‘Pins and needles’ perfectly describe the discomfort and painful sensations that pinched nerves bring. A pinched nerve may feel like a thousand pins are poking in a specific area of your body, causing pain and numbness. However, Dr. Steven, our Encinitas chiropractor for pinched nerves, wants to pinpoint that there’s more to pinched nerves than just pins and needles. 

Pinched nerves are one of the primary causes of distress in about 85 out of 100,00 American adults. This condition does not necessarily equate to something severe. However, in rare cases, pinched nerves develop into chronic pain or result in permanent nerve damage. 

Let us explore other symptoms of pinched nerves that only a few people know. Also, we will explain how you can reach our certified Encinitas chiropractor for pinched nerves to answer all your pinched-nerve-related questions. 

Warning Signs of Pinched Nerves You Should Not Ignore

• Pain - pinched nerves occur when a nerve gets compressed. The compression causes pain anywhere along the pathway of the nerve. So, for example, if there's a compression of nerves on your upper cervical spine, the pain could radiate down your neck, shoulders, and arms.
• Numbness – when your nerves experience a compression, the pinching can become a barrier to the communication between your nerves. That's when numbness or lack of sensation starts to take over areas in your body, like the arms and legs. 
• Poor balance and coordination – pinched nerves can cause weakness, tingling, and numbness in your body. These problems cause balance and coordination problems. 
• Feeling like your hand and foot are sleeping – we sometimes think our hands are sleeping after resting on them for a long time. However, pinched nerves can cause your feet and arms to sleep without any warning. 
• Weakness in the muscles – muscle weakness is a sign that your nerves are pinched. This means that your nerves could not carry and receive information from and to your brain correctly. In addition, nerve compression causes the nerves to fail to operate the way they should. 

Where Pinched Nerves May Develop

Pinched nerves can occur randomly in the body. The sharp, burning, and aching pain that it brings radiates from anywhere it originates. These are the following body parts where compressed nerves usually develop:

• Wrist 
• Hands
• Elbow
• Arm
• Neck
• Shoulder
• Chest

Common Causes of Pinched Nerves

A couple of factors may cause your nerves to compress and result in painful symptoms. They are as follows:

• Aging – we all know that when we age, our bodies experience some common symptoms. Aging could also lead to wear and tear in our spine. When this happens, our vertebrae move closer to respond to the growth of bones in this area. The development of these bones results in the pinching or compression of the nerves.
• Rheumatoid arthritis – nerve compression occurs along with rheumatoid arthritis. This happens as changes happen in the joint.
• Obesity – as one gains excess weight, there's a bigger chance that the natural curves of the spine change. Also, weight can press on the discs between the bones on your spine and cause compression on your nerves, leading to muscle strains. 
• Injury – nerve damage or nerve compression can also result from injuries on the bones and spine. For example, sports accidents or car accidents can dislocate your bone. Bone dislocation can cause your nerves to compress or pinch.
• Pregnancy – pregnancy causes a lot of changes inside a woman's body. That includes widening of hips and growth of the belly. As your body experiences these rapid changes, your nerves could become pinched or experience some irritation. 
• Repetitive routine – since the release of advanced gadgets, it seems like we all can't get away from them. Repetitive movements such as typing and clicking cause tearing and inflammation of the nerves. Then, the tearing and inflammation result in nerve compression.

When a Pinched Nerve Becomes a Cause for Concern

Pinched nerves can cause significant discomfort and pain to those who have them. But, thankfully, most pinched nerves go away without any treatment. However, if your symptoms come to a point where you get severe effects, then maybe it's time for you to do something, such as visiting an Encinitas chiropractor for pinched nerves. 

Here are severe pinched nerve symptoms to look out for. 

• You're starting to lose your bladder and bowel control – nerves do not only support your feet and legs, but they also help in controlling your bowel and bladder. Compression of the nerves around these areas can cause a problem in your bowel and bladder functions.
• You have persistent pain – if your pain lasts for days and weeks, you should start seeking professional help. First, you can consult an Encinitas chiropractor for pinched nerves to know the root cause of the pain. 

Tips to Get Pinched Nerves Relief in Encinitas

Are you experiencing some pinched nerve symptoms? Don't worry because you can do a couple of things to relieve them in the comfort of your home. 

• Do some stretching and yoga – these simple relaxation techniques help relieve pressure and tension in the area where your pinched nerve is. 
• Take enough amount of rest and sleep – your body repairs itself when resting and sleeping time. So, sleep and rest may help in reducing your symptoms.
• Lifestyle changes – having a healthy lifestyle can result in a more nourishing long-term effect on your body. For example, you can do simple exercises to reduce inflammation and pressure on the area near your nerves.
• Visit an upper cervical chiropractor – consult with an upper cervical chiropractor such as Dr. Steven to address the root of your pinched nerves. Our Encinitas chiropractor for pinched nerves can help in minimizing your pain and improving your quality of life through upper cervical realignment. 

Book an appointment with us here at K2 Health Center for a consultation. You can also text and call us through (760) 456-9470. Indicate your name and preferred day and time of appointment. We'd be happy to give you excellent chiropractic services to ease your pinched nerves.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Keener, call our Encinitas office at 760-456-9470. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.