These symptoms indicate a trapped nerve in the thoracic spine

The typical pinched nerve in the thoracic spine is manifested by a sudden stabbing or pulling pain in the back or in the area of the ribcage. The pain can even be so severe that it causes sweating in affected persons. Occasionally the pain is also called burning, and it can radiate into different areas (such as the arms).

The nerves have different functions in the body: On the one hand, they supply the muscles of the body with information that leads to movements. On the other hand, they also give feedback from the skin to the brain about touch, temperature and pain. If a nerve becomes trapped, all these functions can be impaired.

Therefore, especially in the case of numbness, tingling or even paralysis that occurs suddenly, one should become clairaudient and think of a trapped nerve. Due to the pain, the back muscles are often tensed reflexively, which in turn leads to extensive back pain. It can also cause headaches or pain in the lumbar spine area. The typical course of pain in the event of a trapped nerve in the thoracic spine is characterized by a sudden onset. In addition, the pain usually worsens with every hour and is no longer bearable after a few hours or days.

Back pain associated with a pinched nerve

A trapped nerve in the thoracic/chest spine has many symptoms similar to those of a heart attack: there is a sudden stabbing pain in the chest area. While a heart attack causes sweating due to the heart problem, a pinched nerve can cause so much pain that it also causes sweating. Typical of a heart attack, however, is also the strong pressure on the chest.

This usually does not occur with a pinched nerve. Instead, the nerve-related pain is often caused by a sudden movement and can be intensified by this movement. The character of the pain is also sometimes somewhat different: the nerve is pricked/pulling/tearing, the heart attack is more likely to trigger pricking and pressing. In addition, the pain of a heart attack tends to radiate into the left arm, whereas the radiance of a pinched nerve depends strongly on the location of the pinching. Nevertheless, the two conditions cannot always be reliably distinguished from each other in the hectic pace of the sudden onset of pain, which is why an emergency doctor should always be called if a heart attack is suspected.