This is a lay or common term used to describe nerve irritation. Nerves come down from the brain they travel along the bony canal formed by the vertebrae. If the vertebrae misalign they may cause the nerves to be irritated or compressed or stretched. When the nerves are compressed their impulses may be altered and can affect other areas of the body in the form of a “referred pain”. Nerves aren’t the only things in the affected area, discs, ligaments, joints, muscles, tendons etc may all be affected. Causes may vary, a fall, accident, poor posture twisting in a certain way.

Chiropractors diagnose the underlying cause of the problem. A combination of chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy can help realign the vertebrae of the spine thus relieving the pressure on the “trapped nerves” and thus relieving the pain and restoring normal nerve function.