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monopocketmojo
Nov 8, 2004, 3:49 AM
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has anyone had a pinched nerve? I'm pretty sure that's what i've got in my right shoulder (had something very similar last year, and a physical therapist said that i probably had a pinched median nerve). i tried stretching it out according to what he said but that only seemed to make it worse.
any ideas / experience treating this? i'd like to do it the free way...
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saskclimber
Nov 8, 2004, 4:09 AM
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I had one in my hamstring. It just takes time. I found that stretching it only aggrivated it too. That said, you don't wanna baby it either. Climb only as much as comfortable, and then ice/heat it.
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shiva523
Nov 8, 2004, 4:15 AM
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yea, i have a compressed nerve in my heel. My doc said lot's of ibuprofen and a break from climbing << (pshhh, like that's gonna happen..)
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monopocketmojo
Nov 8, 2004, 2:04 PM
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i don't mind the ibuprofen, but yeah, i'm really not digging the idea of time off of climbing. then again, i want to be able to sleep through the night without waking up with my right hand in pain. so many competing desires...
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sauron
Nov 8, 2004, 2:57 PM
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You could always sac it up, and visit your local friendly medicine man...
That's "Go to a doctor."
- d.
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mtengaio
Nov 8, 2004, 3:34 PM
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I always seem to pinch a nerve in my neck occasionally. My chiropractor told me the Vit. B 6 & 12 are what you need to help ease the tissue surrounding the nerve. Ibuprofen helps too but I try not to take it unless I have to. It'll go away eventually.
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doktor_g
Nov 8, 2004, 3:52 PM
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Amigo,
How do you know it's a pinched nerve? If pain and paresthesias are a problem you may have an "impengement syndrome" (pinched nerve). Most commonly occurs in the shoulder. There are many forms of treatment depending on the severity. I'd go to a sports physician or orthopedist if you have insurrance. If not go to your family doc have him/her look at it and ask about an MRI. Are you having loss of power (not associated with pain)? By that I mean you: lift lift lift then ouch and you stop. OR do you feel... "Gosh my hand, shoulder or body part feels weak"? Do you have any muscle atrophy, especially at the deltoid? Any tingling, sensation of burning or numbness (ie parasthesias). Where does it hurt exactally?
Grover
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roboclimber
Nov 8, 2004, 3:58 PM
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I second the "Go see a doctor advice". Treating the cause of the nerve impingement (i.e. muscle spasm causing secondary nerve compression, inflammation, etc.) is critical to making a full recovery. A sports med doc should be able to handle and treat your problem.
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bamaclimber
Nov 8, 2004, 4:42 PM
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i have a pinched nerve right now. it is in my back on my shoulder blade. scalpula i believe. it tingles and goes numb often. it doesnt hurt unless someone rubs on it. and its just the skin that hurts, not muscle. i dont know what to do about it. it doesnt make me weak in any kind of way its just freakin annoying!! WHAT CAN I DO!?
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climbingimp
Nov 11, 2004, 11:55 PM
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I have to say that I definetly agree that you need to go to the doctor. It may not be a big deal but if it is a brachial plexus stretch(your median nerve is part of it) you could be in for more than you think. If it is impinged and it stays that way too long it can cause permanent damage. Be safe and have it checked out. If it is still "tingliing" at times you really should go in.
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monopocketmojo
Nov 12, 2004, 1:46 AM
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that's such a bummer...i hate the idea of going to the doctor. the last time that i went was for a stress fracture and they ordered over $1,500 worth of tests to tell me exactly what i knew i had...and all it took was 6 weeks on crutches to fix
about the injury, there are threee parts; soreness in the shoulder, pain the elbow, and tingling pain in my right hand. the pain in the hand comes mostly from putting pressure on it or holding my elbow bent. When i straighten my elbow, the pain goes away. It mostly comes on when i'm sleeping, which it will wake me up in the early morning, and sometimes takes a long time to go away. I had somthing almost exactly similar a year ago, which a physical therapist diagnosed as a pinched nerve. I haven't climbed in the last week, and it seems to be getting better, but of course i want it to be healed, especially because of the danger to get worse.
i'll probably go to a doctor next week, under heavy internal protest...
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csgambill
Nov 12, 2004, 3:33 AM
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Come on people, we're climbers we're supposed to be tough. A pinched nerve is nothing to cry about. Grow a pair and quit whining.
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tao-buddha
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Nov 12, 2004, 4:26 AM
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So far, Roboclimber or doktor_g sound the most educated on this subject and, honestly, you should probably take their advice. I have a couple of questions for you though. The tingling in your hand, is it really painful, or just tingling? Which of your fingers tingle, specifically? In the shoulder; is it the front? top? back? Elbow; side? front of bend? back of bend? Give me as many details as you can. For now all I would recommend is ice the shoulder. Don't use a bag of peas, use either real ice or an ice pack. 12 min., NOT DIRECTLY ON YOUR SKIN! Cover the ice with a thin layer of something; shirt, pillowcase, etc. You want it to become numb to point where the cold doesn't bother you at all. Once inflammation is reduced then it can properly be treated. I have an idea of what it is exactly but I need more information.
