Pinched Nerves and Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors often see people complaining of a ‘pinched nerve’. Yet pinched nerves are relatively uncommon. What is more common is that a nerve becomes irritated by inflammation at the joint where the nerve passes (a common cause of shoulder pain and sciatica).

If (for example) a joint in your neck is restricted (causing neck stiffness) becomes inflamed it will affect the nerve that exits the spine at that level. Depending on the level of the spine affected means that the irritated nerve can cause numbness, tingling or pins/needles. This altered sensation can occur anywhere depending on what level of the spine is affected.

Chiropractors deal with this problem a lot. This problem is called a subluxation.  Chiropractors do thorough assessments to see whether the nerve is irritated or pinched and then correct the subluxation which improves joint and nerve function.