Massage or physical therapy Applying gentle pressure around the affected area may help relieve tension, and a full body massage can help the muscles relax. Deep tissue massages may not be a good idea because the extra pressure may make the symptoms worse.
In these cases, massage therapy can offer safe, effective relief for your symptoms. One of the main goals of massage is to encourage your muscles to soften, lengthen, and relax. If soft tissues are the cause of your nerve compression, massage can ease some of that painful pressure off the nerve.
While there are certainly benefits to massage therapy for helping treat nerve damage, there are certain risks involved as well that you should be aware of. If you have been diagnosed with nerve damage, you should not opt for massages that typically use more pressure, i.e., deep-tissue or sports massage, for example.
Massage therapy can be beneficial if you have neuropathy — numbness, tingling or pain — in your hands and feet. This is particularly common in cancer survivors.
In most cases, symptoms will settle in 6-12 weeks as the area heals and the nerve irritation settles down. You may be advised to see a physiotherapist who can perform an assessment, discuss the causes with you and give you exercises that are tailored to your needs.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), can help relieve pain. Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and tricyclic medications such as nortriptyline (Pamelor) and amitriptyline are often used to treat nerve-related pain.
Capsaicin is the substance that makes chilli peppers hot and is thought to work in neuropathic pain by stopping the nerves sending pain messages to the brain. Rub a pea-sized amount of capsaicin cream on the painful area of skin 3 or 4 times a day.
Massage stimulates receptors that transmit sensory signals to the central nervous system, and this in turn causes the reduction in tension in muscles and the feeling of relaxation.
Massage provides many emotional benefits, which can be just as important as the physical benefits. Many people say that after a massage they feel more relaxed and calmer. It a safe and nurturing place for people to refocus and find clarity. Massage can lower stress levels and feelings of anxiety.
It is nearly impossible to damage your nerves with moderate self-massage, because: Nerves are mostly padded well by other tissues. Healthy nerves are not fragile, and are no more likely to be damaged by moderate pressure than muscle tissue, blood vessels, or tendon.
Massage therapy may relieve a pinched nerve by reducing muscle tension and inflammation. During treatment, a massage therapist will use their hands to apply pressure and manipulate the muscles and soft tissues. Going to massage therapy may provide immediate pain relief as well as long-term benefits.
What's the best massage for neuropathy? Answer: Massage for neuropathy typically includes a combination of gentler Swedish massage techniques along with deeper pressure trigger point therapy and kneading of specified areas. Specific protocols are available to massage therapists to treat neuropathic conditions.
Once the nerve has calmed down sufficiently, then a program of targeted stretching and strengthening can be prescribed to address the areas causing the problem (such as the site of compression), without further irritating and stretching the injured nerve.
Dr Krista Ingram, who wrote Naturopathic And Massage Perspectives explains in one of her articles that massage therapy can help to decrease the sympathetic nervous system, improve circulation, and remove fluid buildup from the tissues in the body and decrease inflammation.
Swelling can be reduced through remedial massage. A remedial massage is most commonly used to improve muscle condition and increase relaxation. After injury, trauma or surgery, the health a muscle decreases causing swelling to occur to prevent further damage.
Muscles, bones, tendons, or scar tissue can squeeze nerves. So can swelling, tight shoes or equipment, or an injury. Pinched nerves are also more likely to happen with overuse, staying in one position too long, or having conditions like arthritis.
More pressure in the lower back/sacrum area can further incite already angry nerves. I also found that even if an acute sciatica sufferer doesn't feel an increase in pain when I kick up the pressure, they're likely to feel more pain after the massage when they turn or stand up.
Nerve Pain
Pain caused by conditions such as sciatica respond well to ice or cold treatments because that temperature tends to calm inflammation and numb any soreness in the tissue. It's best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided.
It is said to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, the processes of which are yet to be fully understood. Variations of the product suit different ailments, which can be found below. Red Tiger Balm: Typically helps relieve inflammation and muscular pains, and insect bite itch relief.
Treating the underlying cause, if there is one, is the first step. Pain relief and other medicines can help, as can non-drug treatments such as exercise, acupuncture and relaxation techniques. Your doctor will also treat or manage any underlying conditions such as diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency.
So how long does a pinched nerve cause pain and discomfort? In most cases, symptoms improve and nerve function resumes to normal within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
It can go away on its own but is often chronic. Sometimes it is unrelenting and severe, and sometimes it comes and goes. It often is the result of nerve damage or a malfunctioning nervous system.