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monopocketmojo
Nov 12, 2004, 6:19 AM
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the pain in the shoulder is in the back, upper scapula on the right side. It's usually a dull pain. the elbow pain is usually on the elbow to the muscle above the radius where it connects in the elbow, and the timgle in my hand is largely thumb, pointer, and middle finger, sometimes in all five and the palm. Typically it's just a tingle, but occasionally it's painful, like when it wakes me up.
I don't notice pain when climbing or working out, besides the shoulder pain, but it's most painful after sleeping. right now, the pressure on my elbow as i lay here typing on my computer is making my hand tingle, though there's no pain with it. it's gotten better in the past week because i've strictly held to no climbing, and the only working out i've done is dumbell press and dips.
any input?
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tao-buddha
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Nov 13, 2004, 6:22 PM
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Alright, hopefully you've been icing as I recommended. It sounds to me like you have an impingement of your radial nerve. OK, here's what you do. The peripheral nerves in your arms and legs are mobile structures. Think of them as very thin, small Chinese finger traps. Just like that device, they can stretch when elongated.
Try an experiment. Take your finger and touch your nose. Now bring your hand all the way out to your side and stretch it out as far as it will go. Now tilt your head away from your outstretched hand (if it's your right hand, bend your head left). Do you notice a pulling sensation in your hand and arm with your head bent? Now try to bring the head towards the hand, does it go away? You've just demonstrated nerve tension. There is no muscle that goes from your neck to the hand. Since bending your head away from the hand tightens the nerves that go from your neck to your hand, you feel pulling (and sometimes numbness and tingling, although that's not normal).
The nerves in your body have a normal range of motion like the joints. Nerve glides are stretches that help get back that normal movement. Specifically, the radial nerve glide starts with the arm outstretched, palm facing back, thumb pointed down. Pull arm back and down slightly. Tuck your thumb into your palm and wrap your fingers around the thumb. Now bend at the wrist a forward and back motion 10 times. Next, keep your arm in the same position and bend at the elbow toward your chest 10 times. Next, arm in same position tilt your head away from the affected side 10 times. Do this series of exercises 3 times a day. Do not do this exercise more than recommended. More is not better. Quit all of your workouts until you are out of pain. If this does not work I recommend that you visit a physical therapist in your area. Good luck!
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chitown_coop
Nov 13, 2004, 8:59 PM
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In my experience, the only real quick fix is a quality muscle relaxer. This will allow the muscles that are contracting to relax so that the nerve will stop telling them to contract--problem solved. Contrary to popular belief, not all muscle relaxers are total knockout pills.
Any doc-in-a-box should be able to quickly diagnose and treat it.
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monopocketmojo
Nov 14, 2004, 5:08 PM
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thanks for the input guys, especially for the stretches tao. hopefully all of this will help, and if it doesn't i'm sure i'll do something professional to help it out, but for now i'll do the ice and stretches. I appreciate it all...
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doktor_g
Nov 14, 2004, 5:41 PM
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Hey again,
I agree with tao-buddha. I feel good about 'radial nerve' involvement. For your budget I think tao may have it right about seeking a physical therapist for intervention. Personally, I feel that it's unlikely anything more serious than some moderate inflammation of the radial nerve (a branch from the posterior cord of the brachial plexus) see below.
http://www.med.unc.edu/...s/brachialplexus.jpg
Likely, tao has the most experience with this type of injury. I just want to mention a word of caution. Again, I agree with Tao's diagnosis and managment (although I'd toss in some ibuprofen 200 - 800 scheduled every 8 hours - NOT as needed). However, if it doesn't improve with exercises I would suggest a doc. They are there to see the big picture. It's as important to know "what it isn't" as "what it is." There is a wide differential diagnosis when it comes to the symptoms you described including: compression (most likely), transcection (cutting of the nerve), nerve ischemia/infarct (not encough blood = dead nerve), radiation induced injury (like ladies undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer), degeneration, or metabolic causes (diabetes or thyroid problems).
So I don't mean to scare you. In the climbing population with repeated stress on the brachial plexus (the arm's nerve bundle), it IS most likely as Tao described a compression/inflammation from overuse or injury. BUT if it persists don't hesitate to have it checked out by a doc. A little outlay of cash now will pay off with crankin' 5.XXs later.
Finallly, I'd ignore the Chicagoan's advice for 'muscle relaxers' and let it be attitude. Not that that would be wrong, just ill-advised.
Lay-tah,
Grove
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