A pinched nerve is a nerve that has become damaged or compressed by a ligament, tendon or bone. Pinched nerves can occur anywhere in the body and typically cause radiating pain, the sensation of pins and needles or numbness or weakness in the affected area. Treatments for pinched nerves--including rest, medication, physical therapy or surgery--usually bring about significant improvement or a cure, although in rare cases nerve damage may be irreversible.
Rest and Immobilization
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most commonly recommended treatment for pinched nerves is to rest the affected area. Temporarily stopping activities that aggravate or compress the nerves in that region of the body may help improve symptoms. If the pinched nerve is in an area that is difficult to immobilize, your doctor may give you a splint, brace or collar to prevent movement. You may be advised to wear the brace both during the day and at night. For example, those with carpal tunnel syndrome--a painful condition caused by nerve compression in the wrist--may need to splint the wrist at night because otherwise they are likely to flex and extend it during sleep.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a conservative form of treatment that may help improve nerve pain over time. Exercises can help strengthen the muscles in the affected area, thereby helping take pressure off of the compressed nerve. Exercises will vary depending upon the location of the nerve. Physical therapists may also teach patients how to modify daily activities or exercises that tend to aggravate the nerve.
Medication
Medications can be prescribed to treat the painful symptoms and inflammation associated with pinched nerves. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen may help reduce swelling, thereby easing compression and associated nerve pain. Prescription NSAIDs are sometimes ordered for those whose pain is severe. Alternatively, some people may undergo corticosteroid injections at the site of the pinched nerve.
Surgery
Surgery is usually reserved for cases that have not shown improvement after several months of treatment with rest, physical therapy and/or medication. Surgical treatment options vary considerably depending upon where the nerve is located, but the main goal of all surgeries is to give the nerve the room it needs so it is no longer compressed, according to Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Whereas medications shrink swollen tissue that surrounds the nerve, surgery involves the removal of scar tissue, bone spurs or other growths that may have developed to alleviate pressure. As described by the Mayo Clinic, one example of such a surgery is the severing of the carpal ligament to allow more room for the nerve to pass through the wrist.
