Pinched Nerve Tips to Get Immediate Pain Relief in the Body
Pinched Nerve Tips
What is a pinched nerve?
When too much pressure is placed on a nerve by the tissues that surround it, pinched nerves can occur. Tissues that surround nerves include muscles, tendons, bones, and cartilage. When pinched nerves occur, their function is disrupted. This causes numbness, tingling, weakness or pain.
Pinched nerves can happen numerous places in your body. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, for example, is the result of pressure on a nerve in your wrist, leading to numbness and pain in your fingers and hand. If a herniated disc in the lower part of your spine compresses a nerve root, pain that radiates down your leg may result.
Most symptoms of pinched nerves resolve with rest and other non-surgical treatments within several days or a few weeks. Surgery is sometimes necessary to remove pressure from the nerve and to relieve pain.
What causes pinched nerves?
Pinched nerves are the result of too much pressure being placed on the nerves by tissues that surround them.
Sometimes cartilage or bone compress the nerves. This is what happens in the case of a herniated disc in the spine. Muscles or tendons can also cause pinched nerves.
Several conditions can cause tissues to pinch a nerve or several pinched nerves. Some of these include:
- Repetitive motions that cause stress, often related to work
- Sporting activities or hobbies can lead to pinched nerves
- Obesity sometimes leads to pinched nerves
- Rheumatoid Arthritis or Arthritis of the wrist can cause pinched nerves
- Poor posture can cause pinched nerves
How do you prevent pinched nerves?
You may find that you advantage enormously from just resting the injured area and by maintaining a strategic distance from any exercises that have a tendency to intensify your indications. Much of the time, that is all you have to do for pinched nerve treatment.
In the event, that side effects continue or pain is serious, see your specialist. You may require at least one writes of pinched nerve treatment to contract swollen tissue around the nerve.
Preventing pinched nerves is much easier, and less painful than treating the condition. Here's a list of steps you can take that will help prevent pinched nerves:
- Practice good posture
- Try limiting repetitive motions. If this type of activity is required for your job, try to take frequent breaks, even if just for a few minutes
- Add exercises to build strength and increase your flexibility into your usual exercise routine. If you're not exercising, start now with this type of exercises and gradually work up to prevent pinched nerves
- If you're overweight, do everything you can to lose the extra pounds, then maintain a weight that is appropriate for your height
Tips for Pinched Nerves
- Pinched nerve tip: Rest. The best way to get some immediate relief from your pain is to rest the area that has been injured.
- Pinched nerve tip: Avoid heavy lifting or repetitive motions or movements in the area that is injured.
- Pinched nerve tip: Take a few extra hours for yourself in bed. Sleep in the body's natural way to heal and repair the damage.
- Pinched nerve tip: Support the injured area with a splint or a brace if your doctor recommends this. It may help you to complete your usual activities.
- Pinched nerve tip: If you have pinched a nerve in your neck, limit the amount of time in a neck brace so your muscles don't become weak. Use only according to your doctor's recommendations.
- Pinched nerve tip: If you have carpal tunnel syndrome and your wrist or forearm is painful, your doctor may recommend a wrist or elbow brace
- Pinched nerve tip: Use heat or ice. Ice will relieve swelling. Heat will increase blood flow and relax muscle tension. Never place an ice pack directly on the skin.
- Pinched nerve tip: Apply ice or a cold pack for 15 to 20 minutes three or four times daily to decrease the inflammation in the injured area
- Pinched nerve tip: Apply a heating pad or mild heat to the injured area to increase circulation and speed healing to the area
- Pinched nerve tip: A warm bath or shower may help the tense muscle to relax and can help increase the flow of blood to the injured area
- Pinched nerve tip: Alternating between heat and ice may provide relief from the pain of a pinched nerve
- Pinched nerve tip: Getting a massage may help. The pressure of a massage can help to reduce pain and relieve tension in the muscles. A full-body massage with relaxing your entire body and gentle pressure near the injured nerve may provide more focused relief. Avoid intense pressure or deep-tissue massage.
- Pinched nerve tip: Drink plenty of water after a massage to help cleanse the toxins from your body
- Pinched nerve tip: Try over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and naproxen to relieve pain and swelling. These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. If you can't take these, acetaminophen can also help to relieve pain.
- Pinched nerve tip: If over-the-counter medications are not effective in relieving your pain, your doctor may recommend stronger medication such as anti-seizure medication or stronger anti-inflammatory medications.