How do I know if I should see an Upper Cervical Chiropractor for a pinched nerve?

If you have unresolved symptoms of a pinched nerve that haven’t responded to other forms of care or home remedies, it would be prudent to get a proper upper cervical chiropractic spinal evaluation. If you have accompanying headaches, neck pain, upper back or shoulder pain, low back/hip pain, or muscle tension, these are red flags for spinal/structural issues best addressed by a great chiropractor.

Is a massage or chiropractic better for a pinched nerve?

Both are great but serve different purposes. Massage primarily focuses on the soft tissues (muscles, fascia), improving circulation and reducing stress, whereas chiropractic focuses on the neuro-structural system (the spinal joints and adjacent nerves). Because a chiropractic adjustment affects the nervous system, it will also directly affect muscle tension. Massage is a wonderful compliment to chiropractic care, but not a replacement for it.

What can I do to relieve the symptoms of a pinched nerve?

Home remedies may temporarily relieve symptoms from pinched nerves but will likely not address the root cause. In this case, it would be advisable to seek a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment options before trying home remedies on your own; here are a few to try that may help to alleviate pinched nerve discomfort: Relaxation: Allow for enough rest time for the spine and nerve to recover and reduce further irritation. Cold and Hot Packs: Start by applying an ice pack wrapped in a thin dish towel for 15-20 minutes several times each day to the affected area for 48 hours before switching to either a heating pad or warm compress to relax muscles and improve blood circulation. You can also alternate hot and cold, but always end with cold, as it knocks down the inflammation causing the pain. OTC Pain Relievers: While Over-The-Counter pain relievers should typically be used only as a last resort, sometimes their use may be necessary in certain instances. As with any drug, follow dosage instructions and seek advice from your treating practitioner. Stretching and Exercises: Gentle stretching exercises may relieve pressure on nerves. Consult your Chiropractor or other healthcare provider for exercises that target this specific area without creating additional damage to it. Good Posture and Ergonomics: Maintain proper posture when sitting or standing for extended periods, and make sure to have an ergonomically designed workplace to reduce strain on your neck, back, and other vulnerable parts. Massage: Gentle massage can provide temporary relief by relaxing surrounding muscles. However, avoid placing direct pressure on any pinched nerve. Essential Oils: Essential oils such as lavender or peppermint may have pain-relieving properties, so diluting some drops with a carrier oil (e.g., coconut) before applying them topically may relieve affected areas. Be sure to conduct a patch test first, as any adverse reactions should stop use immediately. Always consult a healthcare professional when experiencing worsening or persisting symptoms; home remedies cannot replace seeking professional advice and guidance in caring for them effectively.

What’s the best way to sleep with a pinched nerve?

If you’re symptomatic, the best sleeping position is semi-recumbent (as in a recliner chair) with support under your neck. Some contoured pillows are good (some are terrible)—we recommend the Killapilla—or simply put a small, rolled-up towel under your neck. If you can lie flat in bed, put a pillow under your knees to help achieve a more neutral spinal posture. If on your side, it’s important to have just the right amount of pillow height so that your head is not tilted up or down, which will only irritate your neck joints and receptor nerves, possibly aggravating your pinched nerve symptoms. In the end, however, when dealing with a pinched nerve, you may just have to find the most comfortable position to reduce irritation to the area—which may vary.

Does a chiropractic adjustment hurt?

No, a chiropractic adjustment should not hurt. Some technique models use more force to move the vertebrae where there may be an audible “cracking or popping sound”. This is nothing to fear; it’s just gas escaping the joint. That being said, in our office, we utilize a very specialized form of care that does not involve twisting or “cracking” of your spine—it is very gentle, precise, and extremely effective at producing good results for pinched nerve conditions. You can learn more on our website’s “Upper Cervical” page. You may also find more information at www.blairchiropractic.com

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Numbness Treatment in Mount Dora, FL

Sensory Processing

The sense of touch travels along nerves. The brain interprets the information that travels along these nerves which gives a clear perception of texture and pressure. Depending on the stimulus, different types of signals are sent to the brain. It is essential that there is a clear nerve pathway so that there is an accurate representation of the object that is being felt.

This is true of every physical sense, including sight, taste, hearing and smell. All physical senses are translated into nerve signals. Those signals are sent to the brain. If there is any interference in these nerve signals, it can result in changes in the physical senses. Numbness is one of these results. It is an altered sense of touch.

