UGH! Pinched Nerve!!! :(

So, it seems that just when I'm making incredible progress, I go and get:
A) sick, or
B) hurt.

I was just ready to start working out on my hamstring again (something minor happened to it--probably a grade 1 tear) when I pinched a nerve in my back, from--get this--FALLING ASLEEP ON THE COUCH!!! :(

I've been to the chiropractor 3 times already (something I REALLY can't afford right now,) and he wants to see me at least another 4. Each time he adjusts me, it feels a little better, but not 100%. What scares me worse than the back pain is the radiating pain down my arm.

Has anybody here ever experienced this? How long did it take you to heal? To get back into lifting? I haven't done ANYTHING since I figured out it was a pinched nerve. The chiropractor said that I could do legs and cardio, but I'm afraid of delaying the healing process.

I had a really severe pinched nerve in my back and arm pain. It took many, many months for it to be completely better (6, I think). My doctor sent me to physio and also told me going to a chiropractor is the absolute worst thing I could do for it! It's very easy for them to make the situation worse, apparently. Be really, really careful having a chiropractor treat things like that...

Right or wrong, I just work thru the pain.

I know how it got pinched(I landed on the side of my neck & head on our trampoline doing a backflip about 6 years ago). It'll be fine for months, then one day I'll turn my head wrong and instant repinching....ouch! I have done both babying it & going to the chiro, or just taking some ibuprofen & going on about my day(and workout) like normal. And it actually works itself out faster & lasts longer if I just go about my life as usual.

My pinch is at the base of my neck. It's a slipped disk. I've had x-rays. The pain feels like my left shoulder has a bubble in it that needs to pop or if somebody would just take my arm & pull it downward quickly, that it would feel so much better! Not that I've tried this, but that's what it feels like. I know my shoulder isn't the problem though, it just FEELS like it is because that nerve is the one that's pinched. My left arm sort of hurts too, but it's mostly in the shoulder.

I guess longwindedly, I'm saying that I tried the normal "take it easy, rest it, rehab it, go to chiro, etc" and it didn't make a damn bit of difference in my case. And unless I have surgery ON the disk itself, it just will happen occasionally. I decided to work thru it(mostly because I was pissed when it happened one time right before my scheduled workout). And oddly enough, it makes it better faster & happens less often. I've went on 5 mile runs with it. Done my Kettlebell workout with it. Done push ups & pull ups with it. It hurts, for sure, but I just tell myself it isn't my shoulder or arm actually hurting and I'm not doing anything damaging to it by working out. It's phantom pain caused by a pinch somewhere else.

Babying it usually took 5-7 days to heal enough that it wasn't constantly on my mind. Working thru it makes it maybe 2-3 days tops.

It's what works for me. I don't know your exact issue or why you feel & hurt as you do, so I'm NOT saying you should do as I do. Just a personal story about my recurring issue with injury.

I hope whatever you do, it works itself out & stays at bay:)

When your mind is in the right place but your body betrays you, it sucks!

[QUOTE=goalorientgirl;697294831]I had a really severe pinched nerve in my back and arm pain. It took many, many months for it to be completely better (6, I think). My doctor sent me to physio and also told me going to a chiropractor is the absolute worst thing I could do for it! It's very easy for them to make the situation worse, apparently. Be really, really careful having a chiropractor treat things like that...[/QUOTE]


Yeah, I'm always hesitant to go to chiropractors, but some people swear by them. I had one really help me years ago when I sprained my back so badly that I couldn't walk, though.

The thing is, I am like, 90% sure that I got the pinched nerve from sleeping funny, so something is probably out of place and putting pressure on it. It makes sense to me that the only way to fix it is to put everything back in place.

If I had health insurance, I probably would go to a "real" doctor, but they would just send me for expensive tests before sending me on to some other type of specialist. I am trying the cheapest option first, in hopes that it will work. I know that sounds bad, but money is a HUGE issue for me right now. :(

[QUOTE=nakedbabytoes;697316351]
Babying it usually took 5-7 days to heal enough that it wasn't constantly on my mind. Working thru it makes it maybe 2-3 days tops.


