Why do pinched nerves have to be such a pain?

[K'Tesh]

Why do pinched nerves have to be such a pain?

I have a pinched nerve in my right shoulder and it's giving my right hand pins and needle sensation. It's uncomfortable to sleep, nearly impossible to type. This sucks

Thank goodness for voice to text applications, though.

 

[tOD]

You might want to consult a neurologist. I get similar sensations in my left hand. I had a nerve conduction study and an MRI that revealed bulging discs in my neck pressing on the nerves. I was having x-ray guided steroid injections which worked for awhile. Acupuncture also offers some limited relief. Now I just live with it. It will only get worse at which point I may have to get surgery. Same thing is going on in my lumbar region, pain is in the left leg and foot.

 

[Dugway]

I had constant, sharp pain in my left arm. I went to a neurologist and the x-rays showed badly collapsed disks. Was scheduled for surgery the next week to fuse C5-7 with cadaver disks inserted in the gaps. I have had no pain since and my neck flexibility is pretty normal, even with a titanium plate in there. In my case, surgery was absolutely the right choice.

 

[Hobie1dog]

such a very complex nerve structure within the body, it's amazing we don't have more issues than we do.

 

[Steven]

For the same reason a stick in the eye hurts.

 

[teepot]

That's a good question. Why do they cause such intense pain. I was taking 100mg of oxycodon a day for lower back pain. Finally had the nerves burnt at The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Was pain free for 5 years. Now I get it done once a year. After the back was fixed I had to get of the oxy. Let me tell you that was very unpleasant. Now the stuff scares me. I think at our advanced ages we all have worn or broken parts. And see a neurologist.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I've got a problem that pops up, but fortunately it's rare. I've got a pinched nerve in my back. When it's irritated, it causes muscle spasms. The muscle spasms in turn irritate the nerve. It makes laying down agony (the motion of getting horizontal - I'm better once down), hitting a bump when driving/riding in the car is fun. too.

 

[tOD]

There's only one solution.
Fly more rockets!

 

[K'Tesh]

There's only one solution.
Fly more rockets!

I'm in China... Not an option

 

[kuririn]

I'm in China... Not an option

Acupuncture?

 

[Hobie1dog]

Acupuncture?

You ought to have an abundance of that to choose from.

 

[teepot]

Helped with my back.

 

[OverTheTop]

For the same reason a stick in the eye hurts.

Anyone in particular you are talking about?

 

[K'Tesh]

I'm in the hospital now. Not able to check out my shoulder tonight because it's too late. My toe, which I may have broken, has been X rayed.

Cutting board fell off the counter and landed square on my left foot's big toe. It's a bloody mess right now.

Fairly confident I'm going to be losing the toenail... Which I have no problem with.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I'm in the hospital now. Not able to check out my shoulder tonight because it's too late. My toe, which I may have broken, has been X rayed.

Cutting board fell off the counter and landed square on my left foot's big toe. It's a bloody mess right now.

Fairly confident I'm going to be losing the toenail... Which I have no problem with

OHHH NOOOO

 

[K'Tesh]

The good news? I did not break my big toe. The bad news? It's pretty badly bruised and I will probably lose the toenail. Of course, for me, losing the toenail would not be something I would cry over at all.

The continued bad news is that due to the lateness of my arrival at the er, they were unable to tend to my shoulder and it is hurting as much as before. But I am muddling through, trying to get. Home.I got off work at five, it's now eight thirty.

And although, on a good day, it only takes seven minutes to get to work, it'll probably take half an hour to get home from work (from where I am now). [EDIT... it took only 27 minutes to get home]

 

[K'Tesh]

Further bad news. I woke up after getting a short nap and one of my eyes was completely gooped up. Yep, it's pink eye... For the insult added to injury.

 

[dakota196]

Sorry for your pain. Better stay home and isolate from the rest of the world!

 

[bobby_hamill]

k'Tesh

Could be worse as I have diabetic nerve damage in both hands and when my hands get wet they feel like
they have been dipped in a very high grade of machine oil and rolled in dry beach sand. The medicine I
take 3 times a day reduces the sensation but does not completely eliminate it

 

[bmonagle]

I suffered from sciatica a while ago. Pinched nerves in the lower back. Did 2 cortisone injections. First worked for a while, second did nothing. I was seriously considering surgery to correct the problem, but the surgeon suggested I try physical therapy first. With as much pain as I was in I was extremely skeptical, but I tried it. By the time I finished PT it was better, but still not right. A month later things were considerably better. 10 years later I still have no problems and no difficulty physically beyond normal 69 year old limitations.

 

[tOD]

I suffered from sciatica a while ago. Pinched nerves in the lower back. Did 2 cortisone injections. First worked for a while, second did nothing. I was seriously considering surgery to correct the problem, but the surgeon suggested I try physical therapy first. With as much pain as I was in I was extremely skeptical, but I tried it. By the time I finished PT it was better, but still not right. A month later things were considerably better. 10 years later I still have no problems and no difficulty physically beyond normal 69 year old limitations.

I've heard 69 is the new 50

 

[K'Tesh]

Update... I can finally say that I don't have the painfully cold feeling of the pinched nerve in my fingers... I'm now just to an annoying numbness... But progress is progress...

 

[86mustang408w]

I had a right shoulder injury back in 2012. I still cannot grip things, or ill just randomly drop stuff with my right arm, lol. A very small injury, but it devastated me in the long run. They have certain medicines like Lyrica, but they don't help.

 

[86mustang408w]

Update... I can finally say that I don't have the painfully cold feeling of the pinched nerve in my fingers... I'm now just to an annoying numbness... But progress is progress...

Mines been that way for a decade or so. I'm glad you got some relief. It feels like someone is twisting my arm behind my back 24/7, and the tingling and numbness are...well you know.

 

[bonosgrl]

I've heard 69 is the new 50

What kind of physical therapy, please? I have been suffering with a pinched nerve in my L4&5, have had a shot there and a shot in my SI joint. Nothing has helped.

 

[Hobie1dog]

What kind of physical therapy, please? I have been suffering with a pinched nerve in my L4&5, have had a shot there and a shot in my SI joint. Nothing has helped.

to the forum

 

[KenECoyote]

Once I took swimming lessons to train for a triathlon and with one of the strokes they had me do, I thought it messed up my right shoulder and arm.

It got so bad that I had to work at home on a laptop while lying on my sofa with pillows propping up my back, head, neck, entire right arm and wrist.

Many visits with x-rays and MRIs and finally a doc got an MRI of my neck and said it was some spinal nerve thing. She didn't recommend surgery until I couldn't bear the pain anymore.

I'm one who likes to do my own physical therapy of slow low impact repititive exercise.

When my knees went bad in my mid 20s (years of parkour and half ton leg presses), I cycled a lot and did a century and the knees got a lot better.

With this neck/arm issue, now that I knew what it was, I started kayaking almost daily to strengthen the arm, shoulder and neck. I eventually kayaked the lake I live on (about 14 miles round trip) and the pain never came back.

Ymmv, I wish all of you the best.

 

[cwbullet]

What makes you think it is a nerve? What is distribution or pain or numbness?