Can a Massage Therapist Help with a Pinched Nerve?
Massage therapy has been known to be of help in the treatment of many ailments including stress reduction, pain reduction, and blood circulation. Because of this, massage therapy proves to be useful for many types of conditions, one of which is the treatment of a pinched nerve.

A pinched nerve is a common condition that is experienced by far too many people. According to the PMC Labs, Pinched nerves occur in about 85 out of 100,000 adults every year. Fortunately, it can be treated with simple and non-invasive techniques, if discovered early.
In this article, we discuss the place of a massage therapist in the treatment of a pinched nerve. For more resources on health conditions and how massage can help, visit our website at mindbodyworksmassage.com.
What Is a Pinched Nerve?
When the tissues around a nerve are put under stress, the nerve is said to be pinched. These tissues can be cartilage, bone, tendons, or even muscles. Some of the things one may experience when excess pressure is put on the tissues around a nerve include pain, numbness, tingling sensation, or weakness.
You can have a pinched nerve in quite a number of places in your body. You could feel a pinched nerve in your shoulder, neck, leg, or wrist. When this happens, the pain or numbness you feel can easily spread to nearby tissues. For example, if a nerve in your wrist is pinched, the effect may be felt in your fingers or hands.
Most times when a nerve is pinched, surgery will or any other invasive procedure will be necessary to get it treated. When identified early enough, a pinched nerve can be treated in ways that are very easy and painless. Of course, some cases will require that you visit a doctor to diagnose the condition, after which the best method of treatment will be recommended by the specialist.
Symptoms and Causes of a Pinched Nerve
The following are some of the symptoms you may start to experience if there is a pinched nerve in your body:
- If it feels like you are losing sensation in a part of your body or a numb feeling in that area.
- If you feel an aching, sharp, or burning sensation spreading through your body, a never may be pinched.
- A feeling of weakness in your muscles.
- If you are feeling like there are needles or pins all over your body, it could be an indication that your limbs are falling asleep often, hence, a pinched nerve.
You may find that some of these symptoms become more intense when you try to sleep. With adequate rest, these sensations are expected to subside in a matter of days. However, you may need to book an appointment with a doctor for proper treatment if you notice that these symptoms persist.
Causes of pinched nerves
The following are some of the causes of pinched nerves:
- Arthritis
- Mental stress
- Obesity
- Pushing the body beyond its capacities through excess physical exercise or outdoor