When you experience a tingling sensation in your foot or hand, especially if you are asleep, it may result from a pinched nerve. Even though you can easily shake off the tingling sensation, not all pinched nerves easily resolve and might therefore be a source of chronic discomfort. Therefore, Roswell pinched nerve specialists advise you to seek help if you begin experiencing tingling, burning, or numbness sensations.
What is a pinched nerve?
When bones, ligaments, or cartilages surrounding a nerve are irritated or compressed, it results in the formation of a pinched nerve. The compression affects nerve function and may cause symptoms like burning, pain, tingling, and numbness sensations. A pinched nerve can also affect your motor function, other than physical symptoms, thus leading to muscle weakness. A pinched nerve can also develop anywhere in your body, including your skin, hands, or feet.
What are pinched nerve conditions?
There are various conditions that usually develop from a pinched nerve, such as carpal tunnel syndrome that affects the function and sensation of your hands. Bone spurs, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis which narrow the spinal canal may irritate or compress your nerve roots or spinal canal as they leave the spine, leading to cervical or lumbar radiculopathy.
· Lumbar radiculopathy
In lumbar radiculopathy, the pinched nerve is usually in the lower back or lumbar spine. Sciatica is a type of lumbar radiculopathy.
· Cervical radiculopathy
A pinched nerve in your neck or cervical spine is known as cervical radiculopathy. However, it is possible to develop radiculopathy at any part of your spine, but most radiculopathies are found in the lower back. In radiculopathy, pinched nerves usually cause symptoms that radiate to your upper and lower extremities.
What happens during pinched nerve evaluation?
When you have issues concerning a pinched nerve, the specialist starts by performing a comprehensive evaluation to help them come up with the most effective treatment plan. During this examination, the care provider reviews your specific symptoms and details when they started and the activities that trigger your discomfort. Similarly, they also carry out a physical examination and perform some diagnostic tests to rule out or confirm a diagnosis. The tests may include x-rays, MRI, CT scan, blood work, electromyography, or nerve conduction study.
How is a pinched nerve treated?
The treatment options given for a pinched nerve depend on the underlying cause, body part affected, and severity. Even though the specialists in the facility are expert neurosurgeons, they might decide first to use a conservative approach to provide you relief from pinched nerve symptoms. Some conservative treatment options are injections, physical therapy, pain relievers, splinting or bracing, activity modification, and anti-inflammatory medication.
However, in case the above treatments fail to alleviate your symptoms, your neurosurgeon might recommend a surgical intervention like a microdiscectomy, spinal fusion, disc replacement, or spinal decompression to deal with the main cause of your problem.
Finally, if you are diagnosed with a pinched nerve and require treatment options available for your condition, call or visit Apex Spine and Neurosurgery today. The doctors and other health care teams are skilled at minimally invasive spine surgery and other traditional surgical techniques to provide you with the best outcome that meets your individual needs.
