A nerve may become compressed or pinched in any number of ways, but the root cause of a pinched nerve tends to be some type of problem with the musculoskeletal system. Because this is a problem of the musculoskeletal system, the care of a chiropractor tends to be one of the best options for addressing this issue.
The Bottom Line. One thing to remember is that both acupuncture and chiropractic are alternative healthcare sources employed to help with pain relief. While chiropractic is suggested if you have neuromusculoskeletal issues, acupuncture is mainly preferred for managing pain.
Fortunately, there are treatment options, and surgery is not always required. A chiropractor can use adjustments to release a pinched nerve, addressing the root cause of the issue.
While these traditional treatments can be helpful, they do not fix the root of the problem and may have some potential side effects. This is the reason why people are turning to alternative treatments like acupuncture. Acupuncture is an effective pinched nerve treatment.
Without treatment, pinched nerves in areas like your hips, lower back, and wrists can easily last weeks. Areas like your shoulders, neck, and legs can easily last between a year and several years. With treatment, most pinched nerves can be healed in a few weeks.
Seeing a chiropractor for a pinched nerve has been found to reduce these symptoms in most people, making chiropractic care an efficient, and non-invasive solution to this pressing problem.
Often, both types of doctors will work in the same practice. Their skills complement each other to provide a better outcome for their patients. Physiatrists and neurosurgeons are the best doctors to treat pinched nerves due to their specialized training in the complicated system of nerves, spine, and pain pathways.
Although nobody has ever died from acupuncture gone wrong (in the UK at the time of writing) there can be some serious side effects if the needles aren't placed correctly. If the needle is incorrectly inserted - wrong angle, or too deep, or just completely wrong location, there is a chance for it to hit a nerve.
In many cases, resting the affected area and getting extra sleep is enough to allow the pinched nerve to heal on its own. While treating a pinched nerve, it is also important not to overuse the nerve. Nerve damage can be made worse by overuse.
Research Shows Why Massage Can Help With Pinched Nerves
If muscle tension is the cause of the pressure on your nerve, massage therapy may provide the relief you seek. Try a gentle, relaxing Swedish massage, which will loosen up your tense muscles and may release the pressure around your nerve.
The chiropractor can perform safe and precise adjustments to correct the cause of your “pinched nerve”. The primary goal of the adjustment is to restore mobility to the affected joint. The pressure, speed and amplitude of an adjustment are adapted to each person.
Using cervical or lumbar traction machines can aid in helping to open the joints of the spine up to take pressure off of the disc and allow for the bulge and herniation to absorb back to where it needs to be. Chiropractic treatment for bulging or herniated discs is safe, effective, and long lasting.
The risks of acupuncture are low if you have a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner using sterile needles. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles were inserted. Single-use, disposable needles are now the practice standard, so the risk of infection is minimal.
Possible risks of acupuncture are the following: Bleeding, bruising, and soreness may occur at the insertion sites. Unsterilized needles may lead to infection. In rare cases, a needle may break and damage an internal organ.
One study indicated that acupuncture can be up to twice as helpful as traditional treatments for people with chronic lower back pain.
Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system. This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.
Stress and traumatic events are a big cause of nervous system dysregulation. Acupuncture can modulate the activity of both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and help restore the balance between the two.
There is good quality evidence to show that acupuncture is a good treatment option for sciatic and other nerve pain of the leg. There are several acupuncture channels passing from the area of the lower back and hip down the legs.
Initially, the benefits of acupuncture can last a few days to a couple of weeks after each session. Over time acupuncture can provide longer-lasting, or even permanent, relief from pain, inflammation and other problems.
You will probably be advised to have one to two sessions a week for the first two to four weeks. According to your progress, it'll be decided if you need to continue at this pace or if you can be switched to once a week. Once the condition is resolved, you will be able to suspend the acupuncture sessions.
Some short-term effects may indicate that the acupuncture sessions are working. One sign is you notice slight improvements in your symptoms. Curiously, the other is a worsening of symptoms. “It's actually not a bad sign if you feel worse after acupuncture,” Sheinberg says.
MRIs create images using a radiofrequency magnetic field, a technique that clearly shows pinched nerves, disc disease, and inflammation or infections in the spinal tissues. MRI is usually the preferred imaging for pinched nerves.
If your primary care doctor is unable to diagnose the pinched nerve, you may need to see a neurologist or orthopedist.
Treatment Options for a Pinched Nerve
It is recommended you see a board-certified neurologist if you suspect you have a pinched nerve. Your neurologist can relieve numbness and tingling by reducing the pressure on your nerves using one of the many neuropathy treatment options available.