Does Massage Therapy Help Pinched Nerve (Answered)

You may have a pinched nerve when you feel a dull and aching pain that makes you experience immobility and numbness.

Besides, compression of your nerves by connective tissue, bone, or muscles causes this condition. So how do you find relief for a pinched nerve? Studies show that massage therapy is one best option to manage a pinched nerve. 

This article will show you how massage therapy can help pinched nerves and other facts you should know about the condition.

How Massage Therapy Can Help A Pinched Nerve

Before we throw more light on how massage can help fix your pinched nerve, it’s best we clarity a point. You can’t use massage therapy to treat all pinched nerves.

In some cases, massage treatment may not help to alleviate your pain issues at all.

That’s why you must work with a doctor who can guide you based on any pre-existing conditions and medical history. 

Also, if they should recommend massage therapy for you, don’t hesitate to opt for it. However, if your doctor advises you against a massage treatment, then oblige them. 

If you do otherwise, massage therapy could worsen your pains. However, we believe the best thing is to always seek the opinion of a medical professional before choosing any treatment options for your pinched nerve.

Nevertheless, without further hesitation, the paragraphs below will show you how massage treatment can help fix your pinched nerve. Massage therapy comes in various techniques and styles. And some may not be effective in fixing a pinched nerve.

Ideally, gentle but firm massage strokes will ease your tissue into deeper layers and muscles, which will reduce the pressure being exerted on your nerves.

Hence, many experts prefer Swedish massage. This is because this massage style is enjoyable and relaxing. 

Moreover, Swedish massage allows you to get relaxed with the kind of environment that’s set. For instance, there will be comforting smells, suitable temperatures, soft lighting in the room, etc.

Furthermore, it requires between 45 minutes to an hour for massage treatment on your pinched nerve to relax you fully. 

Also, you can decide to either have a localized massage ( here, you focus on the area that hurts the most) or a full body massage to ease your stress level.

It would be best if you also did the following things when treating a pinched nerve with massage therapy;

Hence this makes a deep tissue massage an unsuitable treatment for your pinched nerve. So sticking with the soft and gentle massage styles is the best option for your pinched nerve. 

Additionally, always check in with your doctor regularly to know about your pinched nerve’s progress. That way, you will know whether your treatment is giving you the best outcome.

Also Read: Best Massage Gun For Arthritis

5 Facts You Should Know About A Pinched Nerve

As mentioned earlier, when your nerve is compressed or irritated, a pinched nerve will occur. And this is referred to as cervical radiculopathy when it happens in your neck. Below are 5 things you should know about a pinched nerve.

1). The Symptoms Of A Pinched Nerve

Below are seven symptoms of a pinched nerve you should know:

• #1. Weakness In Legs

Whenever you use your legs, the nerves located in your legs send information to your brain quickly. This, in turn, causes specific reactions in your muscles. If your nerve is pinched in your legs, it can block these signals. 

Hence you may be weak in your legs or have problems with specific movements like walking.

• #2. Reduced Grip Strength

Although it sounds a bit strange, the nerves in your hands play a huge role in grabbing and holding things. This is because they feed a lot of sensory information to your brain. They help your brain know things you touch so that it can “tell” your muscles how to react. 

So if you experience a pinched nerve in your cervical spine, it may not be able to convey all of this data to your brain. And this means that your muscles cannot work correctly, leading to poor grip, difficulty in writing, or handling other small-motor tasks.

• #3. Pain That Changes When You Move Position

Pains usually lessen or worsen as you move from one place to another. However, what’s causing the pain can influence the way it changes. For example, it can be difficult for you to sleep with a pinched nerve in your back than when standing.

• #4. Numbness

Compression of the nerve will shut down communication between the nerves in your arms, legs, and other parts of your body. This will make your brain unable to feel in those areas. The consequence is that you will have a lack of sensation or feel numb in those areas of your body.

