Nerve Blockage – Causes, Symptoms & Therapy

The spinal cord is one of the central control organs in the body. All incoming and outgoing nerve tracts meet in its spinal canal from the neck to the coccyx. They connect the information between the brain and the muscles or the sensory organs via signals. If the joints of the spine shift, nerve blockages can occur, which send pain signals to different parts of the body. Those affected suffer from pain in the head or back, arms or legs. Nerve blocks can also be the cause of breathing difficulties or muscle tension.

causes

There are many reasons why nerve blocks develop. Unnatural movements and incorrect posture can cause the spine to shift. Other factors that play an important role are motion sequences at work, the daily sitting time and whiplash trauma from previous accidents in the pain patient.But psychological causes such as permanent stress and private problems can also affect the nerves in the spine and cause blockages. Diet is another influencing factor : if someone smokes or if the diet is too acidic, nerve blockages are promoted.

When to the doctor?

Whether it is necessary to consult a doctor for a nerve block depends on various factors. The duration of the nerve blockage and the symptoms it causes play a major role. If it is only a matter of a temporarily pinched nerve or the typical “arm falling asleep” and the symptoms subside again when you change your posture or relieve the affected area, then it is not necessarily medically necessary to see a doctor.

However, if the nerve block causes severe pain or if the symptoms persist for a long time, caution is advised. If numbness , tingling, or similar symptoms of nerve blockage occur without a specific reason, poor circulation or nerve damage may be the cause. Accordingly, it is important to check exactly when and in what situation the symptoms appear.

If a specific trigger can be identified and eliminated, no medical intervention is necessary. However, it is also possible that such problems and symptoms occur more frequently and have a massive impact on everyday life. Such symptoms include, above all, signs of paralysis, which under certain circumstances should be evaluated by a doctor in order to minimize the existing risk of permanent damage. So the factors here are: severity of the symptoms, regularity, duration and in which situations the nerve blockage last occurred.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of a nerve block:

• headache

• back pain

• arm pain

• leg pain

• difficulty breathing

• muscle tension

• stiff neck

Symptoms such as stiffness in the neck, tension and headaches are considered typical symptoms of nerve blocks caused by postural disorders . Cervical spine syndrome (HBS) also causes blockages in the neck and shoulder area due to wear and tear or injuries caused by accidents. These effects can also cause numbness or even paralysis over a long period of time. Often, for example, whiplash trauma from a long time ago shows symptoms of this type.

Falling asleep, tingling and ant feelings in the arms or hands can also trigger the so-called Scaleneus Syndrome (TOS). It is caused by the pinching of blood vessels or nerves . They lie in the triangle between the shoulder blade, collarbone and cervical spine. In addition, incorrect posture, which shortens the front parts of the neck muscles, causes nerve blockage in the cervical and thoracic spine.

Diagnose

If there is a suspicion of a nerve blockage, the specialist examines the motor function, the haptics – i.e. the perception – and the ability to feel pain. In more severe cases, an imaging test such as myelography or a CT scan is used . Anyone who prefers therapy without equipment and medication can visit a chiropractor.

He examines each person individually, always taking into account the respective symptoms and physical ailments. Targeted chiropractic tests check the patient’s posture and movement. In this way, he can track down faults that he can adjust in a targeted manner. Typical causes of blockages are in the sacrum, the lower foundation for the spine. If there is a joint displacement here, the pain can radiate to the lower parts of the body.

Another blockage is often found in the atlas area, the foundation for the head. Blockages in this area cause headaches, migraines or problems concentrating. The chiropractor feels the muscle tension and can release blocked joints in the spine. In this way, the optimal flow of information is restored and pain is permanently alleviated.

treatment and therapy

Physiotherapy, chirotherapy or osteopathy can help to release the nerve blockage and thus eliminate the cause of the pain. Physiotherapy ensures that incorrect posture is corrected with physiotherapy exercises, thereby relieving tense muscle groups. Nerve disorders can be identified and eliminated with the help of chiropractic.

It restores the balance in the spine with targeted impulses. He can also successfully treat chronic pain in many cases with this method. In combination with physiotherapy, this therapy is usually successful and leads to pain relief in many patients. At the beginning of chiropractic therapy, one to two treatments per week are carried out. The distances can then be increased. Then a so-called adjustment every four, six or eight weeks is sufficient.

The manual treatment of an osteopath, who dissolves blockages with targeted movements, is becoming increasingly popular with those affected. Only a neurosurgical intervention in a special clinic can help with the diagnosis of a complete nerve transection. The two nerve endings are connected to each other using modern technology. In a regeneration phase, these subsequently grow together again.

In many cases, a part of the patient’s nerve is used as a bridging link so that both nerve endings are not under tension. It is also possible to relocate the blocked nerve in an operation. This alternative avoids tension on the nerve, but requires at least 14 days of immobilization for regeneration.

prevention

In order to prevent nerve blockages, an active life with regular exercise and phases of relaxation is recommended. Gymnastic exercises help to avoid recurring incorrect loads, which, with subsequent stretching of the muscles, strengthen and loosen them at the same time. Daily stretching exercises are particularly good for prevention.Similar to cats and dogs, stretching in the morning after getting up in the morning provides physical balance. It optimally counteracts a nerve blockage caused by a one-sided posture, for example when sitting or lying down for a long time. Relaxation exercises from yoga , autogenic training or Pilates not only ensure gentle and balancing movement, but also help to switch off. They preventively ensure that tension caused by nerve blockages cannot develop in the first place.