Pinched  Nerves (neck & back)

People commonly talk about having a “pinched nerve”, but what is a pinched nerve? Nerves are extensions from the brain that reach out into the arms or legs to go to the muscles or skin. A nerve is a cell which is microscopic in size, and its fibers may run several feet in length toward its destination. A nerve cell that lives in the brain or within the spinal cord is called a central nerve, and a nerve that leaves the spine to go into the arms or legs are called peripheral nerves. These peripheral nerves are actually bundles of millions of nerve fibers that leave the spinal cord and branch to their target muscles to make them move or go to the skin to provide feeling. So, a peripheral nerve is really like a fiber-optic cable with many fibers encased in an outer sheath. You can think of each individual fiber as a microscopic garden hose. The green part of the hose is a fine membrane upon which a static electrical charge can travel from the brain or back to it. The inside of the hose transports fluid from the nerve cell body that helps nourish and replenish the ever changing components that make up the green part or membrane. If the nerve gets “pinched” the flow up and down the inside of the hose is reduced or blocked and the nutrients stop flowing. Eventually the membrane starts to loose its healthy ability to transmit the tiny electrical charges and the nerve fiber may eventually die. When enough fibers stop working, the skin may feel numbness or a muscle may not contract.