Radiating pain is pain that starts in one area of the body and travels to another. It might feel like the pain spreads throughout an area. It is not unusual for pain that radiates to come and go or feel like it moves from one area to another randomly. The pain being felt is traveling through the pathway of the nerve, and affects the entire nerve, not just the area that is inflamed.
In addition to pain throughout the nerve pathway, numbness, tingling and changes in sensation can signal nerve problems. Here we’ll take a closer look at 5 common causes.
Herniated or bulging disc
The intervertebral discs act as a cushion and shock absorber for your spine. The discs are fibrocartilage filled with a jelly like substance. When these discs get damaged they can put pressure on the spinal nerves.
Pinched Nerve
A nerve can become pinched when there is too much compression on it from the surrounding tissues. This can be caused from bone, tendons, muscles, or a combination of tissues in the area if the nerve. Something as simple as a tight muscle can be enough to compress a nerve enough to cause inflammation.
Arthritis
Arthritis can certainly cause inflammation to the surrounding nerves through the degenerative break down of surfaces the nerves use as pathways. The cartilage in a joint breaks down and can affect the entire joint, causing pain and inflammation. Bone spurs can also occur on the joints and further compress the nerves and cause pain.
Overstretched Nerve
A nerve can become over stretched from a quick, traumatic movement. This is common is sports injuries or motor vehicle accidents. When the nerve is pulled in a direction is doesn’t normally go, it can damage the nerve fibers and can slow down the communication provided by the affected nerve. This can result in pain and other nerve damage symptoms.
Joint Cysts
Benign cysts of fluid can form in the joints and tendons as a response to trauma or overuse in the joint. This growing space of fluid can compress on nerves and cause irritation. Two common sites for joint cysts are in the wrist (ganglion cyst) and in the back of the knee (Baker’s cyst).
If you are experiencing radiating pain it is important to be fully evaluated by a physician to find the cause if the problem and rule out any life-threatening problems that could be causing the pain. Chiropractic care can treat the underlying problems that cause pain to radiate and improve your overall nerve health. Contact Silver Chiropractic and Wellness today to get treatment started for your radiating nerve pain today.
