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Subluxation
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 Pinched
Nerve
“Pinched nerve” is actually
a lay or common term and is not considered an accurate or scientific term
for describing what happens. Nerves are rarely affected by a direct
pinching process, but are more often compressed, irritated, tensioned,
stretched, or experience interference. Nerves can be compressed or
impinged by bone, tumors, disc bulges, or fibrotic (scar) tissue to name a
few. Pressure on a nerve can result in malfunction of that nerve. This is
why chiropractors like to more accurately use the terms
“interference” or “irritation.” A subluxation in the spine leads to
abnormal motion of that joint. This motion can interfere with what are
called spinal reflexes. Spinal reflexes are a way for the body to relay
messages from the body to the spinal cord and vice versa. A fixed or stuck
vertebra can cause these impulses to become scrambled.
Nerve interference whether from compression, or irritation, may or may not
be painful. Only 8% of the billions of nerve fibers in our body are the
sensory type which perceive pain (called nociceptors). We also have motor
nerves controlling our movement and muscles; autonomic nerves which
control organs and visceral functions such as heart beat and immune
system; and other types of sensory nerves which perceive touch (see also
numbness), temperature, vibration and regulate balance. A disturbance in
nerve function can lead to severe pain if it so happens that a nociceptor
is the nerve that is irritated. Sciatica is a term used to describe pain
in the sciatic nerve due to “pinching” in the lower back. Interference in
other types of nerves can lead other types of problems.
Chiropractic and Pinched Nerves
Those diagnosed with “pinched nerves” should see a chiropractor.
We are expects at analyzing the spinal column for
subluxation and, through specific adjusting, removing nerve irritation.
Medication and epidural steroid injections have been shown to only have
temporary relief of symptoms while not removing the “pinching” if a nerve.
In a British study of 741 sciatica patients, those receiving spinal
adjustments got better than those receiving medical treatment.
...............................................................................................................................
Kur PP-F, Loh, 2-C:
Treatment of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Protrusions by Manipulation, Clin
Orthop 215:47, 1987.
Nwuga, VCB: Relative Therapeutic Efficacy of Vertebral Manipulation and
Conventional Treatment in Back Pain Management, Am Phys Med 61:273, 1982.
Nerve Root Compression can occur without Pain. Hause M: Pain and the Nerve
Root. Spine 1993; 18(14):2053.
Carette S, et al., Epidural Corticosteroid Injections for sciatica due to
herniated nucleus pulpoisis. N Engl J Med 1997;336:1634-40.
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