What is a Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve is where one of the spinal nerves is compressed leading to a decrease in the vital life sustaining signals a nerve carries. The condition can affect the important messages your brain sends to all the organs, tissues, and cells of the body. This condition can have long term effects such as radiculopathy, sciatica, inflammation, tissue swelling, pressure, and even scarring around the nerve r

How Causes a Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve is most commonly caused by a condition called a vertebral subluxation. This conditions occurs where one or more vertebrae in your spine become misaligned and fixated created a pressure on the nerve root. Subluxations can be caused by physical, chemical, or emotional stressors on the body. The subluxation complex can be identified by loss of movement, inflammation, and muscle tension. Most times, however, there is no pain associated with a subluxation leading to prolonged nerve root irritation without the person knowing. This can lead to deterioration of the nerve root over time and more long term health effects such as buldging or herniated discs. Nerves can also be pinched or compressed by ligaments and tendons.

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What Symptoms would a Pinched Nerve Cause?

The nerves in the human body have approximately 10 main purposes, only one of which is to sense pain. This means that 90% of the time, a pinched nerve would not cause any pain. This is dangerous, however, because the longer a nerve is pinched the more serious the condition becomes as you get older. Conditions such as sciatica, lower back pain, thoracic radiculopathy(radiation), cervical radiculopathy, lumbar pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and even organ dysfunction can be associated with pinched nerves.

What Are my Treatment Options?

Most people wait until they have pain to address any health concern. This is a reactive measure as opposed to a proactive measure. While there can certainly be acute trauma causing a pinched nerve, most pinched nerves have been there for years without a person knowing it. We advocate proper spinal care throughout life such as yoga, maintaining a good body weight, proper chiropractic care, and strength training. Chiropractic and exercise, however, seem to be the absolute best and safest choices in maintaining spinal health and addressing pinched spinal nerves.(1)

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Dr. Marc Gottlieb

Are you looking for a chiropractor Hillcrest? Dr. Marc Gottlieb specializes in children’s conditions including ADHD, ear infections, autism, colic, acid reflux, and asthma. Dr. Gottlieb’s pain management system concentrates on the nervous system and its relation to pain management through enhanced chiropractic techniques. Additionally, Dr. Gottlieb works with athletes to enhance their performance through chiropractic as well as people that have pain from auto accidents and trauma. If you’re looking for a Hillcrest Chiropractor, Dr. Gottlieb is one of the most well-recognized chiropractor San Diego.

Sources:

Dr. Mercola: Chiropractors and Exercise are better than Drugs

What is a Pinched Nerve? | Cause & Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve