When your nerves are “pinched,” it can cause pain. This happens when the muscles around the nerve become injured, inflamed, or go into spasm and press on the nerve. People often use the term “pinched nerve” to describe different types of pain, like pain from subluxations, tunnel syndromes, or trigger points.

Most of the time, when people say they have a pinched nerve, it’s actually an irritated or inflamed nerve. This can happen when the bones, joints, or muscles in your spine aren’t in the right place or aren’t moving properly. Chiropractors specialize in treating this condition, called a “subluxation.”

There are times when nerves actually do become pinched, like in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Sciatica, and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. In these cases, the muscles and connective tissue around the nerve become injured, inflamed, or go into spasm and press on the nerve.

These types of conditions are called “tunnel syndromes,” and treating them can be more complicated than treating a subluxation. However, chiropractic care combined with other therapies like exercises and stretches can be very effective.

Trigger points are very tight knots in your muscles that form when your muscles are overworked or injured. They often cause pain that radiates to other parts of your body. Trigger points can be treated with a combination of chiropractic care, stretching, and deep tissue massage.

It’s important to get the right diagnosis for your pain, especially if your nerves are involved. Long-term irritation or compression of a nerve can cause permanent damage. If you think you have a pinched nerve, it’s important to see a chiropractor as soon as possible.