Nerve pinched

Pinched nerve - nerve compression

A pinched nerve can lead to painful discomfort and impaired movement at different parts of the body. Those affected are often severely restricted in their everyday lives. The symptoms may be acute or chronic.

contents

• Pinched nerve - nerve compression
• definition
• symptoms
• Manual procedures
• Treatment options of naturopathy
• Causes of pinched nerve
• Common locations of pinched nerves
• diagnosis
• treatment
• Naturopathic therapy

definition

A pinched nerve is to be understood as a compression of the nerve fibers in the course of the nerve tracts. This can generally occur in many different places in the organism, but is particularly common in certain bottlenecks (for example, carpal tunnel, Ulnarisrinne) to observe the nerves pass on their way through the body. Colloquially, the term "pinched nerve" is usually associated with back pain, such as in a lumbago (lumbago) or sciatic pain.

symptoms

The symptoms of a trapped nerve are highly dependent on which nerve is affected. Generally, it can be said that the jamming of a nerve to so-called neuralgia, with pain, sensory disturbances, tingling, numbness, impaired movement, but also more serious consequences such as a loss of muscle can lead.

The symptoms usually appear in the area of ​​care of the affected nerves. For example, if the sciatic nerve is pinched, it can cause not only low back pain but also hip pain and leg pain. Compressions of the ulnar nerve in the ulnar groove on the elbow are often accompanied by numbness of the fingers (small finger, ring finger) and the palm of the hand. Frequently, muscle weakness of the musculature supplied by the ulnar nerve is concomitant. However, a pinched nerve in the area of ​​the legs is more commonly associated with foot pain or soles of the soles of the feet. Ultimately, the patient's symptoms depend largely on the location of the nerve compression.

Manual procedures

The Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) (also referred to as Typaldo's Manual Therapy TMT) already mentioned by emergency physician Stephen Typaldos, D.O. (1957- 2006), follows the body language and verbal statements of the patients. When the symptoms are referred to as a pinched nerve, the affected people usually press several fingers in a painful area, one goes there from the described hernia and pushes back the tissue.

In Rolfing, the structural work on the patient's body is understood as an optimization of the static and functional processes. (Image: photophonie / fotolia.com)

Osteopathy, a concept that is treated and diagnosed manually, considers, among other things, movement restrictions or uneconomic tension patterns in the affected organism as relevant to the emergence of the symptoms of the trapped nerve. For this purpose, as much as possible is taken into account, which can cause tensions: for example, restrictions on the movement of the organs should be able to bring a changed traction through their suspension structures on the spine to the latter. The first or in-depth questionnaire asks, among other things, for other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, that are not directly related to the acute symptoms and, if necessary, treated. In osteopathy there are also very direct methods such as the treatment of so-called trigger points, which can be treated with heavy pressure or dry needling.

Similarly, the view in Rolfing or Structural Integration is called. In this procedure, by the US-American dr. Ida Rolf (1896-1979) was founded, the work on the connective tissue, the fascia, is of decisive importance. A natural healing process, which is performed by many non-medical practitioners, but also naturopathic doctors, is the neural therapy. Here, local anesthetics are injected at certain points near the discomfort in order to harmonize the structures with their physiological processes.

Treatment options of naturopathy

After the exclusion of structural causes and in consultation with the supervising physician, Pilates exercises as well as regular exercises from the Yoga can be used against the complaints.

Through a changed "inner attitude" through individually coherent images and metaphors or the recognition of underlying causative factors such as chronic (self-) excessive demands or unprocessed conflicts, hypnotherapy can alleviate pain, reduce tension and develop a corresponding "external attitude".

If the nerve is clamped acutely, the Schüßlersalz Nr.7, Magnesium phos. help to relax the muscles. Preparations with arnica can be found today in many home remedial cupboards and can be used twice: while the outside Arnica ointment or gel is applied, the homeopathically prepared arnica (as globules, tablets, drops) can be used internally. (Tf)

Causes of pinched nerve

A particularly common cause of nerve compression is hardening of the surrounding musculature, which subsequently presses on the nerves. This may be due to congenital anatomical impairments or also to incorrect loading, for example due to excessive or incorrect lifting. Constant repetition of monotonous movements, such as operating the mouse in the office, can trigger Repetitive Strain Injury Syndrome (also called a mouse arm). Among other things, this is more commonly associated with neck tension, falling asleep and a sore thumb.

