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A pinched nerve happens when the muscles and tissues surrounding a nerve compresses the nerve and prevents it from working properly. Most often, pinched nerves happen in your limbs or in your spine, and they can have symptoms like pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
Pinched nerves are fairly common and affect 85 out of every 100,000 adults living in the United States. Don Enty, MD and the rest of our team at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine review what causes this common condition and how it can be treated.
Causes and symptoms of pinched nerves
Pinched nerves can be caused by a number of different things, including:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Degenerative joint disease
- Weight gain or obesity
- Repetitive movements or overuse
- Bone fractures
- Osteoarthritis
Any sudden twisting or jerking movements can also cause your nerves to become compressed.
Symptoms of pinched nerves can include:
- Burning sensations
- Feeling of pins and needles
- Reduced sensations to pain or temperature
- Muscle weakness
It’s typical to only have symptoms on one side of your body; however, if you have multiple pinched nerves, you may have these symptoms all over your body. These symptoms will usually come on gradually and then come and go depending on how severe it is.
Pinched nerves can also affect physical functions like bladder and bowel control depending on the location of your pinched nerve.
Treatment for pinched nerves
There are many different treatment approaches for pinched nerves ranging from conservative care to surgery. Our team always recommends starting with the most conservative approach and then working from there.
At-home treatments
You can try some things on your own to treat your pinched nerves first. This involves getting plenty of rest, icing and heating the injured area, and taking over-the-counter pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Steroids
We offer steroid injections in order to lower inflammation and reduce pain while your pinched nerve is healing.
Surgery
If these other options don’t relieve the pressure on your nerves, surgery may be the best treatment plan for you. Surgery can help to get rid of scar tissue that’s compressing your nerve or it can repair any other damage that’s causing your nerve to be pinched.
There always is the possibility that your pinched nerve will go away on its own, but it’s always safer to get it checked out and have it treated by a professional.
If you think you have a pinched nerve and would like Dr. Enty and our team to treat it for you, call our office located in Colleyville, Texas, or use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment with us today.