Top 4 Pinched Nerve FAQs Answered

Everyone has experienced getting pinched on the face, arm, or other parts of the body. It creates a painful, tingling, and numbing sensation. If the pinching goes on for a few minutes, it can cause redness and eventually bruising. Imagine if that happens to one of your nerves along the spine. Will you experience the same feeling? Will that lead to nerve damage?

As a trusted practitioner of upper cervical care in Rochester, Dr. Ryan thought of answering some common questions about compressed or pinched nerves. In this way, you can determine which among the available options for pinched nerve relief in Rochester can provide you the best results.  

Question #1: How do you identify a pinched nerve? 

Many people who are looking into upper cervical care in Rochester for pinched nerve relief report many debilitating signs and symptoms. Some of them include: 

  • Lingering pain that radiates towards the lower limbs – Radiating pain on one side of the body is the main feature of a pinched nerve. Often beginning on the lower back, the pain spreads to one of the thighs and legs. In some cases, the painful sensation can affect the tip of the toes. 
  • Paresthesia – Pins and needles sensation is another common indication of a pinched nerve. It can also denote nerve damage, especially if the prickling sensation starts getting worse. 
  • Muscle tingling or numbness – The nerve pinching obstructs circulation. This results in muscle numbness or tingling. 

If you have these symptoms, we recommend consulting with a doctor or neurologist. Doing so can help you gauge the level of your nerve damage and begin exploring options to alleviate your symptoms. 

Question #2. How long before a pinched nerve heals?

How long does it take to experience pinched nerve relief in Rochester? It depends. The nature of your pinched nerve will tell. But, on average, the symptoms disappear 6 to 12 weeks after you take or use some relief options. Some of them include upper cervical care in Rochester, physical therapy, or pain medications. 

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and pinched nerves, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Question #3: Which nerves commonly get pinched or compressed?

In case you did not know, the human body has roughly 7 trillion nerves. These structures of the central nervous system innervate various parts of the body, allowing you to perform activities like walking, running, keeping your balance. The nerves also allow digestion and other internal organ functions.  

Unfortunately, when your nerves get pinched or compressed, they will fail to transmit your brain’s instruction to the organs or tissues. Some of the nerves that usually suffers from compression or pinching include the following: 

Trigeminal Nerve

It’s a cranial nerve that controls or innervates your facial muscles. When it suffers from compression, it can trigger the onset of trigeminal neuralgia, a neurological disorder that causes pain when you brush your teeth, touch your face, chew food, or smile.

Median nerve

The median nerve controls the arms and hands. When they get pinched, you become at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.  

Sciatic nerve

Known as the most extensive nerve bundle of the body, the sciatic nerve controls various functions that involved the lower back, hips, and lower limbs. When this nerve bundle gets compressed or irritated, you may develop sciatica, a debilitating nerve disorder that more or less 40 percent of American adults. It’s also among the leading complaints of patients seeking upper cervical care in Rochester.

Spinal nerve 

The spinal cord controls your body's motor and sensory functions. This means, if it gets pinched by your bones, discs, or other protruding tissues, you will likely experience a myriad of painful symptoms. In addition, the pinching sensation triggers radiculopathy, affecting specific regions of the spinal cord (lumbar, cervical, and thoracic).

Question #4: What are the best methods for pinched nerve relief in Rochester?

So you got diagnosed with a pinched nerve. Now what? Your option would depend on the root cause of the nerve pinching. Did it occur because of a cervical misalignment? Do you have bone spurs or herniated discs? 

Knowing the specific cause of your condition is the key to finding a practical approach. Hence, we suggest getting a detailed and accurate diagnosis from your doctor. Once you complete that, you can try looking into options for pinched nerve relief in Rochester, such as:

Relaxing massage

Gentle massage can help loosen tight muscles that may be contributing to nerve pinching. That’s why it would help to get a relaxing massage from a therapist. The idea is to use light and circling motions on the painful part to get your blood flowing and ease the pressure.  

Cold or heat therapy

Patients who frequently deal with pain turn to heat and cold therapy to cope. Generally, patients use cold therapy or ice pack to reduce swelling, while heat or hot compress to help the body heal faster. We recommend applying heat or ice for no more than 15 minutes on your skin. In this way, you would not damage your skin.  

Upper cervical care in Rochester

If the remedies we mentioned do not provide you with pinched nerve relief in Rochester, you can try upper cervical care. It’s a unique approach used in chiropractic that focuses on the alignment of the neck bones. It aims to restore balance in your spinal column by making gentle and minor adjustments to the uppermost neck bones, the C1 and C2. 

If you want to see the benefits of this option for yourself, you can contact us at Upstate Sports & Spine Upper Cervical Chiropractic. We offer upper cervical care in Rochester that can relieve pain from a pinched nerve. You can schedule your consultation with Dr. Ryan, our reliable upper cervical chiropractor using our contact form. Alternatively, you can call us at 585-413-1202.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Uribe, call our Rochester office at 585-413-1202. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.

Upstate Sports & Spine is proud to be located in the heart of Brighton. This part of Brighton is known for being the medical services hub of Rochester, NY. We are excited to be positioned in a region of the metro that is easily accessible from anywhere.
Learn More
2048 Clinton Ave. S. Rochester, NY 14618 
585-413-1202
info@upstatesportsandspine.com
Mon: 9am-6pm
Tues: 9am-6pm 
Wed: 12pm-7pm
Thur: 9am-6pm
Fri: 9am-12pm
Sat: by appt
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram Skip to content