When your mind is in the right place but your body betrays you, it sucks![/QUOTE]

Wow. It doesn't take long for yours to heal, then. I've heard stories of pinched nerves that last MONTHS or even YEARS! After my last chiropractor visit, if I'm not better, I might try working through it. I just feel like I should rest it until after my treatment is done.

And it does suck when your mind is right and your body isn't!! I am soooo eager to get back in the gym! I feel like every day I stay home, I'm losing what I worked so hard for!

I'm still on my "cut" and I'm still losing weight (a little more slowly now) and while I'm excited to drop weight, I am so afraid that it's muscle I'm losing!

Well, the initial pinch took months to work out. My chiro made probably 1g off me those few months. I did the whole rest & rehab it, meds & pain rubs/patches. He got me on a maintainence adjustment schedule, yada yada yada. I thought I was cured!
Then about a year and a half later, I turned wrong & bam, back to square one. Redo xrays, chiro, meds, rest, etc. Same thing, different year. Kept on happening. Why? Because the pinch never really gets fixed(slipped disk), and unless I do surgery, never will. So sometimes that space moves & gets bigger & sometimes it moves & gets smaller. I had hoped he could pop it back in & have it stay, but no.
Can't fix me, I'm moving on. End of story.

If its going down your arms it is your cervical spine C5-C7 area. Google that for stretches and rehab. Plus it can be more specific as to which discs are out of whack

[QUOTE=Iceman1800;697634581]If its going down your arms it is your cervical spine C5-C7 area. Google that for stretches and rehab. Plus it can be more specific as to which discs are out of whack[/QUOTE]

Yeah, my pinch they said was between C3 and C5 - it was a little scary, actually, but I did physiotherapy and I got through it just fine. Weirdly enough, they think I did it by wearing a backpack that was too heavy (plus having the messed up spine that I have)! It did take months of rehab though. I'd save your money and skip the chiro and use it on physio/rehab and massages.

[QUOTE=nakedbabytoes;697316351]Right or wrong, I just work thru the pain.

I know how it got pinched(I landed on the side of my neck & head on our trampoline doing a backflip about 6 years ago). It'll be fine for months, then one day I'll turn my head wrong and instant repinching....ouch! I have done both babying it & going to the chiro, or just taking some ibuprofen & going on about my day(and workout) like normal. And it actually works itself out faster & lasts longer if I just go about my life as usual.

My pinch is at the base of my neck. It's a slipped disk. I've had x-rays. The pain feels like my left shoulder has a bubble in it that needs to pop or if somebody would just take my arm & pull it downward quickly, that it would feel so much better! Not that I've tried this, but that's what it feels like. I know my shoulder isn't the problem though, it just FEELS like it is because that nerve is the one that's pinched. My left arm sort of hurts too, but it's mostly in the shoulder.

I guess longwindedly, I'm saying that I tried the normal "take it easy, rest it, rehab it, go to chiro, etc" and it didn't make a damn bit of difference in my case. And unless I have surgery ON the disk itself, it just will happen occasionally. I decided to work thru it(mostly because I was pissed when it happened one time right before my scheduled workout). And oddly enough, it makes it better faster & happens less often. I've went on 5 mile runs with it. Done my Kettlebell workout with it. Done push ups & pull ups with it. It hurts, for sure, but I just tell myself it isn't my shoulder or arm actually hurting and I'm not doing anything damaging to it by working out. It's phantom pain caused by a pinch somewhere else.

Babying it usually took 5-7 days to heal enough that it wasn't constantly on my mind. Working thru it makes it maybe 2-3 days tops.

It's what works for me. I don't know your exact issue or why you feel & hurt as you do, so I'm NOT saying you should do as I do. Just a personal story about my recurring issue with injury.

I hope whatever you do, it works itself out & stays at bay:)

When your mind is in the right place but your body betrays you, it sucks![/QUOTE]

You may regret this when your 65. But maybe not.