A pinched nerve can cause tingling, pain, numbness, and decreased sensation in specific body parts. It can be caused by an underlying condition and can affect any nerve in the body. Symptoms may come and go and can be relieved with medication or surgery. It can also cause sleep loss, irritability, and depression.
Symptoms of a pinched nerve, also sometimes referred to as radiculopathy, can include tingling, radiating pain, burning pain, numbness, or a decreased sensation affecting a specific part of the body, such as the back, neck, legs, feet or the arms. Paresthesia, or a tingling sensation under the skin, is also a common symptom. Occasionally, it can cause muscle twitching or muscle weakness. One of the most commonly reported symptoms, however, is a feeling that a limb has fallen asleep.
When a nerve is pressed by something like a herniated disc, bone, or tendon, it can cause problems in the part of the body that nerve serves. Often, this is caused by an underlying condition that has put pressure on the nerve, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, a back injury, or arthritis. Although the compression most commonly occurs in the back and neck, any nerve in the body can be pinched.
Symptoms of a pinched nerve may come and go throughout the day or may depend on a person’s activity. In some individuals, symptoms are always present, but they only get worse during particular activities. As a disorder, radiculopathy is commonly divided into two types: lumbar and cervical. Lumbar radiculopathy specifically refers to symptoms in the lower back, while cervical radiculopathy refers to neck problems.
A pinched nerve in the lower back will produce numbness, paresthesia, pain, and muscle spasms. It can also produce a radiating pain that begins in the back and extends down the length of one or both legs. In some people, the nerve can become further aggravated when actions such as laughing or sneezing put extra pressure on the abdomen.
An affected nerve in the neck will produce similar symptoms, but the pain will be relegated more to the neck and shoulder area. Often, symptoms are relieved by over-the-counter creams and ointments, which provide temporary pain relief, or by prescription medications. In severe cases, however, surgery may be needed to relieve the pressure.
Other problems can also be triggered by a pinched nerve, including sleep loss, irritability and depression. Each of these is related to the pain and discomfort originally produced by the nerve problem, often leading to reduced mobility and emotional disturbances.
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