Do you feel a tingling sensation in your hands or feet? Unless you’re watching a scary movie, you probably need to see a chiropractor for treatment. Pain, tingling and numbness in extremities are symptoms generally associated with pinched nerves. Nerve impingement most often occurs at the spine and travels to the upper and lower extremities of the arms, hands, legs and feet. However, neck and back pain don’t necessarily occur when there is a pinched nerve manifested by pain, tingling or numbness. Possible causes of pinched nerves are when the nerve is sandwiched between two spinal vertebrae, is compressed by a bulging disc or encroached upon by a bony overgrowth.

When a nerve exits the spine, it can become lodged between two bones or distortedly compressed by an unhealthy spinal disc resulting in pain, numbness and tingling in other areas of the body. The referred tingling and numbness often has a direct correlation to the part of the spine where the “pinching” occurs. For example, a pinched nerve in the neck often manifests tingling and numbness in the shoulders, arms or hands.

Chiropractic adjustments can restore spinal discs to alignment, thereby alleviating nerve irritation related to joint dysfunction or bone misalignment. When a chiropractor uses carefully directed and controlled pressure to restore joints to normal position and motion, the nerve is no longer pinched and the pain, tingling and numbness will subside as the body reaches structural alignment. Neck and/or back pain usually get better and the radiating pain, tingling or numbness effects of the pinched nerve will be eradicated.