A pinched nerve can literally and figuratively get on your nerves as it causes a stinging, burning, aching pain that can radiate to other parts of the body. And this can impede day-to-day activities. The key is to get to the root cause as quickly as possible. A massage gun, when used carefully and correctly, can provide quick relief by loosening the muscle and promoting blood flow and increasing circulation to the area.
Related: How To Use A Massage Gun For The Ultimate Benefits
What Is A Pinched Nerve?
A pinched nerve is caused when surrounding tissues – muscles, tendons, cartilage, and bones, put too much pressure on a nerve. And a pinched nerve can occur in numerous areas throughout the body.
The most common areas of the body where pinched nerves occur are the elbow, hand, and wrist area, lumbar, cervical, and thoracic. For example, when a nerve gets pinched in the wrist area this can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
Symptoms of A Pinched Nerve
People with a pinched nerve experience symptoms of weakness, numbness, burning, stinging, aching, pain, muscle spasms, and a tingling sensation. And although a pinched nerve can start in a specific area of the body, the pain can quickly spread to your face, shoulders, and back.
The most common types of pinched nerves are thoracic radiculopathy, cervical radiculopathy, and sciatica. Thoracic radiculopathy is where one has an intense pain around the chest area. And, cervical radiculopathy is where a nerve is irritated in the neck area caused by a bone spur or herniated disc. Lastly, sciatica is when the sciatic nerve pain starts in the spine and radiates down the back of the leg.
Causes of a Pinched Nerve
There are numerous causes of a pinched nerve, though the most common are poor posture, improper positioning of the body, injury, and aging.
Years and years of poor posture can cause vertebrae to misalign and therefore compress a nerve. As well, sudden injury caused by accidents, sports, lifting can cause a disc to herniate or bulge; therefore, resulting in a pinched nerve.
And, as we age, we lose the essential space between vertebrae that allow for healthy nerve function and once vertebrae become compressed, this can cause nerves to be pinched.
Can A Massage Gun Help Alleviate A Pinched Nerve?
The answer is yes, a massage gun can help alleviate the pain associated with a pinched nerve, but it is crucial to apply the percussive massager in a gentle and cautious manner so that you do not cause further injury to the area.
If you leave a pinched nerve untreated for too long, the pain can continue to worsen making it harder to move the rest of your body. By applying massage to the affected area, it will start to release the tension that could be causing the pinched nerve, and promote blood flow and increase circulation which will provide pain relief and start the healing process.
Related: Best Deep Tissue Massage Guns That Relieve Tense Muscles
How A Massage Gun Can Help
A massage gun provides your muscles with rapid bursts of pressure because of its percussive massage technique. This type of massage can give you quick pain relief and a renewed sense of movement to the affected area.
In order to properly use a massage gun on a pinched nerve, find the tender area, gently apply the massage gun and slowly increase speed and pressure. You should not feel pain, but a sense of relief as the muscle starts to loosen. If it is painful, then stop immediately. You may be applying too much pressure or using too high of a speed. Take a break and try again with gentle pressure.
It is always important to consult with a medical professional, such as a chiropractor, before applying a massage gun to a pinched nerve area so as to ensure that the massage gun does not do more harm than good.
Related: Massage Gun Benefits: Relieve Stiffness, Soreness, and More