• #5. Pain Or Burning Sensations Down Your Leg

This is another symptom you shouldn’t ignore. When your nerves get compressed, you experience pains, dull aching, and burning sensations radiating down your legs.

• #6. Pain Radiating From Your Neck Down Your Arm

Cervical nerve compression causes pain and other similar symptoms in your arms, hands, shoulders, and the very upper part of your back. 

• #7. Pins And Needles Sensations (Paresthesia)

As with numbness, paresthesia is a prickly sensation that occurs when there is nerve is compression or irritation. However, paresthesia doesn’t completely stop the signals between the nerve and the brain. But it’s just enough to cause these pins and needles sensations.

2). The Major Causes Of Pinched Nerve?

Below are some of the conditions that may lead to nerve compression by tissues:

• Rheumatoid or wrist arthritis
• Injury
• Stress from repetitive work
• Obesity
• Hobbies or sports activities

Note that there is no permanent damage when your nerve is pinched for only a short time. This is because nerve function returns to normal once the pressure is relieved. Meanwhile, permanent nerve damage and chronic pains will occur if the pressure continues.

3). What Are The Risk Factors?

The factors enumerated below increases the chances of you suffering from a pinched nerve:

• Sex. Females are most likely to suffer from pinched nerves than males.

• Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation that compresses nerves.

• Pregnancy. Weigh gain and fluids related to pregnancy can lead to compression on your nerves.

• Diabetes. Diabetics patients are at a higher risk of nerve compression than non-diabetics.

• Thyroid disease. People struggling with thyroid disease are at higher risk of getting pinched nerves.

• Obesity. Excess weight can exert pressure on your nerves.

• Bone spurs. Bone spurs are a risk factor because it narrows down traveling space of your nerves.

Other risk factors include hobbies or jobs that require repetitive wrist, hand, or shoulder movements, like assembly line work and prolonged bed rest. 

4). Where Pinched Nerves Occur In The Body

Pinched nerves can happen in any area of your body based on the affected nerve location. However, below are some common parts of your body you will experience pinched nerve:

• Back and upper chest 
• Wrist and hand 
• Neck and shoulder (compressed cervical nerves).
• Arm and elbow (pressure on the ulnar nerve causes pinched nerves on this spot)

5). How Long Does A Pinched Nerve Last And When To See A doctor

A pinched nerve can last anywhere from a few days to six weeks. However, in some cases, it can last longer. Nonetheless, you can treat or manage a pinched nerve without seeing a doctor.

However, you must visit a doctor if you observe the following:

When you visit the hospital, your doctor will order you to take imaging tests, such as an MRI scan, X-rays, or CT scan. These scans help to identify the extent of damages in your nerve and other issues with nearby tissues.

Also Read: How Does Massage Therapy Help Tension Headaches (Incl. Other relevant Facts)

Final Words

Research shows that 85 out of 100,000 adults in the United States experience pinched nerve pain every year. Furthermore, studies also show that people of any age can experience this nerve condition, but people older than 50 are likely to suffer more.

So if you have a pinched nerve and you’re wondering whether does massage therapy help pinched nerve? The answer is yes. 

However, as mentioned earlier, not all pinched nerves can be treated with massage. But then, studies show some styles of massage are effective remedy for this condition.

Finally, if you find booking a massage session expensive, we urge you to opt for a much affordable option; that’s, you should get yourself a massage gun like the Opove M3 Pro. 

We recommend this device because it’s durable, portable, compact, and cost-effective. Besides, the device is as effective as booking a massage session. Read the review below to get more details about the massage gun. OPOVE M3 Pro Massage Gun Review: Why It’s Worth The Hype

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website results from in-depth research on various topics. The articles on this site are only for informational and educational purposes, and it’s not intended as medical or health advice. Hence, we suggest you always ensure to seek the opinion of your doctor or other qualified health personnel regarding any questions that relate to health objectives or medical conditions.