Pinched Nerve: What Causes It and How Do You Know You Have One?

Most people describe a pinched nerve as a sharp, burning or shooting feeling. It might run down your arm, through your hip or along your leg. You may also feel numbness, pins and needles, or a dull ache that does not ease with rest.

The tricky part is that pain from a pinched nerve often shows up far from the spot where the nerve is being squeezed. A nerve compressed at the base of your spine can cause pain in your foot. A nerve pinched in your neck can send tingling down to your fingertips. This is why imaging just one area sometimes misses the real source of the problem.

What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve?

The main symptoms are pain, tingling, numbness or muscle weakness in the area the affected nerve supplies. They can appear suddenly or build up over weeks.

What causes a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve is caused by pressure from the structures around it. This pressure can come from several sources, and more than one may play a part at the same time.

How is a pinched nerve different from a muscle strain?

A muscle strain tends to cause an ache in one spot. It gets worse when you use the affected muscle and better with rest. A pinched nerve, on the other hand, often sends pain, tingling or numbness along the path of the nerve, sometimes far from where it is compressed. Muscle strains rarely cause numbness or weakness. If you are not sure which one you have, the pattern of your symptoms is a good clue, but imaging can help confirm the answer.

Why does standing imaging matter for a pinched nerve?

Standing imaging matters because the alignment of your skeleton changes when you are upright and carrying your own weight. Lying on a scanner table relaxes the muscles. It lets the spine and pelvis settle into a neutral position. This can hide the very shift in alignment that is pressing on a nerve when you stand and walk.

Your body works as a connected chain from your feet to your head. A slight tilt in the pelvis can change how load passes through the lumbar spine, which may narrow the space around a nerve root. A shifted curve in the middle of the back can push extra stress up into the neck. Pain often shows up away from its real cause because of this chain of compensation.

EOS imaging captures your entire skeleton in a single standing scan, from head to ankles, using about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. This full-length view lets a specialist see whether something in your alignment, such as a pelvic tilt, a shifted knee axis or a flattened spinal curve, is creating the conditions for nerve compression.

How long does a pinched nerve last and what helps?

Many pinched nerves get better within a few weeks with simple changes, such as rest, gentle movement and avoiding the posture or activity that makes the symptoms worse. Some take longer. This is more likely if the underlying cause is a structural problem, like a disc bulge or a joint that has shifted position over time.

General approaches that may support recovery include:

• Taking short breaks from sitting or standing in one position for a long time.
• Gentle stretching and movement guided by a physiotherapist.
• Adjusting your desk set-up or sleeping position to reduce pressure on the affected area.
• Pain relief bought from a pharmacy without a prescription, used as directed by a pharmacist or doctor.

When symptoms persist or keep coming back, it is worth asking whether the root cause has been properly identified. If a problem in your alignment is putting ongoing pressure on a nerve, treating the symptoms alone may not be enough. Clear imaging of your whole skeleton, taken while you are standing, can give your treating clinician the information they need to plan the right approach.

Before you start a treatment, or change the one you are on, it is worth getting a detailed diagnosis. Knowing whether the cause sits in your pelvis, your legs or your spine changes what will actually help.

Frequently asked questions about pinched nerves