Pinched Nerve Treatment

There are several different causes for a pinched nerve. The pain and discomfort that is experienced can be temporary, or it can develop into a more permanent condition. A range of different treatment methods exist that can be used to reduce the pain and potentially relieve the condition completely. Here are four suggestions for pinched nerve treatment.

Rest

The very first universally accepted form of treatment for a pinched nerve is rest. This means immobilizing the area that is in pain so that no further compression or constriction occurs. This can give the body a chance to heal itself if the condition is not caused by a permanent physical injury. Increasing the blood flow to the area through the use of alternating hot and cold pads can help to accelerate healing and can reduce pain for short periods of time.

Physical Therapy And Exercise

After a period of rest some pinched nerves require that the area be slowly acclimated back into normal activity. This can begin with different forms of massage that manipulate the parts of the body affected by the pinched nerve. Physical therapy might be required after this in order to slowly rebuild the normal range of motion without inflaming muscles and tissue. Physical therapy for a pinched nerve will eventually result in progressively more difficult physical challenges for the patient in order to strengthen the muscles and joints. The final stage is normally regular exercise at a pace that is not overly stressful until the injury has completely healed.

Proper Diet

A proper diet can help to manage the pain that accompanies some types of pinched nerves. Foods that contain potassium and calcium can help to relieve muscle pains. A deficiency of these nutrients can result in an electrolyte imbalance in the body that affects muscle contractions causing cramping and pain. Additionally, consuming foods that have a high level of acidity can contribute to this imbalance and might increase the amount of pain being experienced.

Medical Treatments

Nerve pinches that result from serious injuries like a herniated disk can be incredibly painful and do not always respond well to changes in diet or exercise. Some of the daily pain that is felt can be relieved through the use of corticosteroids. These are administered directly to the location where the pain is most acute. Very severe cases of pinched nerves might require some type of surgery. The surgery can reposition the nerve to a location where there is no compression, or it can be used to remove the nerve or the source of the compression in order to permanently relieve the pain.