A pinched nerve happens when surrounding structures compress a nerve or group of nerves, causing pain, and abnormal sensations, such as numbness and tingling and sometimes weakness . A pinched nerve can occur anywhere in your body. Injury, age-related changes to your musculoskeletal system, and lifestyle habits such as too much sitting, increase the risk of a pinched nerve.
Rest and self-care is the first approach to relieving symptoms of a pinched nerve. When pain persists despite these measures it's time to seek medical attention. Stuart Hough, MD, and Ramani Peruvemba, MD, along with the team of professionals at Pain Management Specialists can help you get relief from the pain and discomfort of a pinched nerve.
A diagnosis of a pinched nerve means that a nerve in your body is compressed. This usually occurs when surrounding tissues press on a nerve, which causes symptoms such as pain and numbness. In many cases, a herniated disc in the spine, or narrowing of the spinal canal are responsible for a pinched nerve.
It may originate in your neck, upper back, or lower back; you can also experience pinched nerves in other body parts. Depending on the location of the pinched nerve, you may experience pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, abdomen, buttocks, hips, or legs. A pinched nerve can be painful, but treatment can bring you relief.
Most of the time a pinched nerve will go away on its own with the rest and self-care within about 4-to-6 weeks. During this time taking it easy and taking over-the-counter pain medication can help manage her symptoms.
You should see a medical professional if your symptoms last more than six weeks. Your healthcare provider can perform a physical exam, and order imaging tests, such as x-ray, EMG, MRI, and CT scan. Doing so provides a better idea of what may be going on. Once the formal diagnosis is made, your pain management physician can create a treatment plan to help you get relief.
Specific stretches and light exercises can help ease the pressure on your nerves and relieve minor pain from a pinched nerve. This is often the best place to start when pain lasts beyond six weeks. In coordination with a physical therapist, your provider will create a customized physical therapy plan to address your pain and specific issues related to your pinched nerve.
I Physical therapy is an important part of relieving pain associated with a pinched nerve. It is often combined with other pain management treatments to help you recover and feel better.
Epidural steroid injections are a tried and true approach to treating chronic pain originating from the neck and back. An epidural steroid injection is a way to deliver pain medication quickly into the affected area for fast pain relief. If you have intense pain from a pinched nerve your provider may recommend an epidural steroid injection to rapidly reduce inflammation and ease your pain.
During the procedure, your provider uses an imaging machine to guide the needle to the appropriate targeted area. Once the needle is in the correct location the medication is delivered, providing pain relief.
After an epidural steroid injection, you can return home and return to your regular routine. Many people experience pain relief for several months and are able to function better. If you respond well to the injection the treatment can be repeated to extend the pain-relieving benefits.
Your provider may recommend a nerve block to relieve pain related to a pinched nerve elsewhere in your body. Your provider will locate the nerve causing your pain and inject a numbing substance and often a steroid to reduce nerve irritation. Nerve blocks differ from epidural steroid injections in that they target a specific nerve.
If you’re dealing with pain from a pinched nerve despite time and self-care measures, the team at Pain Management Specialists can help. We offer customized treatment to help you get the relief you need. To get started, call our Rockville, or Frederick office to schedule a consultation with one of our providers. Pain relief is within reach.
