It used to be the current thought that vertebrae in the back can get out of alignment and press directly on the nerve. In fact, this seldom happens. Much more commonly, there is inflammation around the vertebral joint near the root of the nerve, and the nerve becomes irritated. This causes pain, and dysfunction. We all know what pain is, and it can come in many different forms from mild to severe, occasional to constant, dull/aching to sharp or knife-like.
Dysfunction of a nerve is a much more complicated issue that also varies a great deal and can cause a host of symptoms. Any nerve symptom can occur – pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, spasm, twitching, and organ changes. If the nerve to your stomach is irritated, it may affect the way your stomach organ works. One of the most common effects in the stomach is heartburn/indigestion, commonly referred to as GERD: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. This condition is often helped by Chiropractic adjustments, much like headaches, constipation, or menstrual cramps. In the absence of more serious conditions, adjustments can be a saviour. Of course, it can be something more serious and may need to be examined by a Medical Doctor.
Nerves can be irritated by the vertebral joints, and they can also be irritated by the muscles they run through, or around. If you have ever had shin splints you may know that the tightness of the shin muscles can cause pain in the ankle, or foot. Luckily this can easily be relieved once someone can show how the foot pain originates in the leg. Another common example is pseudo sciatica caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve in the back of the hip by the piriformis muscle. Again, releasing the piriformis muscle can release the irritation of the nerve. One further example is tension headaches which may be caused by tension in the upper neck muscles that directly irritate the nerve up over the head to the forehead. Applying pressure to these upper neck muscles can relieve this type of headache.
Chiropractors are uniquely trained to look for the cause of your problem related to the musculoskeletal system, often pain, stiffness or some other unwanted symptom. A thorough examination of the spine and neuromusculoskeletal system can usually identify the cause. Often specific, gentle adjustments can relieve most of these nerve irritations. If, however, it is the muscle causing the problem we can help with that, too. Sometimes we seek the help of a Registered Massage Therapist for further muscle work. And either way, there are a lot of techniques that can be done at home, by yourself, or a loved one.
If you think you might have a pinched nerve, see your Chiropractor. You’ll be glad you did!