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What’s a pinched nerve?
The term “pinched nerve” is a little misleading, because it sounds like a minor complaint that might just go away on its own. In fact, pinched nerves can be very painful, and can lead to more serious ailments.
There are 24 mobile bones in your spinal column, and they protect the spinal cord. Nerve roots split off from the spinal cord at each segment, and they split off again and again into the nerves that relay messages from your brain to your organs and other body parts.
If there is an improperly aligned bone in the spine, it may impinge upon the nerves nearby, causing pain. This misalignment is called vertebral subluxation.
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Nerve disruption types
There are two types of nerve disruptions. The first is called a compressed lesion, which is better known as a pinched nerve. This is less common than the second type, which is called a facilitative lesion, which occurs when the nerve is rubbed or distorted by the impinging spinal bone.
These misalignments that lead to nerve disruption are not cause by movement of bones. Bones are stationary, and therefore are not able to move on their own. Muscles, which are controlled by the nervous system, are what improperly move the bones. This improper activity by the muscles can be reduced by chiropractic care.
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If you suffer with "pinched nerves,"
Chiropractic care can make a tremendous
difference.
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How chiropractic can help
Patients who come to our clinic complaining of nerve irritation are first examined to find the source of the impingement. After the source is located, a careful adjustment is performed to relieve the pressure on the nerve that is giving you trouble.
This same type of therapy can be useful for a wide range of ailments. Call our clinic if you would like to learn more about natural solutions to common disorders.
Common Questions
How long before I feel relief from my nerve pain?
Relief may be immediate, or you may have to receive more than one treatment in order to find relief. There are many things to consider when figuring out how long it will be before you’re healthy again. One of these factors is the length of time the problem has existed; also you should take into account whether or not you’ve been seeing the chiropractor regularly, and if you are living an otherwise healthy lifestyle.
I have a friend who had one appointment and was better. Why isn’t that the case for me?
While relief from one visit is possible, these cases are uncommon and the respite is often passing. The pain often returns after that first visit’s effects wear off, and more appointments are eventually needed to permanently correct the problem.
Can’t I just take muscle relaxers?
Before you come to our clinic, you should know that we don’t prescribe drugs. Medication of this sort doesn’t fix the real problem; it just masks a symptom of your issue, while allowing the actual concern to get worse. In addition, most drugs cause unwanted side effects, some of which can be very serious. We prefer to treat the underlying cause of your pain.
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