Do I Have a Pinched Nerve? Understanding the Signs, Symptoms and What You Should Do

In this episode of Dr. Joe's Power On Bodcast, Dr. Joe Sheppard explains what a pinched nerve is, why it happens, and how to recognize the warning signs. He discusses common symptoms such as radiating pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and burning sensations, along with the most common causes, including disc injuries, arthritis, spinal stenosis, poor posture, repetitive movements, and injuries.

Dr. Sheppard also explains why not every case of radiating pain is caused by a pinched nerve and emphasizes the importance of a thorough chiropractic evaluation to determine the true source of your symptoms. He reviews how chiropractic care may help improve spinal function and reduce nerve irritation when appropriate, while also highlighting the red-flag symptoms that require immediate medical attention.

Whether you're experiencing neck pain, sciatica, arm pain, or unexplained numbness, this episode provides practical information to help you understand your symptoms and know when it's time to seek professional care.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

In the time it takes you to get home, work, or play, Dr. Joe's podcast will inform and educate you on chiropractic, nutrition, and fitness, keeping you and your family up to date on current products, health tips, and optimized living with chiropractic care. And here's your host, Dr. Joe Shepherd.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Hello. My name is Dr. Joe Shepherd of Shepard Chiropractic. Today on Dr. Joe's Power On Podcast, episode number 50, we're talking about a topic that we hear almost every day in my office. Do I have a pinched nerve? It's one of the most common questions patients asks when they experience pain that shoots down their arm or leg, tingling in their fingers or numbness or even weakness. The interesting thing is this. Not every pain that radiates is a pinched nerve, but when a nerve is irritated or compressed, it can create some very recognizable symptoms. Today we're going to answer several important questions. What exactly is a pinched nerve? What causes one? What symptoms should you watch for? When should you seek medical attention immediately? And how can chiropractic care fit into the picture? So kick off your shoes, take a deep breath, and maybe roll those shoulders back, and let's get aligned together. So what is a pinched nerve? Well, despite the name, nerves aren't actually pinched like stepping on a garden hose. A pinched nerve occurs when surrounding tissues place excessive pressure on a nerve. Those tissues may include a bulging or herniated disc, maybe a bone spur, arthritic joints, tight muscles, swollen ligaments, and inflammation. Think of your nervous system like your home's electrical wiring. Your brain sends messages down the spinal cord and through the nerves to every gland, muscle, and tissue in your body. When pressure is placed on one of those nerves, those messages don't travel as efficiently, and sometimes they become distorted. Now this can lead to pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, burning sensations. And the symptoms depend on which nerve is involved and how much irritation is present. So what are some of the common symptoms? Well, let's go over the symptoms people most commonly experience in my office. Radiating pain. This is often what gets people's attention. Instead of hurting only maybe your neck or back, the pain will travel. For example, like if you've got neck problems, it'll send pain into your shoulders, arm, maybe forearm, and even into your fingers. Low back problems can send pain into your buttocks, hip, maybe thigh, calf, or all the way down to your foot and toes. And many people assume that the shoulder or leg is the problem when the source is actually the spine. Okay, let's talk about tingling. Patients often describe this as my hand falls asleep. It feels like pins and needles. It feels like maybe electricity. That abnormal sensation happens because the nerve isn't transmitting information normally. So numbness, and you know, numbness means a reduced sensation. Maybe part of your hands or feet feel different. Maybe one toe is numb. Maybe your foot doesn't feel normal when you walk. Whenever the sensation changes, your nervous system deserves attention. Okay, weakness. Now this is more concerning. You may notice difficulty gripping objects, dropping things unexpectedly, trouble lifting your foot, climbing stairs is a little bit harder than normal. Weakness suggests that the nerve isn't communicating effectively with the muscles. Okay, burning or electric pain. You know, many patients describe the nerve pain differently than muscle pain. Instead of aching, it'll burn. Maybe shock, it'll give you zaps. Those descriptions often point toward nerve involvement. So where do pinched nerves commonly occur? Okay. Two areas account for most cases. Okay, the neck, the cervical spine as they call it. Symptoms may include neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, tingling, hand numbness, maybe a weak grip strength. Sometimes this is referred to as cervical ridiculopathy, which simply means a nerve in the neck is irritated and the symptoms are traveling into the arm. Okay, how about the low back? Well, or lumbar spine. Symptoms include low back pain, pain in the buttocks, leg pain, or sciatica, foot numbness, and weakness. Many people think sciatica is its own condition. Actually, sciatica describes irritation of the sciatic nerve, often caused by pressure somewhere in the lower lumbar spine. So what causes that pinched nerve? Well, there isn't just one cause, there are several common ones. Dis bulges or herniations, you know, discs act like cushions or shock absorbers