Accidents and Injuries

Most if not all of us have probably used heat and/or ice on a sprain, strain, or sore area of the body. Having a pinched nerve, however, has a different feeling than a sprain or strain. Chiropractic treatment for a pinched nerve is recommended, but if the pain isn’t too bad, then home care can work. Which is better for a pinched nerve, heat or ice? Both. Using heat and ice helps reduce swelling, increases blood flow to the area, and relaxes the muscles around the pinched nerve. The objective is to know when to use ice and/or heat.

Applying Heat on a Pinched Nerve

Applying heat on a pinched nerve is fine. The general guideline for a pinched nerve is to use heat only after the pain has subsided/reduced.

• When pain presents or flares up, use ice before using heat.
• Do not apply heat to the area directly after applying ice.
• Wait 30 minutes to an hour.
• Keep the heat on the affected area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Take a minimum 30-minute break between sessions.
• If the heat helps, make the heat moderate and use it on the area for an hour or more.
• Extended heat therapy is beneficial for severe pain from a pinched nerve.
• The equivalent is like soaking in a hot bath.

Heat for a Pinched Nerve Benefits

• Heat soothes and relaxes both the muscles and the mind.
• Heat increases healing abilities by circulating new blood to the injured/affected area, helping to flush toxins away.
• Decreases tension and spasms in the muscles.
• Increases the range of motion in the joints.

When Not To Use Heat Therapy

It can be dangerous for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Conditions include:

• Deep vein thrombosis
• Diabetes
• Vascular disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Consult a doctor if unsure.

Applying Ice

Tips to safely use ice on a pinched nerve.

• Keep the ice pack on for 15-20 minutes at a time, then remove.
• Take an hour break between icing sessions.
• Ice massage, apply ice directly to the affected area for 5 minutes at a time using circular, massaging motions.

Ice for a Pinched Nerve Benefits

• Relieves pain quickly by numbing the area.
• Reduces swelling by slowing blood flow to the area.
• Cools the muscle fibers.
• Reduces muscle spasms.

When Not To Use Ice

• Individuals, especially those who have difficulty feeling pain, can damage the skin with an ice pack.
• Those with diabetes should take special care, as nerve damage can make it hard to feel or discern pain.
• If trying to relieve soreness and/or stiffness in joints or muscles, use heat instead.

Making a Pinched Nerve Worse

A pinched nerve can become worse. Examples of things to avoid when managing a pinched nerve.

• Lifting heavy objects.
• Making sudden, twisting, shifting, jerking movements.
• Engaging in high-intensity or high-speed exercise.
• Engaging in contact sports.
• Sitting too much.
• Laying down too much.
• Not consulting a doctor or chiropractor if the pain continues.

Home Remedies and Prevention

A few other home remedies and prevention tips for a pinched nerve.

• Practice maintaining proper posture.
• Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
• Incorporate anti-inflammatory foods.
• Get 7 to 8 hours of healthy sleep.
• Get a professional therapeutic massage.
• Incorporate stretching and or yoga.
• If home remedies don’t work, know when to consult a chiropractor.

Doctors of chiropractic specialize in pinched/compressed nerves. A chiropractor is trained in different techniques to relieve the pressure and release the nerve back to its proper position.

Body Composition

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease or PAD is the narrowing of the arteries that carry blood away from the heart to the other areas of the body. What to know about PAD:

• Peripheral artery disease risks increase with age.
• Over half of affected individuals do not present with symptoms.
• Around one-fourth of individuals with peripheral artery disease have diabetes mellitus.
• Smokers have an increased risk of developing PAD.
• This is why it’s important to monitor blood pressure.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Chandler, Anne, et al. "Using heat therapy for pain management. (clinical practice)." Nursing Standard, vol. 17, no. 9, 13 Nov. 2002, pp. 40+. Accessed 15 Sept. 2021.

Edzard Ernst, Veronika Fialka, Ice freezes pain? A review of the clinical effectiveness of analgesic cold therapy, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Volume 9, Issue 1, 1994, Pages 56-59, ISSN 0885-3924, https://doi.org/10.1016/0885-3924(94)90150-3.

