A pinched nerve is a painful and at times debilitating condition. If you’re an active person, having a pinched nerve can make it difficult to conduct normal daily life.

Knowing under what circumstances a pinched nerve will heal can help you recover from this type of injury. So let’s take a look at a common question I get in my office: Will a pinched nerve heal on its own?

Will a Pinched Nerve Heal on Its Own?

Most of the time, pinched nerves do not require surgery in order to get better. However, pinched nerves often develop as a result of lifestyle choices, overuse, postural problems, athletic activities and other external factors.

Correcting the problem is likely to require you to make changes and engage in activities that will reverse the conditions that caused the pinched nerve in the first place. Here are some things you can do to help relieve pain from a pinched nerve:

Use ice or heat. Ice helps to reduce inflammation in an area and dull the pain. Once the inflammation has been reduced, usually within 48-72 hours, switch to heat since it will sooth the muscles and get the blood flowing to the injured area, which can promote healing.

Stretches and exercise. Doing stretches and exercise will help put the nerve back in its original position and will strengthen the muscles in your body, which can speed your recovery time.

Getting extra sleep. Your body heals while it sleeps, so when you’re injured, getting extra sleep can be a big help.

Lifestyle assessment and changes. Try to identify triggers that worsen your pain, and eliminate those aggravating activities. This is one of the most important ways that you can help your pinched nerve heal. Simply put, you don’t want to keep poking the bruise.

Avoiding Overuse. Overuse of your body (and especially the affected area) can make the problem worse. Likewise, reducing your use of the affected part of your body can help your body heal faster.

Massage therapy. Massage therapy relaxes the muscles and gets the blood flowing, which helps reduce inflammation and muscle irritation.

If you’ve been suffering for many days with no relief, or your symptoms are getting worse, the odds are you’re going to need some additional help.

At my office, SpineCare Decompression and Chiropractic Center, I have different treatment options that offer long-term pain relief, including spinal decompression therapy and chiropractic care.

Over the years, I’ve been able to help many patients in the St. Joseph, MI area alleviate the pain that often results from a pinched nerve.

If you’ve been suffering for awhile now and need help, give us a call today at 269-408-8439 to schedule an appointment.