Can a Chiropractor Help with a Pinched Nerve?

If you are experiencing a shooting pain penetrating down your arms and legs, there is a good chance you are suffering from a pinched nerve.  A pinched nerve is a somewhat common medical condition that many people will face in their lifetimes.  

The good news is that a chiropractor may very well be able to treat a pinched nerve noninvasively, as she will treat what is causing your symptoms and gradually restore you to complete health.

What is a Pinched Nerve?

Your body uses nerves to transmit signals throughout your body. It works by motor commands leaving the brain and traveling down the spinal cord.  From there, they follow the paths of nerves until they come to their final destination.  The sensory commands work their way up through the spinal cord back to the brain for processing. During this travel throughout the body, the long nerves can get compressed, pinched, or trapped.

If there is pressure on the nerve, that is the definition of a pinched nerve.  When a pinched nerve happens, its ability to function is compromised. 

In essence, if the roots of your nerves ― where they branch out from your spinal cord ― become compressed because of something nearby pressing on them, you may experience pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.  You could have a pinched nerve anywhere along your spine, from your neck – the cervical region – to your lower back – the lumbar region.

Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve

  • Feelings of numbness, pins, needles and tingling, also known as paresthesia
  • Feeling as if certain parts of the body have “fallen asleep”
  • Decreased sensation in specific areas of the body
  • Sharp, burning pains 
  • Shooting, shock-like sensations
  • Asymmetric muscle weakness, impacting just one side of the body
  • Pain in your arms

In the majority of cases, a pinched nerve is caused by spinal alignment issues related to the tissues of your body. This might include your body’s tendons, bones, muscle tissue, ligaments, or muscle tissue. 

It is not normal for these tissues to compress the body’s nerves. If they do, a realignment is called for. 

Chiropractors Can Treat Your Pinched Nerve

Chiropractic care is a healthy, natural, and conservative approach to allow your body to heal. Studies show that chiropractic treatments are able to help patients who suffer from pinched nerves in their spine. 

A chiropractor will examine your spine for misalignments and correct them with a gentle chiropractic adjustment, bringing about relief from your pinched nerve pain.

What’s more, chiropractors are able to noninvasively realign your spine and alleviate pressure in troubled areas of your back. Your chiropractor can user her hands and other tools to apply controlled force to push your joints and other structures back into place. This addresses the root cause of the pinched nerve issue. 

By putting your spine back in alignment, this can relieve the inflammation and then free up the pinched nerve.  

This work performed by a chiropractor can help you recover from a pinched nerve without having to undergo invasive procedures or take medications that could lead to side effects.  There are many stress factors that occur that can cause a pinched nerve, and chiropractors specialize in reducing that stress to treat pinched nerves, as well as prevent them.

The good news is that your chiropractor will treat the root cause of your pain, and spinal misalignments, so you can enjoy long-term, lasting relief from pinched nerve pain.  

A chiropractor will also instruct you on how to assist the body’s natural healing process with measures that could include cold/heat therapy and postural adjustment. She can also teach you how to incorporate helpful exercises and flexibility routines into your daily life. 

Through gentle adjustments, your chiropractor will simply let your body do its job. Your body wants to heal itself, and you just have to let it.  

Look to Chiropractic Care of Tri-Cities for Treatment of Your Pinched Nerve

You can count on Chiropractic Care of Tri-Cities to resolve your pinched nerve issues by realigning your spine to get you back to optimal health. Our expert chiropractors will also provide tools and information that could help you prevent a pinched nerve from happening in the first place. 

Get your Body Back on Track with Chiropractic Care of Tri-Cities

Whether you suffer from neck and back problems, related nerve conditions, disc problems, muscle sprains, strains, headaches, or other musculoskeletal symptoms, Chiropractic Care of Tri-Cities offers evaluation, diagnosis, and gentle manual treatment for these issues.  

Chiropractic care is an approach that uses no drugs or surgery. Our treatment is one that uses natural means to encourage the body to heal itself, just as we are designed to do. At Chiropractic Care of Tri-Cities, we treat our patients by restoring proper movement and positioning of dysfunctional joints, all while emphasizing careful treatment of patients.

We want to help you get your body back on track.  Read our Frequently Asked Questions and then give us a call today to schedule your new patient appointment – 509-946-0631 – or you can request an appointment online.