On average, every 5th person complains of back pain. Only every second of them immediately seeks qualified help, and all the rest of the houses try to get rid of burning and unbearable pain with improvised means. Few people think about the consequences of self-treatment, but this discomfort can be caused by a pinched nerve. The symptoms of this disease can appear sharply, and then go away by themselves. But this does not mean that the problem is solved, a specialist consultation is necessary.
What is pinching?
A pinched nerve occurs when the nerve endings that branch out from the spinal cord are squeezed by nearby passing vertebrae or any other obstacles, such as:
- hernias;
- muscle spasms;
- tendons;
- tumors;
- protrusions;
- and others.
Pinch the nerve ending is accompanied by severe stabbing, burning and shooting pain. There are many forms. The most common in patients - pinchingsciatic nerve and cervical.
Depending on the location of the pain syndrome, several types of pathology are distinguished:
- sciatica - pain in the sacrum, buttocks and back of the leg;
- lumboischialgia - pain felt in the lumbar region, buttocks and back of the leg;
- lumbalgia - pain in the back, and especially in the lower back;
- cervicobrachialgia - discomfort in the neck and arm;
- cervicalgia - pain in the cervical region.
A patient suffering from an acute attack of pain may also feel numbness in a number of muscles, and his internal systems malfunction. It all depends on which of the nerves was pinched. In addition, it is necessary to distinguish which type of nerve is pinched - sensory, autonomic or motor. If the first type has suffered, then the person turns to the doctor and complains of attacks of severe pain, which he is simply unable to endure. If the nerves of the second and third types are pinched, the help of a doctor is delayed, since most often this leads to serious complications.
Reasons
The human spine takes on the maximum load when lifting weights and sudden movements on itself. The back reacts sharply to such stress, resulting in a pinched nerve in the weakest part of the spine. Among the main risk factors are the following:
- overload that occurs during sports or heavy lifting;
- long stay in one position, this applies to office workers;
- constant tension of the spine, which often happens with pregnant women;
- hypothermia;
- the consequence of long illnesses, this can also apply to colds;
- uncomfortable sleeping position;
- too soft or hard bed;
- overweight.
Many people need qualified treatment for a pinched nerve between the ribs or directly in the spine. At the junction of the ribs and vertebrae, a change in their position leads to clamping. In rare cases, pinching can even occur due to the fact that the person simply turned abruptly or sighed. In this case, the pain can be so strong that there is simply no strength to endure it. The pain syndrome can be chronic or acute. But in rare cases, it can only appear during sudden movements, coughing or sneezing.
Symptoms of strangulation in the sacral and lumbar region
Many patients believe that low back pain is caused by fatigue and hope that after a good rest it will go away. But the pain that shoots and finds waves may not go away, but only intensify. The main symptoms of a pinched nerve in the sacrum and lower back are:
- it is difficult to confuse this pain with any other, as it has a shooting and penetrating character;
- she is clearly localized;
- pregnant women and women who have given birth often pinch their nerves;
- pain is followed by muscle spasms, it is difficult for the patient to change position;
- ifdiscomfort is localized on the right side, it seems that this is discomfort in the liver;
- with pain on the left side, it seems that it is bothering the spleen or the heart.
If the problem is only related to muscle tension, then after rest, everything will pass quickly. Therefore, do not confuse fatigue with a pinched nerve. The sciatic is considered the most vulnerable, and all because of its great length. It originates in the spine and extends to the feet. When it is pinched, some patients have to treat their paralyzed legs.
Nerve endings in the lower part of the spine can also be pinched for the following reasons:
- the position of the spinal disc has changed;
- impaired pelvic organs;
- a tumor appeared.
If you do not pay attention to the symptoms of a pinched nerve and do not start treatment, then the next sign may be pelvic numbness, impaired urinary function and weakening of the lower extremities.
