Dr. Kaliq Chang
For the vast majority of those with pinched nerves, it’s a short-term problem lasting only a few days to a few weeks.
West Orange, NJ (PRWEB) September 28, 2016
If you’ve got a pinched nerve you probably know it, since the resulting pain and numbness can be nagging and long-lasting. Pinched nerves typically resolve in a matter of days or weeks, but sometimes they linger and disrupt our day-to-day lives, according to Kaliq Chang, MD, of Atlantic Spine Center.
A colloquial term used to describe nerve compression, pinched nerves can develop in a wide variety of body regions. When nerves leading from the spine become pinched, they often trigger symptoms in the arms and legs since these extremities are connected to nerves along the neck and back, respectively, says Dr. Chang, a highly specialized interventional spine specialist.
These symptoms can be brief or enduring, minor or severe, or anything in between, he says.
“Depending on where the pinched nerve is located, symptoms will vary,” Dr. Chang explains. “If it’s in the back, you may feel pain in your buttocks that radiates down the legs or feet. If the pinched nerve is in your neck, the arms and hands can be the site of pain, numbness, weakness or tingling.”
Understanding pinched nerve causes and risk factors
Many factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, can lead to pinched nerves. Certain factors increase the odds that you’ll suffer from a pinched nerve, and Dr. Chang says they include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Involvement in a motor vehicle accident
- An occupation necessitating repetitive movements or sitting
- Pregnancy
- Family history
There are specific spine conditions that can directly cause pinched nerves, Dr. Chang says. These include:
- Herniated or bulging discs in spinal vertebrae
- Spinal bone spurs
- Facet joint arthritis
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Congenital short pedicles
“Not all pinched nerves can be prevented, but often they can,” Dr. Chang says. “If you control your weight, maintain good posture, engage in proper lifting techniques and exercise regularly, you’ll have the best chance of avoiding this condition.”
Tips on diagnosing, treating pinched nerves a straightforward process
Rooting out the cause of a pinched nerve can involve the use of various diagnostic tests. These include:
- MRI imaging, which produces detailed images of possible nerve root compression
- Nerve conduction studies, which use electrodes to measure electrical nerve impulses and muscle and nerve function
- Electromyography, which evaluates electrical activity in muscles while contracting and at rest
Once diagnosed, most pinched nerves are treated with the simplest strategy imaginable: rest. “It’s important to temporarily avoid any activities that might worsen symptoms,” Dr. Chang says.
Other low-key but effective treatment measures can include NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce nerve pain and inflammation and chiropractic care or physical therapy to strengthen and stretch muscles, which can relieve pressure on nerves. Beyond conservative management, epidural steroid injections in the cervical or lumbar spine are the fastest and most direct method of reducing inflammation around the pinched nerve, leading to pain relief and return of functioning. Surgery is usually a last resort, Dr. Chang says, and performed only if all conservative measures haven’t reduced pinched nerve pain over a long period.
“For the vast majority of those with pinched nerves, it’s a short-term problem lasting only a few days to a few weeks,” Dr. Chang says. “But if your pinched nerve isn’t getting better, it is time to see a spine specialist. Symptoms lasting longer than a month will most likely require more extensive, specialized treatment, and the sooner pinched nerves can be evaluated, the sooner relief can be achieved .”
Kaliq Chang, MD, is a board-certified physician who is fellowship-trained in pain management at Atlantic Spine Center.
Atlantic Spine Center is a nationally recognized leader for endoscopic spine surgery with several locations in NJ and NYC.
http://www.atlanticspinecenter.com/, http://www.atlanticspinecenter.nyc