Pinched Nerves Cause Shooting Pain in the Arms and Legs
Radiculopathy, or a pinched nerve in the spine, can lead to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including pain, weakness, and numbness. The spine is a stacked structure made up of 33 bones or vertebrae, which protect the spinal cord from injury or trauma. The bones of the spine allow a person to stay upright, bend, and twist. They are held in place by a network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Nerves extend from the spine to other areas of the body, such as the arms and legs. People can develop radiculopathy as the result of an injury, or it may occur for no apparent reason. Those individuals aged 30 to 50 years old are most likely to experience radiculopathy, in the cervical and lumbar spine areas.
CAUSES:
- AÂ herniated disc, when a disc protrudes, compressing the nerve root
- Sciatica
- Degenerative disc disease
- Bone spurs
- Tumors of the spine
- Osteoarthritis or spinal arthritis
- Spinal stenosis, a painful condition when the spinal canal narrows
- Compression fractures
- Spondylolisthesis, when a vertebra moves and rests on the vertebra below
- Scoliosis caused by an abnormal curve in the spine
- Diabetes, caused by altered nerve blood flow
- Cauda equine syndrome, an uncommon but serious condition when nerve root compression affects the pelvic organs and lower extremities
- Aging
- Being overweight
- Poor posture
- Improper lifting techniques
- Repetitive motions
- A family history of degenerative bone conditions
SYMPTOMS:
Symptoms vary depending on the nerve affected and may include tingling, pain, and numbness in the extremities. Shooting pain may also be experienced down the affected nerves pathway
TREATMENT:
At Elite Pain Care we provide a total body treatment plan that consists of 3 phases. In the 1st we focus on eliminating your pain and alleviating your symptoms. In the 2nd phase of your treatment plan we focus on rehabilitation with physical therapy to increase strength and flexibility. In the 3rd phase of treatment we provide overall wellness. Wellness care provides patients with preventative care and includes personal fitness training, nutritional counseling, postural improvements as well as stress and anxiety management. Treatment plans include: Spina Adjustments, which aids in the proper alignment of vertebrae in the spine and remove pressure
on nerve roots alleviating pain in the neck. Muscle stimulation to increase blood flow, enable faster recovery of muscle soreness, clears lactic acid and increases fresh oxygen and nutrients. Soft tissue therapy increases range of motion, increases flexibility, and it provides you with proper joint function. Physical therapy is a rehabilitation phase of your treatment where our goal is to increase strength, flexibility and range of motion of your joint.
