Pinched Nerve Causes
Pinched nerves cause the part of the body connected to the nerve to tingle, go numb, or be painful. With nerves running through the entire body, all kinds of different parts are susceptible to pinched nerves—although the neck, back, and hands tend to be most common. Here is a look at the causes of different pinched nerves throughout the body.
Peripheral Nervous System
Pinched nerves, in general, are the result of excessive pressure on nerves. This may be from bones, cartilage, or a conglomeration of other tissues. The brain and spinal cord are connected to the rest of the body through the peripheral nervous system, also called the peripheral nerve. Most pinched nerves are a result of pressure on the nerve or the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects it. Nerve roots are often affected at the point where they exit the spinal cord. When this happens, signals to and from the brain are disrupted, resulting in the feeling of numbness because the brain doesn’t receive sensations of feeling. Conversely, signals of pain may be sent to the brain instead. If the pressure is resolved fairly quickly, the nerve and sensations will return to normal over time. However, if the nerve stays damaged for too long, it may never go back to normal. Herniated discs, bone spurs, or injuries that put pressure on the nerves or myelin sheath can all cause pinched nerves in the peripheral nervous system.
Sciatica
Similarly, sciatica is a condition in which the sciatic nerve—which runs from the lower back down each leg—gets crushed. Again, this may be because of a herniated disk, bone spur, and sometimes even spinal stenosis. Nerve damage from chronic diseases like diabetes can also instigate sciatica, as can the growth of a tumor. Sciatica becomes a greater risk as you age, because the spine begins to change (making herniations and bone growths more likely). Being overweight, living a sedentary lifestyle, and engaging in activities that require frequent twisting movements of the low back may increase your chances of developing sciatica.
Carpal Tunnel
A pinched nerve in some places may not be because of the peripheral nerve, but because of pressure on a different area. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the median nerve in the hand gets pinched by pressure on the carpal tunnel, which houses nerves and ligaments running through the wrist. Carpal tunnel can be caused by all sorts of different things—anything that compresses the carpal tunnel, essentially.
Pregnant and postpartum women often develop carpal tunnel as a result of the pressure put on the wrists from retaining water and swelling. This may account in part for why women are so much more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. If your wrists are exceptionally small or have suffered a break or dislocation, this may make you more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, other common culprits of carpal tunnel syndrome include chronic illnesses that damage the nerves, inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, menopause, being overweight, thyroid disorders, kidney failure, or frequent engagement in activities that cause compression in the wrist.
