As the body’s functional communication transmitters, the human nervous system comprises a network of tissues and nerves controlling everything from movement to thought. When your spine and nervous system become damaged or injured, severe consequences, such as pain or paralysis, may occur. Though many people believe that nervous system injuries only occur through major accidents or illnesses, simple activities such as twisting the wrong way or lifting something with poor form can be hazardous to your spinal column and its components and to the nerves in your nervous system beneath it.
Injuries to the central nervous system affect up to 2 million Americans each year. You can minimize its long-term effects by taking proper care of your spine and joint health and treating early indicators of nervous system injury with urgency. Here, we will take a closer look at the common types of nervous system injuries and what steps you can take to maintain your overall nerve health.
Understanding Common Nervous System Injuries
The body’s nervous system starts at the brain and runs along your spine, branching out to the limbs and extremities. As long branches of nerves make up the majority of sensory body parts, such as our hands, feet, and back, nerves are exposed to a multitude of stimuli, making them highly susceptible to injury. Common nervous system injuries may include:
Pinched Nerves: When nerves are compressed and pinched off by surrounding tissues such as inflamed muscles, displaced ligaments, or spinal misalignments, they can cause an extreme amount of pain. Often described as a hot or shooting pain, pinched nerves can make it hard to carry out daily activities, usually causing weakness, numbness, or tingling.
Radiculopathy: Similar to pinched nerves, radiculopathy occurs when the nerve’s root is compressed, causing pain that radiates down the arm or leg.
Sciatica: A specific type of radiculopathy, sciatica is a nerve condition affecting the sciatic nerve, which causes pain in the lower back and legs.
Herniated Discs: Herniated discs are gel-like discs that sit between the bones of the spine’s vertebrae. When these discs rupture or bulge out of the spinal stack, they can put pressure on nearby nerves, causing pain.
Whiplash: Often caused by car accidents, whiplash occurs when the neck is suddenly and forcefully hyperextended. This movement can damage the cervical spine and all of the nerves that pass through it.
Peripheral Neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy is a condition characterized by damage to the peripheral nervous system, which consists of the nerves that extend from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.
Common Treatments for Nervous System Injuries
Nervous system injuries can be debilitating, often affecting your ability to perform everyday tasks. With the proper treatment, many people can overcome nerve injuries and find relief for their specific injuries. Some standard treatment methods for treating nervous system injuries are:
Prescription Medication: In many cases, prescription medications such as muscle relaxers or opiates are used for managing the pain associated with neuropathic disorders. Although prescription pain medication is highly controversial due to its addictive properties and high risk for drug abuse, they are one of the most common treatments administered to patients.
Surgery: In extreme cases of nerve injury or damage, surgery may be needed to correct structural abnormalities and adjust misaligned bones or ligaments, putting excess pressure on nerves. Surgery for neuropathic repairs is often hazardous and should be considered as a last resort for those experiencing nerve pain.
Physical therapy: Targeted exercises combined with heat, cold, and electrical stimulation therapy can strengthen muscles, improve mobility, and restore nerve function.
Chiropractic care: Through spinal adjustments, soft-tissue therapy, and realignment efforts, chiropractors can shift your body back into proper alignment, minimizing the body’s pressure on nerves in sensitive areas such as the spine and in between joints.
The Role of Chiropractic Care in Treating Nerve Injuries
As severe pain from nervous system injuries poses a need for urgent relief, treatment for nervous system injuries can often be very medication-forward, increasing the risk of medication dependence and addiction. Studies show that up to 69.4% of patients with peripheral neuropathy are treated with opioid medications, with little emphasis on exploring alternative therapies for pain relief.
Chiropractic care offers a holistic and non-invasive approach to treating pain associated with nervous system injuries. By adjusting your body’s alignment, using soft tissue massage therapy, and incorporating holistic techniques such as dry needling, chiropractic care facilitates muscle relaxation and spinal realignment, reducing the pressure on nerves running through the back.
While pain medications typically require daily dosing for pain management, chiropractic care aims to treat pain and discomfort from nervous system injury with long-term relief in mind. Chiropractors employ various techniques with customized care plans to ensure improvements in mobility and tension relief to fit any patient’s needs, tending to nervous system injuries and effects such as pinched nerves, herniated discs, whiplash injuries, and sciatica.
Combining Chiropractic Care with Traditional Therapies
Chiropractic care can be a valuable component of a comprehensive treatment plan for nervous system injuries, especially when combined with other therapies like physical therapy or medication. While chiropractic can offer significant benefits for promoting overall body health, it’s essential to recognize that some conditions, such as degenerative diseases, may require a more multifaceted approach.
While chiropractic care can effectively reduce inflammation and mitigate the long-term effects of degenerative diseases on the spine and nervous system, more severe cases may necessitate a coordinated care plan involving medication, specialists, and surgeons to address the underlying cellular degeneration.
Chiropractic care remains a safe and effective treatment option for many nervous system injuries. It offers a versatile and low-risk approach to improving overall health and well-being.
Governor’s Park Chiropractic: Your Partner in Nervous System Wellness
Governor’s Park Chiropractic offers comprehensive care and tailored treatment plans to address your nervous system health needs. With locations in Denver, Lone Tree, and Wheat Ridge, our chiropractors are experts in treating sciatica, nerve pain, and misalignment issues in the Denver-Metro area. For more information or to schedule an appointment online, visit our website or call us at (303) 831-1122 or (303) 940-7167 to get your nervous system health back on track for a pain-free and fulfilling life.
Governor's Park Chiropractic is the Colorado chiropractor team dedicated to helping individuals get out of pain and achieve better health. Offering a range of services and treatment options to meet the specific needs of each patient.