Pinched Nerve Centennial, CO

Q: How do I know if my pain is a pinched nerve?

The signature is pain that travels. Local soreness stays put, while a pinched nerve radiates along its route, often with tingling, numbness or weakness and muscle spasm nearby. Only an exam and x-rays confirm which level is actually compressed.

Q: Why does my arm hurt if the problem is in my neck?

The nerves serving your arm and hand exit the cervical spine and travel the length of the limb. Compress one at the neck and symptoms appear wherever it goes, from the shoulder to the fingers. The limb is the messenger, not the problem.

Q: Will a pinched nerve heal on its own?

Mild irritation sometimes settles. The misalignment or disc problem doing the compressing does not, which is why these episodes tend to return. The longer compression sits, the longer it takes to resolve, so coming in early beats waiting out another round.

Q: Is a pinched nerve the same thing as sciatica?

Sciatica is one version of a pinched nerve: pressure on low back nerves causing sharp pain down the back of the leg. All sciatica is a pinched nerve, but a cervical nerve causing arm pain is the same mechanism in a different location.

Q: Do I need an MRI to diagnose it?

Usually not to begin. The exam plus x-rays identify the level involved in most cases. An MRI comes up when the exam suggests something films cannot show or care is not working. If you already have imaging, bring the report.

Q: How long until the arm or leg pain stops?

Expect the spine to settle before the limb does. The whole arc depends mostly on how long the nerve has been compressed, and weekly re-checks show early whether you are on track.

Neck, Mid Back & Low Back
Nerve Source Mapping
No Drugs or Surgery

Pinched Nerve Chiropractor in Centennial, CO

Man at the gym holding his back from pinched nerve pain in Centennial CO

A pinched nerve may make a lot of people think that the problem is located in a specific area when it actually isn’t. These nerves may be compressed in the spine, but the numbness can appear anywhere along their path. Sometimes, people treat their shoulders when the actual source is a compression between two vertebrae, and this is why the pain doesn’t go away.

Fortunately for many patients, Dr. Tony Nicholas is able to handle pinched nerves at Axis Health and Wellness in Centennial. He first approaches the patient with a simple question: where along the spine is the nerve being compressed? After identifying the source, he creates a tailored plan that can help relieve the pressure, and this also results in the improvement of the symptoms along the nerve’s path.

The Symptom Depends Entirely on Location

Pinched nerves happen most often in the neck and the lower back, and each region produces its own recognizable pattern:

1In the neck. There’s pain in the trapezius muscle, and there’s pain down the arm. This lands behind the eye, and some may experience numbness and tingling in their hands. This is because the nerves exit there to the hands.
2In the mid-back. A pinched nerve in this area can cause pain that is felt around the ribs, sometimes making it uncomfortable or difficult to take a deep breath. The symptoms can feel like they’re coming from the lungs, so many might not realize that the problem is related to the spine.
3In the low back. A pinched nerve that radiates down the leg, commonly known as sciatica, can result in muscle spasms when left untreated.

A muscle spasm can occur along the path of the pinched nerve, so the root cause of the problem becomes difficult to identify. The muscle is reacting to nerve irritation instead of being the primary cause of the pain.

“A pinched nerve in the mid-back can cause shortness of breath or make it difficult to take a deep breath. In the lower back, a pinched nerve can cause pain that radiates down the leg, along with muscle spasms. Muscle spasms can occur anywhere a nerve is pinched.

Dr. Tony Nicholas, D.C.

About That Breathing Symptom

When nerves are compressed in the middle of the back, taking a deep breath becomes difficult, and many people think that they might have a respiratory problem. However, real shortness of breath needs medical evaluation first, every time. If lung issues have been ruled out and one still can’t breathe deeply without experiencing discomfort, then the thoracic spine should be worth examining.

