Humans are pretty outdoor creatives. We like having fun & enjoy extreme sports that give us a sudden adrenaline rush. But our body has limits, and not taking care by providing it a proper rest or some unfortunate injury can cause later issues. One such thing is pain, especially in our joints, back, spines, neck, legs, and other parts. Our body signals that pain is a sign that it needs external help.
If you are feeling a tingling sensation in your back, sharp pain, or an increase in numbness, it is time that you get in touch with a doctor. These symptoms may be ordinary pain to something as concerning as Nerve Root Compression or Radiculopathy.
It is an acute nerve root compression that occurs when the nerve in the back or around the spinal column is compressed. If this occurs in the legs, the pain is known as Sciatica. Commonly, it is related to disc herniation or spondylosis (a deteriorating change in the spine).
If you are feeling a tingling sensation in your back, sharp pain, or an increase in numbness, it is time that you get in touch with a doctor. These symptoms may be ordinary pain to something as concerning as Nerve Root Compression or Radiculopathy.
It can affect any nerve root. But which parts of the body are generally affected by nerve root compression? Here is the list:
Lower lumber (back) is the most common type of radiculopathy that affects people in the age group between 30 and 50 years. That’s because, with age, conditions like arthritis and osteoarthritis become more frequent.
However, nerve root compression in the lower cervical can affect people of any age group, the most prominent being 40 to 50 yrs.
There are three different types of nerve root compression. Let’s see them one by one.
It occurs in the neck. It is a compression in the nerve that occurs at the point where the nerve leaves the spinal cord. Here, you can feel pain in the shoulder, numbness that travels from arms to hand, and weakness of muscles.
It occurs in the upper middle back. The patient is likely to get pain in the chest and may feel pain when they breathe in and out.
It occurs in the lower back. Generally, there is a pain in the lower back that can run towards the legs. There may be a feeling of numbness.
In addition, radicular pain arises from a single nerve root. It is also known as Sciatica, which can be a combination of back and leg pain. It can happen that the pain is worse below the knees.
As mentioned earlier, it is caused by anything that can compress the roots of spinal nerves. Some typical examples are car accidents, bone spurs, bulging/ruptures, slip disc, trauma, strain to the spine, tumours, spinal infections, or cysts in the spines.
Usually, the symptoms are more prevalent in areas such as the neck, back, arms, or legs, which can be:
The diagnosis is done by examining the following areas where symptoms are predominant.
They help to see the structural issues.
TIP: Don’t worry. You are likely not to go through all of these tests. A neurologist is likely to examine you physically first and then may ask to take one or more tests depending on the location of injury or pain.
Like with every other issue, prevention is always better than the cure. That being said. Let’s see some preventive measures that you can take to avoid nerve root compression.
Some non-surgical methods for nerve root compression treatment are
It help reduce pain and swelling. Some over-the-counter medicines are aspirin or ibuprofen. Other strong medications are corticosteroids that your doctor may prescribe.
Here, a local anaesthetic and steroid (which can be anti-inflammatory) are injected around a swollen or compressed spinal nerve. It helps reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain in a particular area.
Here, spinal injections are given at the area where the nerve exits. This area is usually near the spinal nerve, where it exits the intervertebral foramen. It provides temporary pain relief. Some injections may give long, prolonged relief for 6 weeks or more.
This is given in the lumbar or cervical spines. It delivers a potent anti-inflammatory to the area of a pinched nerve in the spine. The quantity of medicine may vary from person to person.
It is also known as fulguration. It is a nerve-killing procedure. Here, a part of the tumor or dysfunctional tissue is destroyed using an electrical conduction system that generates heat from medium-frequency alternating current.
This one includes exercises that help strengthen the back, abdominal, leg, and other muscles. Ice and heat can also reduce swelling or pain in a few cases.
In most cases, the answer is – No, you don’t need one. However, surgery may be recommended in severe cases when the patient’s condition worsens with time. Usually, your doctor will talk to you about it.
Are you wondering if nerve root compression treatment is possible with physiotherapy? Well, you will be delighted to know that it is possible. A physiotherapist can help with acute nerve root compression by reducing pain and getting faster recovery. How? Let’s see.
Exercises that can target the area around your spine can help ease the pressure on the nerve and thus relieve pain. Overall posture improvement will also have a positive effect on your personality and relieve you from symptoms
Some exercises are chin tuck, traction, neural flossing, side tilts, etc.
Your therapist will guide you on where to apply heat and ice to reduce swelling and relax tight muscles.
It is also known as aquatic therapy, pool therapy, or balneotherapy. Water, the very essence of life, is used to treat numerous symptoms. It can be in cold showers, hot baths, aquatic exercises, saunas, massages, etc.
You can hold on to a surface and tap in front and below you. Then, you can do ball exercises, balancing board planks, elastic band resistance exercises, or clock tapping.
Note: Never take any medication or get involved in severe exercise without expert involvement. This is in your best interest, as a wrong move can do more harm than good.
If you are looking for chiropractic treatment of nerve root compression symptoms, you are in the right place. At Dhanwala Naturo & Physio Care, Dr. Mrs. Surabhi Sachin Dhanwala (PT) provides physiotherapy services for managing nerve root compression. With her expertise and holistic approach, she is affectionately known as the “lady with magical hands” who can effectively relieve the symptoms of nerve root compression.
To assist you more effectively, please provide your contact information here.
In Addition To Our Commitment Towards Excellence
