Understanding Pinched Nerves
A pinched nerve in your back can result in extreme pain that runs from your lower back and down the back of one leg running from the backside down the rear of the thigh and even into the calf and foot.
Pain from a pinched nerve may start abruptly or gradually. Generally, it is characterized by sharp, shooting pain that feels a lot like an electric shock. Moving the leg, back or other part of the body affected by the pinched nerve will often intensify this pain.
Pain from a pinched nerve may be dispersed evenly along the leg, but there frequently are certain spots where the pain is more intense. This pain is often accompanied by numbness or a tingling feeling along the sciatic nerves, the longest nerve group in the body which runs from the lower back and down the back of both legs.
Causes of a Pinched Nerve.
A pinched nerve may result from a process which causes pressure or irritation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure can be caused by a variety of factors, including a ruptured intervertebral spinal disc, the narrowing of the bony spinal canal (known as spinal stenosis), or, in rare cases, by an infection or tumor.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest in the body, measuring 3/4 of an inch in diameter in adults. It starts in the sacral plexus, the web of nerves situated in the lower back (lumbosacral spine).
The sciatic nerve and its branches are what allow movement and feeling, or motor and sensory functions. in the thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes.
If your sciatic nerve is pressed, or “pinched”, it can cause pain along these paths. This is the reason pinched nerve pain can radiate or spread to other parts of your body.
Pinched nerve pain may be triggered by a bulging or herniated disk, degenerative disk disease, piriformis syndrome, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, or by damage.
Any one of these disorders can apply pressure to the sciatic nerve or other associated nerve roots located in your lower back. It is this compression, or pinching, that causes your pain and other symptoms.
Gentle, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment.
If you are experiencing persistent lower back pain triggered by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical professionals. By providing light, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment, our team of spinal disc doctors can help relieve the pressure caused by your slipped disc and provide fast relief to your back pain.
If you or somebody you know is dealing with pain as the result of a pinched nerve or another type of lower back pain, we can help. Contact us today for your free appointment.
Our medical practitioners can tell you if gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a good option for treating your pain.
Call Dedham Disc Center at 781-329-3344 to Schedule Your Free Consultation!
