What is a Pinched Nerve in Lower Back?
It is a condition in which a nerve located in the lower back suffers injury due to excess pressure from the adjacent tissues and muscles.
Pinched Nerve in Lower Back Symptoms
If you are suffering from this condition, you may already be familiar with its symptoms. Know about some of the main symptoms of pinched nerve in lower back.
Pain
Pain is the most prominent of the pinched nerve symptoms in lower back. Pain is usually acute and originates in the lower part of the back. It can radiate all through the back and even extend to the legs depending on the type of nerve that has been pinched. The aches may be felt in the lower back as well as the lower leg, hips and buttocks.
Tingling sensation
Affected individuals often serve from a tingling sensation at the site of injury. There is a light prickling sensation in the initial stages that become severe in later stages.
Numbness
Sufferers also have a numb feeling in the affected region. There is mild numbness in the initial stages which may turn into a total lack of sensation in the later period.
Loss of mobility
Numbness is also accompanied by a lack of mobility. It becomes difficult to stand erect or walk properly with a pinched lower back nerve. There is stiffness in the back which may extend down the leg.
Weakness
Patients also suffer from a weak sensation in the muscles along the entire path of the nerve that has been affected in the back.
Pinched Nerve In Lower Back Causes
The lower back nerve that is most commonly injured is the sciatic nerve. It is usually the sciatic nerve that gives rise to pinched nerve in the lower back.
Know about some of the major pinched nerve in lower back causes.
Sciatica
This condition leads to compression of the sciatic nerves that run from the lower back of a person and extends down the buttocks and hips to the legs and the heels. When sciatic nerves get compressed, pain may be experienced at any region of the body where runs through.
Herniated spinal disc
When the spinal disc located between two vertebrae suffers a tear or inflammation it usually presses a nerve thus impairing its normal functioning. This can result in neurological problems in all parts of the body that is served by the nerve. Such an injured spinal nerve is said to be herniated.
Sciatic nerve pain may also occur due to complications such as misaligned hips or tightness of muscle.
Picture 1 – Pinched Nerve in Lower Back
Source – pinchednerveinlowerback.net
What to Do For a Pinched Nerve In Lower Back?
This medical syndrome can be remedied with the aid of medications, massage and physical therapy. If these treatment methods fail to cure the condition, surgery may be used as a last resort.
How to Relieve A Pinched Nerve In Lower Back With Medications?
Medicines are generally used to control the symptoms arising due to this syndrome. If there is too much swelling in the region, anti-inflammatory drugs such as Naproxen and Ibuprofen may be used. These are available as over-the-counter medicines in drug stores, supermarkets and medical shops. If swelling persists even after using these drugs, you have to see a doctor who may administer you an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid injection.
In some patients who show no positive response to over-the-counter medicines and anti-inflammatory injections, steroid medications may be required for cure. Steroids are very effective in reducing swelling but have powerful side effects. It is for this reason that steroids are prescribed only for a short duration.
Exercises for Pinched Nerve In Lower Back
Physical therapy is very useful in remedying this condition. Physical therapy involves massage, exercises and stretching which helps reduce pressure on the affected nerve. Exercise and stretching helps relax the nerve and restore mobility to it. Massage is effective in reducing tension in the muscles surrounding the pinched nerve. Physical therapy does not aim at directly treating the affected nerve. Rather, it concentrates on relaxing the surrounding muscles and tissues that put pressure on the nerve.
Apart from exercises, a physical therapist may also use protective devices like braces or splint to provide support to the nerve.
It is important to conduct physical therapy under the guidance of an experienced therapist. Trying out your own exercise remedies without the necessary expertise can do you more harm than good.
Pinched Nerve in Lower Back Surgery
A surgical operation is rarely used in treatment for Pinched Nerve in Lower Back. Surgery only becomes necessary if all other non-invasive methods of cure fail to bring about an improvement in the condition of the patient. It is also used if the affected individual starts to develop muscle weakness that may cause more complications.
If pinched nerve is caused by a herniated disc, a small part of the disc can be removed by surgical operation to reduce pressure on the nerve. In some cases, a large tissue has to be removed for successfully treating a pinched nerve in lower back.
Home Remedy for Pinched Nerve In Lower Back
Treatment for a Pinched Nerve in Lower Back is also possible through home remedies. However, home remedies are successful in treating only mild conditions. Severe pinched nerve cases that involve acute pain and inflammation should be treated by medical means.
You can try any of these home remedies for pinched nerve in lower back treatment.
Hot compress
Place a clean washcloth in a pot filled with hot water. Wring the cloth to remove excess water and press it against the affected nerve. Applying heat over the nerve can ease the inflammation.
Cold compress
Place a thin strip of washcloth or paper on your affected nerve and put ice packs over it. Cold application provides relief from pain and gives comfort.
Massage
Lightly massage the area with analgesic ointments. This will reduce pain in the area and also ease tension in muscles and tissues adjacent to the nerve.
Pinched Nerve in Lower Back Recovery
With exercises, physical therapy and proper medical treatment, the symptoms may go away in a few weeks. The condition may take a few months to resolve completely.
If you are suffering from this condition, do not neglect it. If over-the-counter medications and home remedies fail to improve the situation, it is best to seek immediate medical treatment. Early treatment will help you recover faster from this condition and get back to health as fast as possible.