Shu, Jun, and Gaetano Santulli. “Update on peripheral artery disease: Epidemiology and evidence-based facts.” Atherosclerosis vol. 275 (2018): 379-381. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.05.033

The hands are used for all kinds of tasks/chores day and night. Using the hands requires the wrists. When wrist pain presents, it can make life unbearable, causing individuals to make all kinds of awkward and unhealthy habits that can worsen and cause further injury. Chiropractic wrist and hand adjustments are recommended for this type of injury. A majority of wrist injuries are the result of micro-stress/repetitive tearing use. Repetitive stress injuries often require a multifaceted treatment approach. This is why chiropractic is so effective, in that it treats the symptoms and the causes to get back to work, school, and normal life quickly.

Wrist Tendonitis

Wrist tendonitis happens when a tendon becomes inflamed. This is common among athletes, store workers, clerks, warehouse workers, hair stylists/barbers, etc. Individuals that are constantly using their hands, wrists, and arms have an increased risk of developing tendonitis. And without proper treatment and rest, the inflammation continues and worsens. Chiropractic wrist adjustments for wrist tendonitis include:

• Diagnosis and assessment.
• Swelling and pain are alleviated using ice, bracing, ultrasound, laser therapy, and other inflammation-reducing techniques.
• Once the inflammation has been brought down, massage therapy is incorporated to keep the tendons loose and relaxed.
• Physical therapy and manual manipulation will restore mobility and flexibility to the wrist.
• When the pain is completely reduced and mobility is restored, chiropractic wrist adjustments will break down the scar tissue to prevent future injury.
• The chiropractor will recommend ergonomic tips and exercises to prevent flare-ups.

Wrist Crepitus

Another common issue that can be painful is crepitus, which is a popping, clicking, and/or cracking in the wrist when moving the hand. Different causes depend on the type the popping/clicking/cracking. If it occurs without pain, more than likely, it is the gases escaping from the wrist joint. This is normal and is not something to worry about. However, a chiropractor can help if it becomes burdensome. Another cause is when a tendon extends or contracts over the bone with certain types of movements. This type of popping often results in pain and should be addressed by a professional to prevent further damage. Both issues are commonly treated with wrist adjustments.

Dislocated Wrist

A dislocated wrist needs immediate medical care from the emergency room. The wrist needs to be reset and given time to recover/heal before a chiropractor can work on it to repair any issues that the dislocation caused. There are benefits from chiropractic after a serious wrist injury that includes:

• Pain relief
• Function restored
• Mobility restoration
• Proper wrist alignment
• Scar tissue removal
• Strength training
• Aching, popping, and cracking relief

Chiropractic Wrist Adjustment

Wrist adjustments depend on the injury/condition that the individual is going through. A chiropractor uses different approaches and techniques that return the joints to the proper alignment. Wrist adjustments are usually done by hand and are gentle. This is because the bones and tendons do not need major force to correct. Chiropractors focus on the wrist the same way they focus on the whole body.

• They relieve pain and swelling first.
• They determine what caused the injury.
• Then focus on strengthening the joint.
• Develop a prevention regimen to keep it from recurring.

Body Composition

Complete Body Measurement

Getting body composition tested will help progress to optimal health by the results, not the weight scale. Determining progress with metrics like this and lean body mass equips individuals with the knowledge needed to get the results faster and smarter. The quickest and easiest way to determine body composition is to use the InBody. This means focusing on body fat percentage instead of weight. The devices being used today are extremely accurate at giving reliable body fat percentage results. Get a complete readout of your body that includes:

• Muscle mass
• Fat mass
• Body water
• Body fat percentage

Getting as much information as possible using optimal tests will help with goal planning and achieving optimal health.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Hulbert, James R et al. “Chiropractic treatment of hand and wrist pain in older people: systematic protocol development Part 2: cohort natural-history treatment trial.” Journal of chiropractic medicine vol. 6,1 (2007): 32-41. doi:10.1016/j.jcme.2007.02.011

Prasad, Ganesh, and Mustafa J Bhalli. “Assessing wrist pain: a simple guide.” British journal of hospital medicine (London, England: 2005) vol. 81,5 (2020): 1-7. doi:10.12968/hmed.2019.0051

Sadowski, M, and D Della Santa. “Les syndromes douloureux du poignet” [Wrist pain]. Revue medicale suisse vol. 2,92 (2006): 2919-23.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161475408002947