Is there an easy and natural cure for a pinched nerve in the neck?

August 27, 2011 by  
Filed under Common Questions

Question by johnpnj: Is there an easy and natural cure for a pinched nerve in the neck?
I’ve had several serious injuries. A motorcycle accident, separated left shoulder playing Hockey, separated right shoulder playing Football.
Anyway, now I get pains in my neck/shoulder/back fairly often, and it appears to be a nerve, as I can almost trace the line of pain.
What is the best thing to do without resorting to medication?

Best answer:

Answer by Sheena
Honestly, you need to get it x-rayed, an MRI if you can.
Try ice packs, and if that doesn’t work, try a heating pad.
Ask your doctor if a traction unit would be a good idea for you to use. It’s basically a neck collar with cord connected and a bag of water at the other end, you throw it over a door, and it pulls your head up, gently stretching your neck. I would get an x-ray first.
All these injuries during sports….a sign mebbe??
😛
You’ll prolly have to give in and take some ibuprofin or tylenol.
Trust me, it’s totally pointless to suffer through pain just because you don’t want to resort to medication.
If you’re hurt, fix it!
I always HATED taking meds, but when I found out that I have pain, that won’t go away, I realized “Hey, this is stupid!”

You’re probably concerned that you’ll become addicted or dependant.
Let me assure you, there is NOTHING wrong with taking a medicine that allows you to function properly.
I am dependant on my pain medications because if I don’t control my pain, I cannot function like a normal human being!
My mother is dependant on seizure meds, my father on his heart meds, what’s the difference?
(btw, physical addiction to any medicine is EXTREMELY rare. Mental addiction, just because you like the feeling, is much more common, and just stupid! :-D)

LOTS of hot baths, and try acupuncture. I think I’m going to trust the opinions of a couple BILLION chinese dudes over the few americans that say it’s BS. 😛
DO NOT go to a chiropractor!!!
Not untill you know EXACTLY what is wrong and, if need be, get it fixed.

You need to be checked for Thorasic Outlet Syndrome, it’s a dangerous condition where the place in your collar/shoulder area where some nerves and your jugular vein go through can be impenging on those nerves and vein.
You would eventually need to see a thorasic surgeon or a cardiologist to check for that
Also get checked for Arm, Shoulder, Hand syndrome. It’s where your arm shoulder hand and sometimes neck are hurting and might have other seemingly random symptoms, but it’s because or a pinched nerve in either your neck or shoulder.
An ElectroMyloGram (EMG) should pinpoint that.

If it’s a pinched nerve, you may need to be put on something like prednisone, it’s a steroidal anti-inflammatory. (as opposed to Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs-NSAIDS- such as Advil or Asprin.)

With all these injuries, you should really be getting to a specialist if you’re still having pain. All sorts of things could be going wrong.

Good luck!
Sheena

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Comments

3 Responses to “Is there an easy and natural cure for a pinched nerve in the neck?”
  1. bronteheights says:

    Yoga works for me. Reduce the stress, which reduces the muscle tension, which eases the pinching. I find that swimming really helps that area also. As a matter of fact, I have found that swimming on my lunch break actually eases the stress of the morning at work so that when I go home it is only the afternoon stress I have with me ;). Acupuncture has helped me also.

    Oh yeah, and when it is really bad, I find it really helps to do the following:
    20 min of heat
    20 min ice
    20 min off
    repeat until the pinching releases
    Make sure you do the heat BEFORE the ice or you can burn yourself.

  2. cryfreedmb says:

    Just get a massage bro. And maybe be more careful while riding your motercycle and playing hockey.

  3. Keko says:

    See the principles and understand that knots press on nerves so that is what becomes painful
    Below is the answer I gave for headaches – yours can also start as far away as your back and include neck muscles as well as shoulders and arms. In the hot water of the shower apply moving pressure to the area that are tender lengthwise to help get the muscles to lighten up *start with a massage if you can it will give you a jump start on getting better,
    First thing is water – the head of neurology at UCDavis explained (when my husband went to him about 10 years ago for migraines) that running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil. Things are going to go seriously wrong.
    Because the amount of water we should drink was figured out so long ago a more modern way to base the non sugars (even the substitutes – because sugar increases pain, weight and decreased absorption) drinks is : water = your body weight divided by 2 times ounces daily.
    Many times your muscles will be tight starting as far away as your rump, up your back, shoulders, neck and head. Muscles are like ropes with many different strands or fibers in them – the individual fibers can (if they are not relaxing properly) bulk up in the middle and stretch more thinly on the ends giving the description of a “knot”.
    On your head in your hair stratch lightly – you are likely to find tender spots these are knots – do this occasionaly until they go away. A good massage is well worth it.
    My chiropractor (who uses an activator instead of manual manipulation) has spots he can hit to help lighten headaches up.
    Natural muscle relaxers because they both contain magnisium (that regulates many things in the body) and potassium (which you can sweat out) are bananas and a swig or two of molasses. The only side effect is the runs if you have too much.
    Eating correctly – fruits, vegies and LEAN meats are best.
    For more info on muscles read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies

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