A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues, such as bones, cartilage, muscles or tendons. This pressure disrupts the nerve’s function, caus-ing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.

A pinched nerve can occur at a number of sites in your body. A herniated disk in your lower spine, for example, may put pressure on a nerve root, causing pain that radiates down the back of your leg. Likewise, a pinched nerve in your wrist can lead to pain and numbness in your hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome).

With rest and other conservative treatments, most people recover from a pinched nerve within a few days or weeks. Sometimes, surgery is needed to relieve pain from a pinched nerve.

  • Symptoms
    • Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve
    • Sharp, aching or burning pain, which may radiate outward
    • Tingling, pins and needles sensations (paresthesia)
    • Muscle weakness in the affected area
    • Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has “fallen asleep”

    The problems related to a pinched nerve may be worse when you’re sleeping.

  • Treatment

    The most frequently recommended treatment for a pinched nerve is rest for the affected area.

    Your doctor will ask you to stop any activities that cause or aggravate the compression.

    Depending on the location of the pinched nerve, you may need a splint or brace to immobilize the area. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, your doctor may recommend wearing a splint during the day as well as at night because wrists flex and extend frequently during sleep.

    Physical therapy
    A physical therapist can teach you exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles in the affected area to relieve pressure on the nerve. He or she may also recommend modifications to activities that aggravate the nerve.

    Medications
    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), can help relieve pain. Corticosteroid injections, given by mouth or by injection, may help minimize pain and inflammation.

  • Surgery

    If the pinched nerve doesn’t improve after several weeks to a few months with conservative treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery to take pressure off the nerve. The type of surgery varies depending on the location of the pinched nerve.

    Surgery may entail removing bone spurs or a part of a herniated disk in the spine, for example, or severing the carpal ligament to allow more room for the nerve to pass through the wrist.