What Are Pinched Nerves?

A pinched nerve in your back can trigger intense pain that runs from your lower back and down the rear 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 over time. 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 increase this pain.

Pain from a pinched nerve may be dispersed uniformly along the leg, but there commonly are certain spots where the pain is more intense. This pain is often followed 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.

Reasons for a Pinched Nerve.

A pinched nerve may result from a process which causes pressure or inflammation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure might be caused by a variety of factors, including a ruptured intervertebral disk, the narrowing of the bony spinal canal (named spinal stenosis), or, in rare cases, by an infection or tumor.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest in the body, measuring three-quarters of an inch in diameter in adults. It starts in the sacral plexus, the web of nerves found in the lower back (lumbosacral spine).

The sciatic nerve and its sections 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 paths. This is the reason pinched nerve pain can spread or radiate to other parts of your body.

Pinched nerve pain may be caused by a bulging or herniated disk, degenerative disc disease, piriformis syndrome, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, or by damage.

All 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 triggers your pain and other symptoms.

 

Gentle, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment.

If you are experiencing recurring lower back pain triggered by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical practitioners. By providing light, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment, our team of spinal disc experts can help relieve the pressure brought on by your slipped disc and provide instant 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 consult.

Our medical practitioners can tell you if gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment is a good option for treating your pain.