Symptoms of a pinched neck and shoulder
In this area, clamping occurs quite rarely. Most often, the cause may be a sharp turn of the head or hypothermia. Pinched nerve endings in the neck are rare, but one of the most dangerous. As complications, paralysis can occur, complete or partial. If you do not take any measures and start infringement in the shoulder area, then inflammation and neurological diseases may develop.
It is possible to pinch a nerve in the cervical region during sleep with severe alcohol intoxication, when a person simply does not control his movements and does not feelthat his posture is uncomfortable.
Symptoms of infringement in the area of the shoulder blades and chest
When infringement in the area of the shoulder blades, the disease can manifest itself in the form of severe shooting pain. Many patients think that this is due to heart disease, but this is not at all the case. But there are those who believe that the problem is in the lungs.
If the infringement manifested itself in the chest area, then not always the first symptom may be pain, most often the patient loses mobility, in addition:
- the place on the skin in the place of pinching turns red;
- this is where the muscles swell;
- temperature rises, sweating intensifies;
- pain syndrome appears for no reason and abruptly.
Infringement during pregnancy
Almost every third woman during childbearing feels that a nerve is pinched in her back, but does not know what to do to get rid of the discomfort. Pinching of the sciatic nerve and others can also occur during labor, and all due to the fact that during this period the patient is very tense or the fetus is not positioned correctly.
At this time, the spine feels an unusual load, and deformation occurs. After the birth of a baby, a sharp loss of body weight can become additional stress for a woman. To prevent the development of intervertebral hernias and protrusions, you need to start timely treatment.
Pinched nerve in leg
Often, people pinch the nerve ending in the lower leg, which is reflected in severe pain. But few peopleattaches particular importance to such a symptom, referring to the fact that the whole day on his feet and there was no rest. But if you do not immediately find a problem, then the consequences can be serious, one of them is swelling. If you do not proceed to the timely complex treatment of a pinched nerve at home or in a hospital, following the recommendations of a specialist, then the consequences may be irreparable. In some cases, the infringement may be accompanied by tumors.
Therefore, if the patient feels a sharp stabbing pain, and then it lets go and reappears, it is better to consult a doctor. He will prescribe an examination that will help establish the diagnosis. Treatment will follow.
Diagnostic measures
Before understanding the main question of how to treat a pinched nerve, you need to know what measures help confirm the diagnosis.
Back pain can cause various diseases, so self-diagnosis should be avoided.
Only a doctor can prescribe an examination after a visual examination of the patient. Finding the cause and understanding if there is a pinched sciatic nerve or any other will help:
- complete blood count;
- manual research;
- MRI;
- electrocardiogram.
X-rays are necessarily done from several different angles at once. The picture will make it possible to see whether the spine and intervertebral discs are in a stable position, whether there are third-party pathologies that have affected muscles or bones.
Patient better get throughall the recommended examinations at once, because with their help it will be possible to exclude oncology, cardiological and neurological diseases.
Therapeutic Methods
When a nerve is pinched in any part of the spine, treatment occurs in three stages:
- Elimination of pain syndrome. In this case, the patient may be recommended tablets, ointments or injections. In order to be able to cure the infringement, the patient must be provided with complete rest, he must rest as long as possible, exclude s alty and spicy foods from the diet.
- Remove inflammation - this is one of the main symptoms of a pinched sciatic nerve, treatment begins with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The first and second stages are linked, so they are applied simultaneously.
- After the pain and inflammation subsided, medical workers begin to work on the restoration of the nerve. In this case, the following will come to the rescue: a massage therapist, a chiropractor, an acupuncture specialist, a physical therapy trainer and taking a vitamin complex.
Medicated pinching treatment
Among medicines, the following have proven their effectiveness:
- Movalis will help relieve pain, which can either be taken orally or used as injections.
- "Diclofenac" is one of the popular and inexpensive remedies that is used in the treatment of pinched sciatic nerve at home. But you need to remember that he has a large numbercontraindications.
- Ketonal relieves pain perfectly, besides, it is suitable for pregnant women.
