Pinched Nerves

Do nerves really get “pinched”? Actual pinching is quite rare. What is much more common is what chiropractors call the vertebral subluxations complex or subluxations. Other terms for this are nerve impingement, nerve irritation, nerve lesion, spinal stress and meningeal tension. Even though there may be no actual pinching, people like the word because it’s so descriptive. It can really feel like something is being pinched in there. Some health professionals even use it. People at times enter a chiropractors office saying their MD, osteopath, massage therapist, or other healer referred them because they had a pinched nerve and should see a chiropractor to get it “un-pinched”.  

If your nerves are “pinched,” “impinged” or otherwise interfered with the flow of messages and nutrients over them can be disrupted and your body can become “dis-eased” or weakened. When you are “dis-eased” you have less energy and vitality and are less able to deal with physical and emotional stress. Lowered resistance to disease, infection, colds, flu, allergies, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, asthma, fevers, headaches, seizures, bed-wetting, hearing, balance or visual disturbances and many other health problems have been related to an unhealthy nervous system. 

How do Nerves get Impinged or Pinched? 

Your skeletal system, especially your spinal column, protects your spinal cord and other nerves. If your spinal bones are misaligned even slightly they may “pinch”, impinge, irritate, compress, or stretch the nerves they are suppose to protect. This in turn can affect other structures in the area including blood vessels, discs, ligaments, joints, muscles, fascia, tendons, and meninges. As mentioned earlier, this is referred to as a subluxation.