Pinched nerve occurs when a nerve exert too much pressure surrounding tissues - bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons. This pressure impairs the function of the nerve, causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.

Pinched nerve can occur in several parts of the body. For example, a slipped disk in the lower back can cause a pinched nerve radicular, and as a result, the pain that is given into the leg (sciatica). Similarly, a pinched nerve in the wrist can cause pain and numbness in the hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome).

Symptoms

The most commonly observed symptoms of a pinched nerve following:

• Numbness or reduced sensitivity in a pinched nerve;
• Sharp or stinging pain spreading to other parts of the body. If pinched nerve, which departs directly from the spinal cord, coughing or sneezing can aggravate the pain;
• Tingling sensation in some parts of the body (paresthesia);
• Muscle weakness or twitching in the affected area;
• Frequent feeling of weakness in the hands or feet.

The problems associated with a pinched nerve, can be exacerbated at night.

Causes and risk factors

A number of disorders can result in pinching the nerve - such as trauma, osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis - take care of the joints healthy longer , Regular stress associated with work, hobbies or sports, obesity. The pressure that occurs as a result of these factors, causes nerve inflammation and disrupts nerve function. If the nerve is jammed for only a short time, it does not lead to permanent damage. When the pressure decreases, the nerve begins to function normally again.

The following factors may increase the risk of pinching a nerve:

• Posture. Poor posture Posture - a few helpful tips for those who want to walk straight   increasing the pressure on the spine and nerves.
• Paul. The likelihood of developing carpal tunnel syndrome in women is three times higher than that of men.
• Abnormal growths on the bone. Injuries or disease causing thickening of the bone, such as osteoarthritis, can lead to the formation of nodules on the bones. These growths may make spine less flexible and reduce the space, which involves nerves, causing them pinched.
• Rheumatoid arthritis Arthritis - a variety of forms and complications . Inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis, may be crushed nerve, especially in joints.
• Exercise stress. Work or hobbies that require repetitive movements with your hands or shoulders, increase the likelihood of a pinched nerve.
• Obesity. Excess weight increases the pressure on the nerves.
• Pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy also increases the strain on the nerves.
• Heredity. Some people have a genetic predisposition to disorders that cause a pinched nerve.

Diagnostics

For the diagnosis of nerve entrapment use the following procedure:

• The study of nerve conduction. The skin electrodes attached and then stimulate the nerves weak electrical impulses. According to the results of the test can detect nerve damage.
• Electromyography. During this procedure, a thin needle is injected muscle - electrode. Then the patient is asked to relax and stretch the muscles. This test enables physicians to determine whether there is damage to the nerves leading to the muscles.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also used to identify a pinched nerve.

Treatment

In most cases, the treatment of a pinched nerve recommended reducing the load on the affected area. Sometimes, physical therapy is also used.

If a pinched nerve passes through a few weeks or months of using conservative methods of treatment, can be assigned to surgery. Type operations required depends on where the pinched nerve.

To prevent the deterioration of the patient over time should be taken to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve, regardless of the severity of its course. In most cases, pain relief rather use ready to use non-surgical means and regular performance of therapeutic exercises. In rare cases where the pain is severe or persists over time, it requires a thoughtful approach to the treatment and possibly surgery. Only such a radical treatment is able to relieve the patient from pain and prevent attacks of neuralgia of the sciatic nerve in the future.

Non-surgical treatment for sciatica

Non-surgical treatment for sciatica is a set of therapeutic measures aimed primarily at pain relief that occurs due to compression of the nerve root. One or more treatment options, as described below, it is recommended to combine exercise with a special program.

The application of heat / cold

In acute pain caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, use bags with heat / ice. These packages are sold in pharmacies and help to reduce the pain in the legs, especially in the early stages of the disease. Typically, cold or heat is applied for about 20 minutes with an interval of two hours. In most cases, first used ice, but in some patients the improvement seen with the heat. To be effective, it is recommended to alternate cold and heat.