- "Ibuprofen" is available in several forms, so it can be used as an injection or orally.
To quickly remove the symptoms of a pinched sciatic nerve, ointments and gels are used for home treatment. With their help, you can quickly relieve pain. But before using them, it is better to consult a doctor:
- "Finalgon" helps to improve blood circulation in the affected tissues, its cost is available to everyone.
- "Viprosal" warms well and relieves pain.
- "Betalgon" effectively affects the supply of capillaries, due to which cell regeneration occurs and pain recedes.
- "Flexen" has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect,
- "Carmolis" quickly relieves pain.
Additionally, for those who have experienced pinching, the doctor may recommend wearing an orthopedic corset. It helps to support the back, due to which the distance between the vertebrae is released, the inflammatory process goes away over time, the nerve is released, and all the symptoms of the disease disappear. Today in the pharmacy you can buy corsets that are suitable for people with pinching in different parts of the spine. They are divided into thoracolumbar, lumbosacral, lumbar and for pregnant women. Therefore, there will be no difficulties with the choice, each patient will find his own option.
Therapeutic exercise
After bouts of acute pain duringpinched sciatic nerve removed, you can fix the treatment with the help of special exercise therapy exercises:
- Crawl and backstroke are very effective. This will be especially helpful for those who have had surgery.
- You can do the exercise - lying on your back, lift your chest off the floor.
- Down on all fours, you need to alternately raise and lower your back, resting in the middle position.
- In the prone position, hug your knees and swing on your back, but without sudden movements.
Therapeutic exercise should be done systematically, without missing a day, only in this case it will bring results. You can perform exercises under the supervision of an exercise therapy specialist who will monitor the correct execution and the condition of the spine.
Massage
If there is a pinched cervical nerve or any other, then the services of a massage therapist will help to cope with the disease. The simplest technique can be mastered by one of the closest people. The patient needs to lie on a hard surface on his stomach, relax, stretch his arms along the body. The session begins with light strokes.
The movements are strong, circular, from top to bottom. It is very important that the massage therapist, especially if he is a beginner, works with the muscles of the back, and not with the spine. Only a specialist - a manual therapist should work with him. After light strokes, you need to move on to kneading and rubbing. The movements are smooth and intense.
During the massage, no pressing, strong andpatting manipulations, because they can provoke complications. The session ends with light strokes. After it, the patient should get up slowly, without sudden movements.
Surgery
In cases where conservative treatment has not brought relief and the patient is still suffering from severe pain, surgery may be recommended. But it is carried out only if the sciatic nerve is pinched due to an intervertebral hernia. This type of surgery is called microdiscectomy. During it, the surgeon removes tissue that pinched the nerve endings. Recovery after surgery ranges from two weeks to three months.
Preventive methods
In order for the patient not to become a victim of pinched nerve endings in the spine, he simply needs to take preventive measures. They will also be useful for those who have already recovered from the disease and do not want the symptoms to return and bring inconvenience:
- Don't stay in the cold or draft for a long time. Hypothermia can cause inflammation in the body.
- The mattress on the bed should not be too soft or hard. Both of these cases lead to the fact that the spine is in a skewed position throughout the night, which leads to the fact that the vertebrae are slowly displaced. If possible, it is better to purchase an orthopedic mattress, which will help not only to relax the spine, but also the muscles of the back.
- If possible, try to avoid sudden movements. If you have to lift weights in everyday life, then you first need to sit down, and then lift the thing, while keeping your back straight. At this point, the spine should not twist.
- Try as much as possible not to stand or sit in one position. If your work is related to the computer, then you need to periodically warm up.
- Monitor your body weight, because extra pounds increase the load on the back, and this happens all the time.
Women are advised to use special corsets or supportive underwear during pregnancy.
A pinched nerve can be prevented by leading a he althy lifestyle, alternating physical activity and rest, and strengthening the muscle corset.
