Chiropractic Natural Care Center

What is a Pinched Nerve?

It's called a pinched nerve because that's what it feels like. But there's a lot more going on! Like an open window, nerve openings along your spine must be clear and unobstructed in order to function properly and keep us free of pain. The 24 moving bones of your spine protect your spinal cord while permitting normal turning and bending. Pairs of nerve roots, one on each side, branch off your spinal cord at each segmental level to service the organs and tissues of your body. When these openings are unobstructed, your brain can properly control and regulate your body. When a spinal bone is malpositioned, it can encroach upon these important nerve openings. Nerve irritation can result. We call that a subluxation or a restriction.

Types of Pinched Nerves

Compressed lesion - This is just a fancy name for a pinched nerve. What surprises many is that it's actually quite rare.

More common is a... Facilitative lesion - This is when the nerve root is stretched, twisted or chafed. Picture hard tissue rubbing on soft tissue. Another analogy here is a "kink" in the garden hose that is your exiting spinal nerve root.

But remember, bones are static structures. They don’t move unless muscles move them. And muscles don’t move bones unless commanded by the nervous system. An irritated nerve creates a vicious loop. Our job is to locate these areas of your spine and reduce their impact on your nervous system.

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