Medication

OTC or prescription drugs are also effective in the treatment of sciatic neuralgia. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, tsebereks, ketoprofen, piroxicam, sulindac, indomethacin, ketorolac and COX-2) or oral steroids, help reduce inflammation, which usually is one of the factors of pain from neuralgia.

Epidural steroid injections

To treat acute intensive pain with sciatica used epidural injection of steroids. Epidural injection is more effective than oral medications, as steroids are injected directly into the epidural area around the sciatic nerve, which helps to quickly relieve inflammation, which may be causing the pain. The very injection is performed by lumbar puncture.

Although the effect of epidural injections of steroids and time, and they are not suitable for all patients, they can efficiently remove severe pain in neuralgia of the sciatic nerve. Epidural injection of steroids used since 1952 in the treatment of sciatica and pain in the lumbar spine. The purpose of these injections -removal of pain. Most often, this type of treatment is used in combination with other methods of rehabilitation. It is important that epidural steroid injections to stabilize the patient's condition to such an extent that he can move on to other conservative treatments, such as massages and physiotherapy.

Advantages epidural steroid anti-inflammatory agents prior to oral is that this method allows to reduce the dose of the drug, since it acts directly on the site of inflammation, and reduce the risk of side effects.

Alternative treatments for sciatica

In addition to medical treatment, there are alternative treatments for sciatic neuralgia, proven effectiveness. The most common and effective methods of alternative treatment of sciatica include: chiropractic, acupuncture (acupuncture), massage and hypnosis.

• Acupuncture. During an acupuncture session, the therapist introduces a special stainless steel needles into acupuncture points on the body surface corresponding to the energy centers. Acupuncture - correction method functions of the whole body, organs and systems in particular. It is believed that the thin needle can eliminate stagnation of vital energy qi (chi) and encourage its tributaries. In most cases, the patient feels no pain from the penetration of the skin by needles, furthermore, many believe acupuncture extremely relaxing practice. Some studies have shown that acupuncture reduces pain in the back, but other studies have not confirmed this information. If you want to try acupuncture, consult a specialist qualification which is certified or licensed.
• Manual therapy. The basis of manual therapy Chiropractic: the main thing - to choose the competent expert   on the idea, limiting mobility of the spine leads to a reduction of its function and the appearance of symptoms. Manualnomu (manual) impact on the vertebrae, intervertebral discs, spinal joints, ligaments, muscles, fascia, skin and subcutaneous tissue helps to restore mobility of the spine. Chiropractic aims to restore spinal function and, consequently, pain relief. Some studies confirm the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic as a conservative treatment, especially at the initial stage in order to facilitate the patient's condition, although the optimal number of therapy sessions is not known.
• Massage. Objective clinical research on the effectiveness hampered by differences massage techniques and practices employed by different masters. However, to date, conducted research provides evidence to suggest that massage can alleviate pain in inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
• Hypnosis. During a hypnosis session Hypnosis - ability, sent from above   the patient is administered a state of deep relaxation Relaxation and stress - calm, not panic! Where his mind becomes clear and becomes open to the perception of new ideas. For example, the patient may receive the installation, reduces the perception of pain and increases its pain threshold. Not determined how hypnosis helps deal with the pain, but it may change the figures EEG as well as other methods of relaxation.

In most cases, sciatica Sciatica - warn it is too late   usually it extends itself and does not require medical intervention. Typically, the recovery process takes a few days or weeks. In general, the vast majority of episodes of sciatic neuralgia resolve within six to twelve weeks. After removing the pain should pass to the program of physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises to reduce diskmofort and prevent or minimize the possibility of recurrence of episodes of neuralgia in the future.

There are several types of professionals engaged in non-surgical treatment of the spine, including Chiropractic (Chiropractors), masseurs and physiotherapists. Any treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, it is desirable to carry out under the supervision of a qualified professional.