Introduction
Pain that originates in the back and can be accompanied by tingling and numbness is often caused by a pinched nerve. Despite the sometimes pronounced symptoms, this is usually a harmless disease that is best treated by taking painkillers for a short time and moving around as much as possible. Resting postures and passive measures such as massages should be avoided.
In some cases a pinched nerve is caused by a herniated disc. If there are symptoms such as paralysis in the foot, it may have to be treated specifically. In addition, nerves can be constricted, e.g. at narrow points of the body such as the wrist, and can lead to tingling or paralysis of the fingers. Here too, treatment is often necessary.
Symptoms of a pinched nerve
Pain that can radiate into other regions is a particular indication of a pinched nerve. If these originate from the lower back, for example, they often radiate into the thigh. Trapped nerves in the neck can radiate into the arms or head.
Typically, the symptoms can be triggered by movement. The pain character of a pinched nerve is usually described as stabbing or shooting. Other typical symptoms may include tingling or numbness.
If even muscle weakness or paralysis of body parts occurs, a doctor should be consulted. In such a case, a pronounced herniated disc is often responsible for these complaints. Pain is a typical symptom of a pinched nerve.
They are usually located in the back and can occur in all areas from the neck to the coccyx. Often the pain radiates into other regions such as the legs. Many people suffer from back pain, but in most cases there is no underlying disease that can be treated specifically.
Despite the often very pronounced symptoms, it is not a dangerous clinical picture. In addition, it is usually not possible to determine with certainty whether a pinched nerve is actually responsible for the pain or whether, for example, more muscular problems are responsible for the complaints. Ultimately, however, a distinction is without consequence, since with any type of harmless back pain, as much movement as possible (walking, swimming, cycling) is important to reduce the symptoms.
In order to make this possible, it is often advisable to take painkillers for a few days. Among other things, nerves are the signal pathways for sensations such as touch or pain from the individual parts of the body to the brain. For example, if the conduction path is irritated by an entrapment, this leads to a faulty signal transmission, which is perceived by the brain as a tingling sensation.
The tingling sensation is felt in the area where the nerve ends. If a nerve is more severely pinched, it can happen that no more signals from the corresponding body part reach the brain. This results in a numbness.
This can happen, for example, when you sleep on your arm and thereby squeeze a nerve. Temporary or intermittent tingling or numbness when a nerve is pinched is not dangerous. However, if the normal feeling does not return after some time, a medical examination should be performed if necessary.
If a nerve is squeezed particularly hard, muscle weakness or even paralysis may occur. A harmless example is when you wake up with your hand “asleep” and cannot move it normally at first. After a short time, however, the normal feeling returns and you can move your hand normally.
However, muscle weakness or paralysis of the arms or legs can also be a warning sign of a pronounced herniated disc. Therefore, if you suspect this, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Typical signs of paralysis caused by a herniated disc are, for example, when you can no longer walk or stand on your heels or toes. Usually only one leg is affected.
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