The good news is that there are multiple options for treating a pinched nerve, which almost always begin with conservative therapies. Your doctor will likely recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).
For disk herniation and pinched nerve in the back, there are at-home treatment positions that reduce stress and load on bulging or herniated disks, which can change the amount of pressure placed on the nerve, allowing it to heal. According to McCormick, these positions may include lying flat on your belly and pressing up to lift your chest off the floor. You can find more information on this topic at University of Utah Health.
Epidural steroid injections place corticosteroid medication directly around a pinched nerve as it exits the spine within the epidural space. The epidural space is located where the bones and discs of the spine surround the nerves and spinal cord. This is the space into which disc tissue can herniate, causing pressure and inflammation. More details on epidural injections can be found at Hospital for Special Surgery.
At the Spine Hospital at the Neurological Institute of New York, we specialize in treating pinched spinal nerves. The spinal nerves branch off of the spinal cord, connecting it with the body. Another name for a pinched spinal nerve is radiculopathy. Sciatica is one well-known kind of radiculopathy. For further information, please visit Columbia Neurosurgery.
A variety of medications can be added to conventional pain relievers to reduce nerve pain. Adding one of these nerve pain medications won’t completely take the pain away, but it may help. Anticonvulsants, for example, were developed to control seizures, but they also help to blunt pain signals in the nerves. For more details on drugs that relieve nerve pain, please refer to Harvard Health.
The early symptoms of spinal stenosis can be treated with activity modification and anti-inflammatory medications. When symptoms become more significant, epidural steroid injections can be tried. If none of these give relief, then spinal decompression surgery may be required. To learn more about the treatment for spinal stenosis, visit Hospital for Special Surgery.