between the vertebra. And when a disc bulges or herniates, it puts pressure in the nearby nerves. Okay, arthritis, you know, as joints wear over time, bone spurs can develop. And these spurs reduce the available space where the nerves are coming out, which can close in on those areas. Spinal stenosis. You know, stenosis truly means just narrowing of an area. And as the spinal canal or the foramen, as they call it, where the nerves come out, there's less room for that to travel. And this, these often occur gradually as we age. Muscle tightness or tension? You know, very tight muscles can compress nerves as they pass through the body. Sometimes the problem isn't the spine itself, but the surrounding soft tissues. Okay, poor posture. You know, hours spent looking down at your phone or slouching over a computer repeatedly puts additional stress on your spine. And over time, that mechanical stress can contribute to irritation. Repetitive injuries or activities, you know, jobs that involve repeated lifting, twisting, bending, overhead work can increase the stress that's on the spine. You know, injuries, you know, there are different types: car, accidents, sports injuries, work injuries, maybe a slip or fall. Even lifting something awkwardly can trigger a symptom of that nerve irritation. But you know, could it be something else? Well, this is one of the most important parts of today's episode. Many conditions can mimic a pinch nerve. And it could actually be muscle strain, joint irritation, shoulder problems, hip problems, circulation issues, maybe a tendon and injury. That's why guessing isn't the answer. A truly ac accurate examination is what you need to have done. So what happens during a chiropractic evaluation? Well, Shepherd chiropractic, we simply don't ask where it hurts. We want to know why it hurts. Our evaluation includes reviewing your symptoms, checking your posture, range of motion, muscle strength, your reflexes, and looking at movement patterns. And when appropriate, whenever imaging may be necessary. You know, those x-rays are important, so you can see what's going on with your spine and what you've done over the years that maybe have caused wear and tear. You know, the goal isn't simply finding the pain, it's identifying the underlying cause. So can chiropractic help? Well, for many patients, yes. If the examination shows that chiropractic care is appropriate, treatment is going to include specific chiropractic adjustments, stretching recommendations, some mobility exercises, posture improvements, some of the activities that you're doing that we may modify, some home care advice, maybe some ergonomic changes at your office or your home. Every treatment plan is individualized. No two patients are exactly the same. You know, our goal is to reduce stress on the nervous system while improving motion and helping your body's function as efficiently as possible. So when should you seek immediate care? Well, while some cases of nerve irritation can be evaluated in a chiropractic office, some symptoms require prompt and immediate medical care, immediate medical attention if you experience sudden or significant muscle weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin or saddle area, severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, pain following a major trauma or injury, such as a fall or maybe a motor vehicle accident, these symptoms may indicate a more serious condition that requires urgent evaluation. So what's the bottom line? So if you're dealing with radiating pain, tingling, numbness, burning sensations, or maybe weakness, a pinched nerve is certainly one possibility, but it isn't the only one. You know the first step is getting the right diagnosis. Don't spend weeks or months guessing based on something you read online or maybe Googled or maybe what a friend told you so. Your symptoms deserve a proper evaluation. Once you know what's causing the problem, then you can make an informed decision about the best course of care. Some final thoughts. You know, spinal stenosis is a condition involving narrowing of the spinal canal that can lead to nerve irritation and symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling, or even weakness. While it's often associated with aging, it doesn't mean someone is automatically limited or unable to stay active. And many people manage it very well with the right combination of movement, lifestyle changes, and conservative care. The key idea is what even if you can't change every structure or detail in your spine, we can often improve how the spine functions and how a person feels day to day. Thanks for listening to another episode of Dr. Joe's Power On Podcast. I hope this day's discussion helped you better understand what a pinch nerve is, what it feels like, and why getting the right diagnosis is so important. So if you know someone who is dealing with radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or even weakness, we'd be happy to help you determine what's going on. At Shepherd Chiropractic, our goal is to help you move better, feel better, and get back to doing the things you want. As always, before you go, if this episode helped you in any way, would you do me one small favor? Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Then think of one person, maybe a friend, family member, or a coworker, who could benefit from what you heard today and send it to them. Personal recommendations are how the podcast will grow, and I truly appreciate your support. Until next time, keep your power on. Have a great week, and thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

Thanks for joining us on this episode of Dr. Joe's Podcast. Discover more insights on chiropractic, nutrition, and fitness on next week's episode and at Shepherdchiropractic.com.