Unilateral stress and bad posture in everyday life cause muscle tension, which in turn can lead to compressions of the nerves. (Image: pongsuwan / fotolia.com)

In addition, nerves can be trapped as part of an impairment of the skeletal system. For example, in a herniated disc, the discs often press on the spinal canal (spinal canal) and cause compression of the nerves running here. The symptoms, such as pain and numbness, not infrequently pull to the legs. The so-called spondylolisthesis (spondylolisthesis) can also pinch the nerves in the spinal canal and cause similar complaints. Spondylolisthesis is often accompanied by a feeling of vomiting or a feeling of instability in the area of ​​the spine. Acute diseases, such as spinal cord inflammation (spondylitis), and chronic degenerative diseases of the skeletal system, such as spondylosis, are considered risk factors for backbone nerve compression. If the shoulder joint is dislocated (dislocation of the shoulder), the nerves (especially the axillary nerve) that run here are usually clamped off and corresponding complaints in the area of ​​the arms and hands are triggered in addition to the massive shoulder pain.

Internal tissue changes can also press on the nerves and pinch the nerves. Here are in the first place benign and malignant tumors to call. According to their occurrence, different nerve tracts are affected and the symptoms can vary significantly. If, for example, a glioblastoma develops in the brain (malignant brain tumor), severe neurological deficits such as paralysis, speech disorders and visual disturbances are possible.

Mechanical compressions of the nerve tracts, such as too tight jeans or safety belts, are also among the potential causes of a trapped nerve. Also, the burden of a particularly fat abdomen (overweight or pregnancy) can exert enormous pressure on the tissue and cause nerve compression in the hip and pelvic area.

Common locations of pinched nerves

At certain bottlenecks in the organism, the nerve tracts are particularly often restricted or even pinched. In addition to the spinal canal (spinal column), for example, the ulnar channel (at the elbow), the carpal tunnel (at the wrist) and the tarsal tunnel (on the inside of the ankle) should be mentioned here. Also in the pelvic area, the nerve tracts, such as the lateral cutaneous nerve femoris, can be pinched. This nerve, which arises from the nervous network of the lumbar plexus in the region of the lumbar and cervical spine, is trapped in the so-called Bernhardt-Roth syndrome (Meralgia paraesthetica) through the inguinal ligament, causing pain; Sensory disturbances and numbness in the supply area of ​​the nerve on the outside of the thigh leads.

diagnosis

In general, the symptoms of a pinched nerve are so clear that a thorough medical history is usually sufficient to diagnose. Muscle hardening can also be detected relatively easily by palpation. Narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis), similar to other disorders of the skeletal system, is well detectable using imaging techniques such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If in doubt, a measurement of the nerve conduction velocity can be performed.

treatment

Different treatment options are available, depending on the different causes that can cause nerve compression. If the nerves are trapped by hardening of the musculature, pain-relieving preparations and massages are often used first. Acupuncture is also used here to relax the muscles and to relieve the compression of the nerves. Afterwards physiotherapy (physiotherapy) can help to avoid a recurrence of the complaints. Movement and stretching exercises should have a positive effect - also in the sense of prevention.

If the nerve is triggered by impairments of the skeletal system, it is important to remedy this. A dislocated shoulder joint, for example, should be re-aligned as soon as possible. As a rule, no surgery is required for this so-called reduction of the shoulder joint. To avoid damage to the potentially trapped nerves, however, fast action is required. However, a herniated disc is usually not that easy to fix. In rare cases surgery is even needed here to relieve those affected of their suffering. Surgical intervention may also be required in ulnar trough syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome. If tumors press on the tissue and in this way pinch the nerves, an operative removal is usually necessary as well. In malignant ulcers or cancer, the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and / or radiotherapy is still often the only treatment option.

Pain due to blockages of the nerves. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)

Naturopathic therapy

As alternative treatment approaches for a trapped nerve, in addition to the already mentioned acupuncture, especially the manual therapies in the field of osteopathy, chiropractic and Rolfing should be mentioned. Tension in the muscles should be resolved, malpositions corrected and existing nerve compressions eliminated. In accordance with their holistic approach, the procedures also deal with complaints that initially are not obviously related to the pinched nerve.

To relieve muscle tension and ease pain, homeopathic remedies (for example Arnica, Bryonia) and Schüssler salts (Magnesium Phosphoricum, Schüssler Salz Nr. 7) are used in the naturopathic therapy of a trapped nerve. Furthermore, Pilates exercises and yoga here are attributed a positive effect. Since a connection between the muscle tension and a possibly existing acidity of the organism is suspected, a balance in the acid-base balance is often the goal of naturopathic therapy. At first, however, in most cases of muscle-related nerve compression, protection or immobilization is required before further therapeutic measures can be initiated. This applies to naturopathic as well as conventional therapy. (Fp)