Pinched Nerve

Pinched Nerve

Radiculopathy is the medical term used to describe a "pinched nerve" in the spine. A radiculopathy occurs when a nerve is irritated by something that is either rubbing on the nerve or pressing on the nerve. In some cases, such as a herniated (or ruptured) disc, there may also be a chemical reaction irritating the nerve. Chemicals released from the inside of the disc seem to irritate nerve tissue, causing pain and inflammation of the nerve.

Abnormal pressure or irritation on a particular nerve causes several problems. First, there is numbness in the area where the nerve usually provides sensation, or feeling. For example, if the nerve usually ends in the side of the foot and supplies sensation to that area, it will have decreased feeling, and often pain.

The key to understanding a radiculopathy is understanding that your brain cannot tell where the problem really is. While the irritation or pressure on the nerve may be in your back, your brain thinks the pain is coming from your foot. In addition, the muscles that the nerve usually controls will not work right. You will usually have weakness in the muscles, and the reflexes controlled by the muscles will not work. This is why doctors always check reflexes. The body has a pretty standard wiring diagram. By determining which reflexes are not working, the doctor can usually tell which nerve is involved with the problem.

Things that can cause a radiculopathy include: herniated discs, bone spurs, tumors that are growing into the nerves, and fractures that put pressure on the nerves.