Many of you have faced pain and stiffness in some parts of the body. It might or might not be a pinched nerve. This blog contains: what is a pinched nerve? What are the symptoms associated with it? Home remedies for pinched nerves.

First, let us understand what is called a Pinched Nerve. 

In simple words, pinched nerves occur if your nerves get irritated. It can be a result of compression from the adjacent tissues, bones, or cartilage. The condition leads to numbness or a tingling effect on the nerve. 

 

Pressure caused by the nerve can lead to nerve dysfunction. Pinched nerves can be painful at times. The most common area of pinched nerve occurrence is in the spine region(in the cervical and lumbar region). The nerve sends signals to your brain, and the brain, in turn, sends pain signals to other parts of the body. Pinched nerves can lead to damage to the nerve if not treated in time. 

Symptoms of pinched nerves.

  • Numbness 
  • Pin and needles sensation 
  • Sciatica or pain.
  • Feeling of “fallen asleep” in the foot or the hand.
  • Weakness in the muscle.
  • Sharp pain at particular parts of your body.

 

Home remedies for Pinched nerves

The good news is you can cure your pinched nerves at home. Just by changing your lifestyle, you can heal your ailments. A few of the remedies are:-

 

  • Reduce Bodyweight- Body weight can be a reason for your pinched nerve. Try to keep a normal BMI. If you are in the overweight or obese category, try to reduce a few extra kilos. Maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you achieve your target. Remember, a person is more prone to get orthopedic ailments if overweight or obese.
  • Maintain a healthy posture- Maintaining a good posture is very essential for the health of your spine. A poor posture may lead to compression of the nerve. Just adopting a good posture throughout the day can decompress your nerves and heal your pinched nerves.
  • Exercise regularly- Exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercise triggers maintaining a normal BMI. Thus, regular exercise can help prevent the compression of a nerve. 
  • Ergonomic workstation-  Since 2020, work-from-home has become the new normal in our life. Most of you might be working from the comfort of your home. Lying in bed and completing your office work may sound relishing, but this might aggravate pinched nerves. Now, your home is your office. So set up a proper workstation with computer chairs that support your back and neck. An ergonomic workstation will help you maintain a good posture and prevent pinched nerves.
  • Reduces Stress and Anxiety- Stress and Anxiety can lead to pinched nerves. Stress and anxiety increase the production of stress hormones like cortisone, etc. The hormones spread and misalign and create irritation in your nerves. No matter how healthy a life you lead, you cannot get rid of the pinched nerve situation if you suffer stress or anxiety.
  • Use of Splint- Wearing a splint on the part of the body where you experience a pinched nerve can ease your pain. A Splint can release the compression of the nerve. You can wear the splint and do your regular work activity.
  • Ice and heat therapy- Applying alteration of Ice and Heat can release the tension in your nerves. Ice packs and heat packs are great for pinched nerves.

    •             Take an ice pack and hold it in the area of pain. Keep it for 10-15 minutes. You can repeat it 2-3 times a day.

                Take a heating pad around the affected area and keep it for 10-15 minutes. Heat pads refuse tension in the nerves and can cure your pinched nerves.

     

  • Massaging- Massaging on the affected area can be helpful. Applying gentle pressure on the points can reduce the tension and ease your pain. 
  • Take enough rest and sleep- Sleep is very important for your body. Your cell rejuvenates while you are asleep. Thus sufficient sleep is crucial to cure your ailments. Taking enough rest apart from a good 8 hours of sleep can heal your pinched nerves.
  • Physiotherapy at home- Physiotherapy is excellent for pinched nerves. Physiotherapy increases the flexibility and strength of your body. It also corrects your posture. Including regular physiotherapy sessions can ease your pain to a great extent.
  • Meditation & Yoga- Stress is a vital cause of pinched nerves. Meditation and yoga can reduce stress and also mend your posture. Meditation and yoga not only heal your pinched nerves but also protects your nerves from further pinching.
  • Add stressbusters in your life- Talking about stress, go easy with your goals. Add objects that add real happiness to your life. Going for a family picnic, talking to your old friends, or watching a movie with a family at home can become stressbusters in your life. Remember, Earning is a part of life, not life is not a part of Earning.
  • Stretch- Stretches are effective against pinched nerves. A gentle stretch can release tension from the compressed nerve. Go slow with your Stretch. Don’t push yourself hard if you feel pain. Remember, a mild Stretch can heal pinched nerves, but rigorous pain may worsen your situation.

