People walk into the office all the time saying they have a “pinched nerve”. The problem is that quite often they point to a spot on their body that doesn’t typically hurt when a nerve is pinched. Same thing for sciatica, but I digress.

When a nerve is pinched this typically means that there is irritation or impingement of a nerve root. The nerve root is the place where the nerve branches off of the spinal cord. The root courses through a small bony opening called the neural foramen. At this passageway the nerve is surrounded by foraminal ligaments, fatty tissue, and arteries and veins. Inflammation from injured soft tissue in the area or a herniated disc can irritate the nerve root, and this pressure or irritation then causes pain, numbness, or other sensations down the course of the nerve. With the sciatic nerve this means down the back of the leg, sometimes all the way to the foot. In the neck this will send pain or numbness into the shoulder or arm, possibly down to the hand.

People sometimes think that a muscle spasm is a pinched nerve, but they are not synonymous. A pinched nerve may cause a muscle spasm, and a muscle spasm may even cause pressure or irritation to a nerve root in some instances, but these two conditions typically are not connected.

The best way to figure out which one of these things are bothering you is to come on in and get a free consult. We gladly provide a free consultation to prospective clients. If yours is a case we think we can help then we can get started right then and there, and if yours is not a case we can help we will steer you in the right direction towards someone who can help you.