What Pinches a Nerve in the First Place

Misaligned vertebrae pressing on the nerve root
Herniated or bulging discs
Degenerative discs narrowing the space
Muscle spasm clamping around the nerve
Whiplash and auto accidents
Work injuries and repetitive strain
Desk posture loading the neck for years
Inflammation and swelling around the nerve

How a Pinched Nerve Gets Evaluated in Centennial

1Every symptom is taken into Account The arm pain that you came in for and the trap tension that shows up in the examination may be connected. The specialists will look at all the symptoms and identify which nerves are actually involved.
2A thorough exam that traces the nerve path. Whenever you come in for an exam, the doctor will work backward to see where the pain is originating. Testing the symptoms will help determine the exact location that needs to be treated.
3X-rays of the region involved. Dr. Tony would check for a misalignment that may be irritating a nerve instead of doing guesswork.
4A plan built to your pain level. The office has a rule of do no harm, so the treatment starts gently, and it will be adjusted as time goes by for better patient comfort.

How Pinched Nerves Get Treated

Chiropractic adjustments to correct the misalignment crowding the nerve.
Spinal decompression when a disc is doing the pinching; gently separating the vertebrae can relieve the nerve and remove pain.
Dry needling, , mostly in the cervical area, for muscle that clamps around an irritated nerve.
SoftWave therapy if the soft tissue along the affected area needs help restarting the healing process.

Relief in the limb often comes after the spine begins to improve, as the arm or leg settles once the nerve is no longer compressed. That delay is normal.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

If the case is severe, it would take around two to three visits a week to bring the pain down. Then, it can decrease to once a week if the patient wishes to continue with structural correction for long-term repair. The factors that can affect the timeline may include how long the compression has existed and the overall health of the patient. Re-evaluations are done weekly, and if there are no positive responses between the 8th and 12th visit, Dr. Tony will refer the patient to a specialist for better results.

Get Medical Care First If

If the symptoms originated from trauma, the practitioner would want to rule out a fracture first before starting any treatments.
Patient experiences shortness of breath that doesn’t go away.
Loss of bladder control, which needs a visit to the ER.
When limbs are losing strength and the numbness begins spreading into one’s face.

Once the serious cases have been ruled out, the specialists in the clinic will then focus on treating the compressed nerve as well as any underlying misalignments.

How Much Does This Cost?

For the first visit, the cost of the treatment can be as low as $29, and this is where the specialist will check which segment of the spine is causing pain. We accept all insurance except Medicaid. Know that HSA, FSA, Cherry, major credit cards, CareCredit, and cash are also welcome. Inquire about payment plans with no-interest options from our staff for more information.

Pinched Nerve FAQs

How do I know if my pain is a pinched nerve?

Generally, it shows up in ways such as pain that’s traveling down the arm. A pinched nerve can accompany tingling, and the nearby muscles may tend to spasm. An X-ray can determine whether a nerve is compressed, and this allows the specialists to identify which ones are really affected.

Why does my arm hurt if the problem is in my neck?

The nerves serving the arm are also traveling through the length of the limb. Its path includes the cervical spine, and if one is compressed, the symptoms can appear in other areas like the fingers. The limb is the messenger, but it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s the primary source of the problem.

Will a pinched nerve heal on its own?

Mild irritation may sometimes settle on its own, but if it’s an issue of misalignment, the pain can return afterwards, and it can become more intense. The longer the compression is left alone, the more complex the treatment will be afterwards. So, don’t wait until it’s too late and don’t continue to suffer. Visit a nearby practitioner in your area to address this as soon as possible.

Is a pinched nerve the same thing as sciatica?

Sciatica is one version of a pinched nerve where it can mean pressure on the lower back that causes sharp pain down the leg. However, it may be a cervical nerve that’s causing arm pain in a different location that’s worth checking out.

Do I need an MRI to diagnose it?

Not at the start. A thorough examination will generally be enough to provide information about the current situation of the nerves. An MRI can later be suggested if a specific treatment is not working.

How long until the arm or leg pain stops?

Expect that the spine tends to settle first before the limb does, and the whole treatment can depend on how long the nerve has been compressed. Weekly check-ups will show how early or far along you are on track.

Treat the Nerve, Not the Area Where It Causes Pain

If you find yourself rubbing your shoulder or worrying about the shortness of breath that may be caused by your lungs while the problem is actually the spine, an examination will be able to let you know what’s actually going on. In our clinic, we treat pinched nerves in Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Aurora, Parker, and Castle Rock areas, so visit us today for a consultation.

Request an Appointment (303) 221-1185