Locating the Root Cause of Numbness

In order to have feeling restored, it is important to understand where the numbness originated. Any interference along the nerve pathway can cause this numbness. Interferences can includes muscle spasms, joint dysfunction, spinal disc problems, and the craniocervical junction. The muscles, joints, and discs are commonly evaluated by general chiropractic doctors as well as other medical professionals. However, the craniocervical junction is often overlooked.

Complimentary Numbness Consultation

We’d love to meet you for a 15-20 minute session with a doctor to get your story, conduct any preliminary tests, and see if we can help you. If so, great, if not, we’ll help you find the place that can.

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The craniocervical junction is the joints between the skull and the top bones of the neck. Inside the craniocervical junction is the lower portion of the brain stem. The majority of our physical senses travel through this brainstem.

If a there is a misalignment of the joints of the craniocervical junction, it can interfere with these nerve signals. These joints can get misaligned from falls, concussions, hits to the head, or whiplash injuries. If these joints are left out of alignment for a long period of time, the numbness can become chronic and persistent. It is important to get the craniocervical junction evaluated and corrected by an upper cervical chiropractor to remove this interference.

Restoring Feeling

Upper cervical care has shown tremendous changes in numbness. Upper cervical doctors perform very detailed neurological exams related to the craniocervical junction to evaluate nerve interference in that location. They take specific and unique x-rays, as well as other advanced imaging to understand and measure exactly where the craniocervical junction has misaligned. Upper cervical procedures are some of the most gentle and the most precise methods of correcting the alignment of the craniocervical junction. The focus of care is not repetitive adjusting. Instead, the main focus of care is stabilizing this alignment so that it holds its proper position long term.

Upper cervical care should be one of the first steps to recover from numbness. Although it may not be the only step necessary for full recovery, it is the most significant joint structure that can affect numbness closest to the brain. If you have been experiencing chronic numbness, talk to your local upper cervical doctor to see if care if would be right for you.

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How Our Numbness Care Plan Works

1. Real Answers

You have a story and we want to hear it. We want to understand you. If we feel we can help, we’ll complete a very detailed exam–unlike anything you’ve done anywhere else to get to the root of the problem.

2. Real Solutions

Once we’ve gotten to the bottom of things–the root cause–we’ll tailor-make a program of care first to stop the damage and turn things around, then continue to move your health and function in a constructive direction.

3. Real Life

At the end of the day, you want your quality of life back. Better. Stronger. Healthier. We desire to help you achieve the life that God has called you to–getting you back to your sense of purpose and joy.

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How We Treat Numbness in Mount Dora, FL

Comprehensive Consultation and Exam

The doctor and team will first do a consultation and preliminary pinched nerve evaluation (complimentary) to ensure you’re in the right place and that we believe we can help you. If we can, we’ll dive much deeper into your pinched nerve condition and how it’s affecting your life. Once we understand you clearly, we’ll thoroughly examine your spine and nervous system utilizing chiropractic, functional, and neurologic testing to find the root cause of the problem(s).

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CBCT (3D Panoramic X-ray) and Motion Study X-rays

Once we’ve determined that you are a good candidate for care and can help you, we will likely need to take very specific forms of imaging to pinpoint the problem (unless you are pregnant). We want to get a good look at the curve of the spine, the alignment (or lack thereof), any degenerative changes, and contraindications to care, and ultimately find out EXACTLY what we need to do for you to get better.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

Our family-oriented practice in Mount Dora provides a unique form of Chiropractic care that is precise, extremely effective, and very gentle. In fact, there is no twisting or “cracking” of your neck. We utilize a form of care known as Blair Upper Cervical, which focuses on the top two bones in the neck, where your head and neck come together, and tends to yield uncommon results due to the neurological influence of this critical area of your spine. We add a supportive type of adjusting for the rest of your spine known as TRT (Torque Release Technique). TRT is a precise, effective, gentle instrument-based technique that produces fantastic results.

When the joints of your spine are misaligned, it puts undue pressure on your joints and, more importantly, on your nervous system—known as a subluxation—which may cause pain and affect your global health. The goal of your specific adjustments is to reduce the subluxations, taking pressure off your spine and nervous system so that your body can self-heal the way it was created.

Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan

Depending on your particular case, we will design a custom rehab/exercise plan (Vestibular Rehab) to help you recover quicker and attain lasting results. Your unique exercise plan aims to help restore global spinal and vestibular imbalances, address muscle weakness, increase range of motion, improve your posture and reduce your pinched nerve symptoms. We also aim to keep it simple—so you can do it at home in very little time. If you are a severe case, we may refer you for physical therapy aimed at a more tailored and monitored exercise rehab to complement your upper cervical chiropractic care.