By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-12-17 03:52:54 | Word Count: 664
Having a pinched nerve in the neck can be a very painful ailment. Nerves function as a sort of electrical wiring system for the body, and when one of them is cut off it results in intense pain and sometimes tingling or numbness that is very uncomfortable. A pinched nerve can be caused by any number of things, and there are a few options for relieving it.
Causes and Symptoms
Pinched nerves in the neck can be caused by a herniated disc or bone spur resulting from spinal arthritis.
[ advertisement ]
No matter the cause, pressure on a nerve in the neck can result in numbness and pain radiating to the hand, arm or shoulder. The brain sometimes has difficulty locating exactly where the problem is, it only knows its not receiving signals from that nerve, and so other areas of the body are affected by it, like arms and hands.
Someone with a pinched nerve can also experience muscle spasms, hot or cold sensations, and a sort of electric feeling.
Treatments
Before calling a doctor for a pinched nerve, there are several things you can try to help relieve it.
• Alternate between hot and cold on the affected area. 20 minutes of each type will help keep oxygen rich blood flowing to the injury. The heat pads sold by The Healthy Back Institute use infrared heat to penetrate deep into your body without harming it to help relieve pain very effectively.
• Taking a hot shower works similarly to hot and cold therapy. Relaxing the muscles and helping keep blood flowing helps get your body on the road to healing.
• Lay down with a towel under your neck. This will help give your neck proper alignment.
• Use a handheld massager or get a massage. Massaging the muscles in the affected area will help relieve tension and increase blood flow.
• Try range of motion exercises. A pinched nerve in the neck can benefit from just rolling your head from side to side to help get things back where they belong, or relieve pressure on the affected area.
• Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications like Aleve and Ibuprofen can help reduce swelling and pain dramatically.
If none of these things are helping after a few days, seeing a doctor may be necessary. They can provide a range of additional options for relieving neck pain from a pinched nerve.
• Prescription medications can help reduce swelling or block the brains pain messages to the affected area.
• Cortisone injections can be very helpful when it comes to a pinched nerve. Theyve been shown to dissolve scar tissue, help reduce inflammation, speed the healing process and help the bodys defenses.
• In extreme cases surgery can be performed to help reposition herniated discs or remove bone spurs.
The Healthy Back Institute offers plenty of tips for helping identify pain due to a pinched nerve in the neck, and help reduce symptoms of it. Visit their Web site today at www.losethebackpain.com to find relief from your pinched nerve neck pain now!
