Understanding Nerve Pain Due to Compression Have you ever had pain in your neck or back? Numbness or pain down an arm or leg, or in your hands or feet? Most often, this is due to pressure on a nerve or a nerve root somewhere in the body. What is the process that makes this occur? This article will attempt to explain the problem. When the nerves are subjected to broad-based pressure, they get “squished” and deform. Nerve compression usually occurs at sites where the nerve passes through a tight tunnel of bone, connective tissue, or muscle. If this goes on long enough, nerve fibers within can be totally destroyed, resulting in permanent pain, sensory abnormalities such as numbness and tingling, or muscle weakness. The problem is, many people wait too long to do something before nerve damage occurs. Let’s look at the anatomy of the nerve from the brain and spine out into the body, arms, and legs. First of all, nerve signals travel both ways from the brain, down the spinal cord, into the body and into the arms and legs, and then vice versa, from the legs and arms back to the brain. Either way, the signals travel the same pathways. The spine itself has 31 sets of nerve “roots” which exit the spine via tiny openings called foramen. There are 8 cervical nerve roots in the neck and 12 thoracic nerve roots in the body. Then, there are 5 lumbar nerve roots in the low back, as well as sacral nerve roots located in the low back and tail bone. The first 4 cervical nerve roots supply the nerves to the vital organs and the diaphragm for breathing. Cervical roots 5-8 go to the shoulders, arms, and hands. The thoracic nerve roots go to the rib area, trunk, and flanks. Lastly, the lumbar roots go to the legs and feet, while the sacral roots go to the hips, legs, buttocks, and anal area. When a nerve root at the spine is compressed, it is called a radiculopathy. These “pinched nerves” can cause pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, or hand. In the lower body, it can go into the hip, thigh, leg, or foot and toes. Symptoms can be in one or both sides of the body. Treatment might involve safe and painless computerized traction of the neck and back. We may also do stretching if you are tight, or strengthening exercises to stabilize you if you’re too loose. Nerves can also be compressed further out from the spine in the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, or hand, and the muscles of the buttocks or thigh can compress nerves to the leg. The peroneal nerve is sometimes compressed at the knee. Compression of the tibial nerve at the inside ankle can cause pain or numbness in the bottom of the foot, which is known as tarsal tunnel. The most famous compression of all is at the carpal tunnel, which is compression of the median nerve in the wrist. We treat it fairly effectively with the Dynasplint Carpal Tunnel System, which painlessly stretches open the carpal tunnel and can help provide relief from numbness in the hands. The bottom line is, we can help you and your doctor discover what is causing the compression with painless nerve testing and examination. We have soothing, painless treatments which are the latest technology to help eliminate your back or neck pain, as well as any numbness in the arms, legs, hands, or feet. Call us today for information or a free screening, or ask your doctor for a referral. Take time to take care of yourself before any permanent damage is done! Try therapy first at TriState Hand & Occupational Therapy. |
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