Symptoms And Treatment For A Twisted Nerve In The Neck
“This condition causes prolonged pain resulting in an inability to perform day-to-day activities”
A twisted nerve in the neck is also known as cervical radiculopathy, which is one of the debilitating conditions that causes significant impairment, wherein the nerve roots that branch out from the spinal cord in the neck region, is compressed or entrapped, causing inflammation of the nerve and radiation of pain along with paraesthesia in the dermatomal distribution of the affected nerve with neck pain and motor weakness.
This condition causes prolonged pain resulting in an inability to perform day – to – day activities. However, in order to return to a normal state, one should go for a diagnosis and treatment at the earliest.
How It Happens
Among the young this condition mostly happens due to acute injury causing compression or impingement at the foraminal level of the spine where the nerves usually exit the spinal cord.
Disc herniation can also be a cause for a twisted nerve in the neck. Most elderlies suffer from this condition due to a reduction of disc height, secondary changes at anterior and posterior facet joints and foraminal narrowing, due to osteophyte formation.
Symptoms
- Radiating pain into upper limbs; into the arm and hand
- Neck pain
- Muscle weakness
- Disturbed sensory functions causing paraesthesia and numbness in the area supplied by that nerve
Treatment Options
- Applying ice therapy or warm fermentation increases circulation in the area and helps control inflammation and reduce pain.
- Use of trained techniques like myofascial release which is a soft tissue mobilization along with joint mobilization relieves spasms by voluntarily relaxing the affected muscle.
- Use of modalities like ultrasound which is a high frequency sound waves directly applied over the area of soreness causes vibrations of molecules inside the tissue leading to friction and warmth over that area.
- Heat produced by it causes increase in circulation which flushes and brings nutrients and oxygen-rich blood towards the sore area.
Healing Tip
- Rest with proper positioning allows clam the soreness, but in case the pain still persists, avoiding all movements by using a soft or hard neck collar is the best thing to do.
- If pain reduces with rest, encouraging safe movements of the hand and arm along with the upper back of the affected side is beneficial, while protecting the sore area and allowing it to heal.