Freedom from trapped nerves
While trapped nerves aren’t uncommon, they can cause a major amount of discomfort, leading to sleepless nights and misery while performing even the simplest of everyday activities.
To find out more, we spoke to Dr Anthony Ordman (dranthonyordman.co.uk), who founded the Royal Free Hospital’s pain management clinic in London.
What are trapped nerves and why do they happen?
Pinched or trapped nerves are thought to occur when pressure is put on an area of a nerve, causing it to send warning signals to the brain.
Ordman says they can appear in many different areas of the body, as the compression is caused by surrounding tissues, such as bones, cartilage or tendons.
“The most common examples include the neck, where the pain goes over the shoulder, down the arm and sometimes into the hand, or from the lumbar spine where the pain travels the leg – which is what we commonly refer to as sciatica,” says Ordman.
“Other examples include pudendal nerve pain in the pelvis, which happens when the nerve is pinched by two ligaments or squashed by a bike saddle, causing intense pain in the groin.”
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A TRAPPED NERVE?
Sometimes, pain might be your only symptom, although you could experience other warning signs too.
As Ordman notes: “The nerve pain itself can feel like a sensation of intense pressure or burning, and it may feel like tiny electric shocks or tingling.
“At the same time, you can also experience numbness in the region of the nerve, which is a strange and contradictory sensation all at once.”
HOW IS NERVE PAIN TREATED?
Most cases go away on their own, and often quite quickly in a couple of days. “In the case of neck and lumbar spine pain, changing your posture and visiting a good physiotherapist may be enough,” says Ordman.
“Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help, but they shouldn’t be taken long term.
“Painkillers such as paracetamol are not particularly helpful with nerve pain,” he adds.
“Newly available medicines, such as medical cannabis, are being increasingly turned to, and they can be very useful in treating the symptoms of nerve pain..
“Sometimes surgery is needed to save a slipped disk, or doctors can inject steroids around the pinched nerve, but such treatments are not available to everyone,” says Ordman.
Are there any measures we can take to prevent it?
As with most health issues, selfcare and living a healthy lifestyle is often key to prevention. Good posture (such as avoiding crossing your legs for too long) and taking breaks from repetitive activities can all help to keep your nerves pain-free in the long run.
However, you should speak to a doctor if your pinched nerve symptoms last for several days and haven’t responded to rest and painkillers.