As summer transitions into fall in Lincoln Park in Chicago, many outdoor activities are continuing to remain outside, but also activities that involve apple picking, pumpkin patches, and apple cider.  With the Chicago marathon upcoming this weekend, alongside still having other races as the weather remains unseasonably warm, Lincoln Parkers, and Chicagoans at large continue to enjoy what makes Chicago great.  Unfortunately, with outdoor activities and sports leagues continuing into fall, injuries can occur.  One injury, especially causing a trapped or pinched nerve, can lead to pain, weakness, and shooting pain to one’s arm, forearm, hand (if affecting the upper body) or one’s thigh, lower leg, or foot (if affecting the lower body).  Understanding how to identify a trapped nerve, how you can get help for it, and how you can minimize how it impacts your daily activities will be discussed in today’s topic.

Trapped nerves occur from either trauma, or repetitive movement often.  Repetitive movement can include, but not limited to, sitting/standing for long periods, and performing repetitive tasks that place load and strain on the affected body area (neck, shoulder, hip, or lower back).  Exercise can contribute to symptoms too if one does not warm up properly prior to exercise and potentially use poor mechanics in the exercises they are engaging in due to feeling tight, stiff or both before working out/playing sports.  Symptoms can include but are not limited to, shooting pain down one’s arm or leg, weakness in the affected limb, achiness, tightness/tension in these areas, and nerve symptoms (numbness, tingling, burning, and/or pins/needles).  Weakness often happens in a muscle or a few muscles nearby, depending on the nerve impacted because a nerve is compressed and trapped impacting one’s ability to use it for daily activities.

A thorough exam and history by a chiropractor can identify the cause of the trapped nerve, what spinal level it is occurring at (if it occurs in the neck or lower back, where they are most common), or what part of the upper/lower body is trapping the nerve by the muscle if it is located outside of the spine.  Once the consultation and exam have uncovered the exact location, a treatment plan will discuss what treatment(s) will be performed, including manipulation, corrective/rehab exercises to perform, and how long treatment may take to to allow your injury to properly heal.   Depending on the length of time you have experienced your symptoms will influence how long treatment is likely prescribed and/or recommended to help your trapped nerve injury.  It will require consistency in following treatment recommendations in order to increase your strength, reduce your symptoms, and heal properly minimizing symptoms from returning.  Chiropractic care can and often helps with trapped nerve injuries , but the initial visit is the most crucial to determining the information needed to have the best success at healing correctly.