If you believe you are experiencing persistent nerve pain – or pain that is a result of the compression of a nerve somewhere in your body – it might be a good idea to visit your doctor. In many cases, nerve pain is the result of nothing more than a minor injury like a muscle strain or sprain, and pain will subside on its own after a couple of days. However, if your pain persists for several days, further treatment may be required. The best thing you can do when you have back or neck pain is to take it easy, introduce a heating element to the tightness, take over-the-counter pain medication as indicated, and let nature run its course. If these conservative therapies fail to provide relief, further treatment may be required.
Causes
Assuming your pain doesn’t go away on its own, schedule an appointment with your family doctor for an examination. Make sure to keep track of your symptoms, note when you’ve experienced the most pain, see whether you can trace the pain to a specific event, and make a list of the treatments you have already attempted. In most cases, your doctor will palpate your spine to see whether an obvious cause of your pain is present; in some cases, medical imagery, such as an MRI or CT scan, might be recommended.
In addition to injury, there are a number of conditions that can cause nerve compression and subsequent nerve pain, including:
- A herniated or bulging intervertebral disc
- Facet disease or other form of osteoarthritis
- The formation of osteophytes
- Spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Disease, tumor, or infection
Meeting With Your Doctor
Once the source of your nerve pain has been identified, treatment will begin. In most cases, nerve compression responds to conservative, nonsurgical techniques such as exercise, massage, prescription medication, and hot/cold therapy, among others.
In the event that you are considering an open spine surgery to treat your nerve compression, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn about the numerous benefits to our revolutionary, outpatient, endoscopic procedures. If you believe you have nerve pain, call today to schedule a consultation.
