Understanding Pinched Nerves
A pinched nerve in your back can inflict severe pain that runs from your lower back and down the rear of one leg running from the buttocks down the back 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, acute pain that feels a lot like an electric shock. Moving the leg, back or other area 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 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.
Sources of a Pinched Nerve.
A pinched nerve may arise from a process which causes pressure or inflammation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure can be triggered by a variety of factors, including things like a ruptured intervertebral disc, 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 3/4 of an inch in diameter in adults. It starts in the sacral plexus, the web of nerves located in the lower back (lumbosacral spine).
The sciatic nerve and its limbs are what allow movement and sensation, 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 brought on by a bulging or herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, piriformis disorder, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, or by damage.
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 results in your pain and other symptoms.
Gentle, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment and Pinched Nerves.
If you are experiencing reoccurring lower back pain caused by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical professionals. By providing light, non-surgical spinal decompression therapy, our team of spinal disc practitioners can help relieve the pressure caused by your slipped disc and provide immediate relief to your back pain.
We can help if you or somebody you know is suffering from pain as the result of a pinched nerve or another type of lower back pain. Contact us today for your consult.
Call North Eastern Pennsylvania Disc Center at 570-341-7062 to Schedule a Consultation!