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    Does Pinched Nerve Cause Anxiety?

    Researchers have done many studies to find out whether anxiety causes pinched nerves or pinched nerves cause anxiety. Well, it is true both ways. We all know stress can trigger pinched nerves. Now, let’s see how a pinched nerve results in chronic depression.

     

    Pinched Nerves cause pain. Sometimes the pain is unbearable. Many may undergo sleepless nights due to pain. You may feel difficulty in work and loss of appetite in case of reduced sleep. Now connecting the dots, chronic pain can lead to an emotional imbalance by irritability. All these are symptoms of chronic depression and anxiety. 

     

    According to the latest research, 30-80% of patients get chronic depression in case of chronic pain. Also, 20-30% of patients get chronic pain that causes chronic depression. 

     

    Commonly, patients who suffer chronic pain are more likely to get chronic anxiety.

     

    What causes a pinched nerve?

    Many factors result in nerve compression. Due to excess pressure on the nerve due to adjacent tissues, tendons or muscle-pinched nerves occur. A few causes of pinched nerves are-

    • Aging- Age causes wear and tear on your backbone. With age, the water content of the tissue decreases, resulting in more friction to the adjacent nerves, causing pinched nerves.
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis- Chronic arthritis causes inflammation in the joints that compresses the adjacent nerves and tissues, resulting in pinched nerves.
    • Injury- Accidental injury may cause swelling of certain parts of the body. This condition may lead to compressed nerves.
    • Obesity- An increase in weight can result in compressing your nerves.
    • Pregnancy- During pregnancy, additional weight imposed on the body can cause pinched nerves.
    • Stress- Chronic depression may lead to hormonal secretion that increases the compression in the nerves.
    • Lack of posture- Not maintaining a healthy posture bends your spine, which irritates the adjacent nerves.



    Detoxifying Bath: Self Care Ritual For Anxiety?

     

    In this fast-paced social media age, multiple factors lead to stress. Just let yourself know, peace and happiness are inside you, and you can’t get it from the external world. So, take a break from your work and indulge in YOURSELF. You have worked hard throughout the week, so you deserve a pampering treat during the weekend. 

     

    Going to a regular spa for a detoxification bath can be expensive. You can perform this detoxifying ritual in the comfort of your bathtub as well. Detoxifying baths can be of great help to reduce stress and anxiety.

     

    Prerequisites for the Detox Bath-

    • Warm Water- Add warm water into your bathtub. Use chlorine filter water if possible. Otherwise, geyser bearable hot water is sufficient.
    • Aromatic Candles- Choose your favorite aroma to light up a few Aromatic candles.  Click here to check out more options.
    • Soft music- Place your Bluetooth speaker in the washroom. Play a soft number like the pan flute by Gheorghe Zamfir. You can choose your favorite music also, but remember it should be soothing music.
    • Essential Oils- Choose an essential oil of your choice and add it to the water. You should not mix fragrances as it sends confusing signals to your brain. You can choose a smooth aroma like lavender, jasmine, sandalwood, mandarin, eucalyptus, etc. Aromatic oils can release all your stress and have the property to heal your emotional health.
    • Epsom salt- Add Epsom salt into your tub. Epsom salt is very effective in treating hypertension. It also replenishes your body’s magnesium level.
    • A Drink- After a tiring week, you deserve a glass of French red wine or champagne. If you are a teetotaler, you can have a detox drink. 
    • Exfoliating scrub- Add an exfoliating scrub to the tub. It removes the dead cells of your body and rejuvenates them.
    • Ginger(optional)- Adding a few slices of ginger can increase the body heat that sweats out toxins from your body. You can skip ginger if you want to.
    • Baking Soda- No, this is not a baking recipe. Baking soda has antifungal properties. Adding a pinch of baking soda can remove any fungal growth in your body.

    You should take this bath at least for 40 minutes. In the first 20 minutes, the body releases toxins into the water. During the next 20 minutes, the body absorbs the essential nutrients from the water. Just relax, enjoy your drink, close your eyes, and listen to the music. Keep all the worldly tension aside. Keep your cell phone away from you during this time. You can repeat this procedure twice a week. Remember, self-love is the best love.