Pinched Nerve Treatment Without Surgery | Springville, Utah County

Where you feel it depends on where it's pinched

Area of the spine	Where symptoms often show up
Low back (lumbar)	Buttock, back of the thigh, calf or foot. This is often called sciatica.
Neck (cervical)	Shoulder, arm, hand or fingers. See neck pain.
Middle back (thoracic)	Pain in and around the chest, sometimes when breathing (Cleveland Clinic). Chest pain can also come from the heart or lungs, so get new chest pain checked right away.

Common causes

Herniated or bulging disc. Disc material presses on a nearby nerve root. Herniated disc · Bulging disc
Bone spurs and wear-and-tear changes. These can narrow the openings where nerves leave the spine. Degenerative disc
Spinal stenosis. Narrowing of the space inside the spine. Spinal stenosis
Other causes, such as an injury from a fall or car accident, or, rarely, an infection or tumor (Cleveland Clinic; Mayo Clinic). These need medical care and aren't treated with decompression.

How decompression fits in

If the exam suggests a disc is pressing on the nerve, decompression gently stretches the spine in slow cycles to try to ease that pressure. It's drug-free and non-surgical, with no twisting. It isn't right for every pinched nerve. Bone spurs, fractures, instability and some other causes may mean it isn't appropriate, and research on decompression is limited. Results vary from person to person.

Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC looks at your symptoms, exam findings and any imaging before recommending anything. If decompression isn't a fit, you'll hear that and talk about other options, including a referral when appropriate. Who is and isn't a candidate.

Other treatment options

Most pinched nerves are managed with simple measures: ice or heat, posture changes, physical therapy exercises and over-the-counter pain relievers. Prescription anti-inflammatory medication or steroid injections are other options. Surgery is rarely needed and is usually considered only for severe symptoms that don't respond to other treatment (Cleveland Clinic).

Questions? Call (801) 491-8688.

Pinched nerve FAQs

What does a pinched nerve feel like?

Common symptoms are sharp or burning pain that travels along the nerve, numbness, tingling ("pins and needles") and muscle weakness in the arm or leg the nerve supplies (Cleveland Clinic). In the low back, it often shows up as sciatica.

Will a pinched nerve go away on its own?

Often, yes. Most people feel better within a few weeks, sometimes with no treatment at all (Cleveland Clinic). See a healthcare provider if symptoms last, get worse, or come with weakness. Get emergency care for the warning signs listed on this page.

Can spinal decompression help a pinched nerve?

When a bulging or herniated disc is pressing on a nerve root, decompression may help some people by gently stretching the spine to ease that pressure. It isn't a fit for every cause, research on it is limited, and results vary. The exam decides.

Is a pinched nerve the same as sciatica?

Sciatica is one kind: a pinched or irritated nerve root in the low back that sends symptoms down the leg. A pinched nerve in the neck causes symptoms in the shoulder, arm or hand instead.

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Prefer to talk now? Call (801) 491-8688. Or send this short form and the office will call you back during business hours, usually within 2 business days.

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This website is operated for Stapel Family Chiropractic (Springville Disc Center) in Springville, Utah. Care is provided by Dr. Gordon Stapel, DC, a licensed chiropractic physician. About this site.