You think you have a pinched nerve in your neck?
“On the spot” recommendations for relief!
You’ve done something and now it feels like you have a pinched nerve in your neck. What should you do?
It’s going to be tough and not advised to diagnose the problem yourself. Very often, muscle spasms will feel like a pinched nerve. The pain may be sharp and twingy, it may even feel hot or electrical, and it will be very hard to turn your head to the side of the pain. Just because the pain feels this way, doesn’t mean it’s a pinched nerve, and this is good news.
A true pinched nerve is a serious problem. If a bone or other structure like a disc is directly pinching a nerve, you could be doing serious damage to that nerve in a short period of time. Symptoms may also include numbness, weakness and tingling in the area of the pinching as well as into your neck, shoulders and arms. You may feel an electrical pain, numbness and tingling into your hands. You may not be able to lift or grip with your hand.
Pinched Nerve In Your Neck? Try 3 Things “On the spot”. Once the pain is gone, call us for answers. Find the cause, improve function, prevent the pain! (207) 774-6251 Dr. Lou Jacobs – Chiropractor – Portland, Maine.
More often than not, you have what’s called vertebral subluxation (VS). VS is a misalignment of the spine that leads to nerve irritation (not necessarily pinching) by compressing or causing inflammation around the nerve. This will lead to decreased and disrupted nerve communication that leads to a malfunction in the muscle controlled by that nerve. This spasm or twinge, in turn, feels like a pinched nerve but is much less serious.
Three things that you can do “on the spot” for a pinched nerve:
- Stretch. Stretch the area gently, trying to open up the painful side of your neck and to loosen muscles, and decrease inflammation.
- Heat. Put heat on your neck to relieve tension and reduce inflammation in the muscles around the nerves.
- Pressure. Apply pressure to the muscles of the neck in the area that hurts. Gentle pressure often helps reduce tension, much like a massage, and it will
** If you are uncomfortable doing these things or aren’t sure how, you should call us if you live in Southern Maine. If it would appear to be an “emergency”, go to the hospital. Neck and back pain can be signs of a serious condition and you should always be evaluated by a trained professional.