By: Dr. Steven Loniewski, D.C,. CCSP

Being a chiropractor in Hillsborough for over 18 years, I’ve seen thousands of cases of “pinched nerves”. They’ve presented in many different scenarios. They can cause pain down the arm, or into the legs, in the wrists, or elbow and even into the back of the head. I can tell you from doctor’s perspective and a patient’s viewpoint that they are NOT fun to experience. They can be annoying slow to heal and in severe.

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PROPER SPINE ALIGNMENT HELPS PREVENT PINCHED NERVES

A Chiropractor’s objective is to make sure that a patient’s spine is aligned properly and moving well so that the nerves exiting the spinal column are not interfered with. Our goal is optimal nerve function for our patients. When the spine is out of alignment (called a subluxation), it can crowd, irritate or pinch the nerve that exits the corresponding vertebrae. This can lead to tingling, burning, numbness or severe pain, as well as irritation to the corresponding muscles and organs that those nerves supply. The CS nerve goes down the arm, but also supplies all those parts of our bodies.

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GET YOUR SPINE CHECKED REGULARLY

Our primary focus at Living Well 4 Life Center in Hillsborough is to get patients to get their spines checked regularly, so they can minimize the stress on the spine, maintaining healthy spine, maintaining healthy spinal curves that would greatly reduce the risk of a pinched nerve. When you don’t take care of your spine regularly, it can get rigid, which can lead to degeneration which can cause bone spurs to form, which narrows (called stenosis) the area there the nerve exits. This dramatically increases the risk of a pinched nerve. Not Good!

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4 COMMON CAUSES

1. Repetive movements and/or trauma
2. Poor posture and mobility
3. Weak core strength/sedentary lifestyle
4. Stress

The most common types of pinched nerves are in the neck, which radiate into the arms (cervical radiculopathy). In the lower back, which radiate into the legs (sciatica). Also, in the wrists (carpal tunnel) and into the back of the head, which can cause headaches and neuralgia. Chiropractic care is very successful in most cases treating pinched nerves.  But the best treatment is Prevention. Maintain good posture and mobility, build good core strength, manage your stress and you will diminish your risk of a painful, debilitating pinched nerve.

Living Well 4 Life Center
www.livingwell4life.net