Symptoms of pinched nerve
Numbness, a loss of feeling or sensation, usually arises from damage or disease of nerves. Numbness is often associated with or preceded by abnormal pain-like sensations often described as pins-and-needles, prickling or burning sensations; these are called paresthesias. Numbness is loss of sensation whereas paralysis usually involves both the loss of the ability to move the area and loss of sensations. Any numbness or abnormal sensation symptoms need prompt professional medical advice.
Abnormal nerve sensations such as pins-and-needles, tingling, burning, prickling or similar feelings are all known as "paresthesias". They usually result from nerve damage due to pressure (such as a pinched nerve), nerve entrapment, or diseases. Continued nerve damage can lead to numbness. Paresthesias can affect various parts of the body. Hands, fingers, and feet are common sites but all are possibilities. Afflictions of specific nerves or spinal nerves can also cause paresthesias in particular skin areas of the body. Parethesias with simple causes such as pressing on a nerve are usually reversible. Certain other nerve conditions such as peripheral neuropathy (often from diabetes), lupus complications, Guillain-Barre syndrome, or multiple sclerosis are also possible causes of parethesias. Because of the variety of possible causes, any abnormal sensation needs prompt professional medical investigation. Pain is also a pinched nerve symptom. There are many types of pain and many locations to get pain. The body uses pain to tell the brain that something is wrong. Never ignore pain. Any type of pain symptom needs prompt professional medical advice for diagnosis of the underlying cause of the pain. Pain is one type in a spectrum of sensations, involving the nerves and the brain, ranging from agony to numbness. Unusual sensations such as tingling, burning, or "pins-and-needles" type pain are called paresthesias. Pain varies in intensity and level. Sudden severe pain is called acute pain; ongoing persistent pain is chronic pain.
With pinched nerves in the neck, a patient may complain of numbness, tingling, or pain radiating from the shoulder into the hand. Pain also radiate up the back of the head or into the upper back or chest. Weakness in the arm may also occur.
Pain due to a pinched nerve in the low back causes sciatica, a severe pain that radiates down the posterior leg into the buttock and down the back of the leg. The pain may radiate to the foot. Weakness in the leg may also occur. Pain due to a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine can cause pain in the mid back, shoulder blade, and chest.
Peripheral nerve entrapment- carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand or tarsal tunnel syndrome in the foot- may also cause numbness, tingling, and pain.
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