity that might aggravate your numbing situation. In some cases, a splint or brace may be required to ensure immobility. NSAIDs and analgesics may be recommended to alleviate your pain and inflammation, including aspirin and ibuprofen. A prescription anti-inflammatory and cortisone shot are additional options for unrelenting pain.
Many proclaim complete relief with this basic pinched nerve treatment. However, when numbness doesn’t improve or worsens, then surgery to relieve your nerve pressure may be necessary. Surgical treatments vary from bone removal to spinal fusion.
When a nerve is only pinched for a short time, permanent damage isn’t likely. However, not taking the steps to relieve your numb feeling for an extended period can lead to permanent nerve damage.