Pinched Nerve Relief in Williamsburg

Do you think you may have a pinched nerve?

Nerve irritation shows up in different ways including numbness, decreased sensation, tingling sensations (paresthesia), muscle weakness, feelings of a limb “falling asleep,” and pain.

A nerve that feels like it’s pinched might actually be pinched – but more commonly, it’s inflamed and irritated.

The Role of Chiropractic Care

At Performance Chiropractic, we aim to alleviate the causes of nerve irritation through targeted adjustments. These adjustments create space for the nerve and its accompanying blood vessel, collectively known as a neurovascular bundle.

When this bundle gets irritated, especially the lymphatic vessels, they can leak substances that further irritate the nerve at the site and down the nerve pathway. By normalizing joint function and improving movement patterns, we can effectively reduce the pain, motion limitations, and radiation of discomfort associated with an irritated nerve. Diet can also affect your inflammation. Along with chiropractic adjustments, it’s a powerful 1-2 punch to help you get back on track.

Distinguishing Nerve Irritation From Other Conditions

It’s important to differentiate between nerve irritation and other serious conditions, like a heart attack. Pain radiating down the left arm, accompanied by jaw pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath, is not indicative of nerve irritation; however, not all chest and arm pain is a heart attack. Nonetheless, it’s crucial to rule out such possibilities.

Nerve irritation can occur anywhere from the neck (typically radiating to the shoulder, upper back, or arm) down to the low back (typically radiating to the buttocks, hamstrings, calf, or foot). The injury could begin with a physical pinch such as a high-impact collision (car or sport), but long-term symptoms are usually due to repeated insults (think excessive sitting and bad posture), inflammation, and joint dysfunction.

Complementary Therapies

In addition to chiropractic adjustments, we may also recommend acupuncture and advise self-care measures. Certain techniques, particularly when a disc causes the impingement, can be highly effective. The McKenzie Technique, for instance, is a proven method to reduce disc bulges and help alleviate a pinched nerve. Doctors of chiropractic often combine spinal adjustments with these methods to help patients heal, faster.