Patients often come to the Clinic saying that they feel (or have been told by another health care professional) they have ‘trapped nerves’ in their neck or back. This has often developed slowly over many years and can be due to the patient extending their neck for long periods of time or holding their back in an extended position for lengthy periods – that’s why cyclists often suffer with it. The condition can also sometimes be caused by the opposite position – a flexion of the spine. If it is the case that a nerve is being pinched there is something we can do to help. But first, let’s look at what a ‘trapped nerve’ actually is and how it happens.

Your discs act as spacers between the bones in your spine (the vertebrae) and that space allows nerves and blood vessels to travel through holes known as foraminal canals. If a disc has degenerated, or perhaps if there are other obstructions to the canal such as bone spurs, this can often cause nerves to be pinched as they pass through. It’s painful and debilitating, though pain killers seem to have limited effect and will not solve the problem at all.

So how can we help? Well firstly the bad news – there is never an ‘instant fix’ and it will almost certainly take a number of adjustments to solve the problem. But over a period of time as those adjustments take effect spinal movement is improved and the canals open up so that the nerves can pass through without impingement again.

If you are suffering with what you believe may be a trapped nerve give us a call on 01792 204484 and take the first steps to recovery.

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