Pinched Nerves Explained
A pinched nerve in your back can lead to severe pain that runs from your lower back and down the rear of one leg running from the buttocks down the rear of the thigh and even into the calf and foot.
Pain from a pinched nerve may start suddenly or gradually over time. Typically, it is characterized by sharp, shooting pain that feels a lot like an electrical shock. Moving the leg, back or other part of the body affected by the pinch nerve will often intensify this pain.
Pain from a pinched nerve may be dispersed evenly along the leg, but there often are certain spots where the pain is more intense. This pain is often accompanied by numbness or a tingling sensation along the sciatic nerves, the longest nerve group in the body which runs from the lower back and down the back of both legs.
Sources of a Pinched Nerve.
A pinched nerve may come from a process which causes pressure or inflammation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure may be triggered by a variety of factors, including things like 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 network of nerves located in the lower back (lumbosacral spine).
The sciatic nerve and its limbs 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 compacted, or “pinched”, it can cause pain along these pathways. This is the reason pinched nerve pain can spread or radiate to other parts of your body.
Pinched nerve pain may be triggered by a bulging or herniated disk, degenerative disc disease, piriformis disorder, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, or by trauma.
Any of these conditions can apply pressure to the sciatic nerve or other associated nerve roots located in your lower back. It is this compression, or pinching, that creates your pain and other signs and symptoms.
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy.
If you are experiencing reoccurring lower back pain brought on by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical practitioners. By providing mild, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment, our team of spinal disc practitioners can help relieve the pressure brought on by your slipped disc and provide quick relief to your back pain.
We can help if you or somebody you know is struggling with pain as the result of a pinched nerve or another type of lower back pain. Contact us today for your free appointment.
Our medical practitioners can tell you if gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment is a good option for treating your pain.
Call Charleston Disc Center at (217) 345-9600 and Schedule Your Free Consultation Today!
