A pinched nerve occurs when the vertebrae (bones) in your spine go out of position and pinch on your nerves, causing pain. A pinched nerve can cause neck pain, mid back pain, lower back pain, sciatica, headaches, and other joint pains such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. A pinched nerve can also cause shoulder pain, knee pain, hip pain, elbow pain, wrist pain and foot/ankle pain. A pinched nerve disrupts proper function in the body, causing sharp, shooting, stabbing, achy pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.
A pinched nerve can be compared to a garden hose. If there is a knot in the hose, the water cannot get to where it should be going. If you have a pinched nerve, the nerve supply cannot properly feed your body. There are 31 pair of spinal nerves that start in your spine and branch out to your head, down your arms and legs, and to all of the organs of the body. When a nerve is pinched, it causes dysfunction in your body.
Each nerve has a specific number and goes to a specific organ and body part. A chiropractor can determine which specific vertebra (bone) is out of position and treat it accordingly. A chiropractor can gently put vertebrae in position to take the pressure off the pinched nerve, relax the muscles, and alleviate the pain.