How Long Does a Pinched Nerve Last?

Nerves extend throughout the human body, transporting impulses from your brain to all parts of the body. But, what happens when a nerve becomes pinched?

Pinched nerves are a common injury, particularly among older adults. If you experience this injury, you may wonder how long it will last and when you can expect to feel relief. 

While pinched nerves aren’t permanent, prompt care is important to ensure a complete recovery. Keep reading to learn more about how you can speed up your pinched nerve recovery and when to seek professional treatment for your symptoms. 

Table of Contents

What Is the Difference Between a Compressed Nerve and a Pinched Nerve?

There’s no difference between a compressed nerve and a pinched nerve; they’re the same. This injury may also be called nerve impingement. 

A compressed or pinched nerve occurs when excessive pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues. These tissues may include bones, muscles, tendons, or cartilage. 

Can I Ignore a Pinched Nerve?

You shouldn’t ignore a pinched nerve. Doing so can worsen the compression and may lead to permanent nerve damage. 

If you experience these symptoms of a pinched nerve, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or a neurologist for an evaluation:

  • Numbness or reduced sensation in the area supplied by the nerve
  • Burning, aching, and/or radiating pain
  • Tingling or “pins and needles” sensation
  • Muscle weakness
  • Frequently feeling like an extremity has fallen asleep

Left alone, a pinched nerve can lead to serious neurological symptoms, including cauda equina syndrome. Cauda equina syndrome occurs when the cauda equina (a group of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord) becomes compressed, and it can lead to permanent paralysis without prompt treatment.

If you experience any of the following warning signs of severe nerve damage, seek emergency medical care:

  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Loss of sensation or muscle weakness in both legs
  • Loss of motor function in the legs
  • Saddle anesthesia (loss of sensation in the buttocks, inner thighs, and perineum

Will Stretching Help a Pinched Nerve?

Stretching can help a pinched nerve by alleviating tension in the surrounding muscles and improving the alignment of the spine. This can reduce the pressure on the affected nerve. 

While stretching can help with a pinched nerve, it’s important to stretch gently and safely. Overstretching or stretching too frequently can lead to further injury. 

Some of the best stretches for a pinched nerve in the lumbar spine include:

  • Cat/cow pose
  • Child’s pose
  • Downward facing dog

Pinched Nerve in the Lower Back

A pinched nerve in the lower back can result from spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, or a traumatic injury to the nerve.

  • Spinal stenosis involves the narrowing of the spinal canal. As the canal gets tighter, there’s less open space surrounding the spinal nerves. Eventually, the spinal structures may press on the nerves, leading to symptoms of a pinched nerve.  
  • Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra slips out of its regular position, falling onto the vertebra below. The displaced vertebra may press on spinal nerves. 
  • A herniated disc occurs when the soft disc interior pushes out through a weakened part of the disc exterior. The damaged disc can impinge nearby spinal nerves. 
  • Degenerative disc disease refers to gradual wear and tear on the spinal discs, which can eventually lead to disc damage and pain. A pinched nerve is a possible result of this condition. 
  • A traumatic injury, like a sudden fall, car accident injury, or sports injury, can trigger a pinched nerve. It’s crucial to undergo a professional physical exam after a traumatic fall or accident to identify injuries, like a compressed nerve. 

The lower back is a common region of the body for pinched nerves. This is because the lower back bears the weight of the rest of the spine and is highly flexible, both of which lead to increased degeneration. 

Poor posture, the aging process, and a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of a pinched nerve in the lower back. These factors place increased stress on the spinal tissues, creating the risk of injury. 

How Long Do Pinched Nerves Take to Heal?

Pinched nerves usually take four to six weeks to heal completely. However, this period can vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury and the individual’s general health. 

A minor pinched nerve typically only needs a few weeks to heal with at-home care, including rest and heat/cold therapy. In some cases, your symptoms may resolve within just a few days. 

Moderate pinched nerves usually require more time to heal (four weeks or longer). If your symptoms don’t improve with at-home care, you may need to visit a physician for a conservative treatment plan. This generally involves physical therapy, lifestyle modification, and medication (if appropriate). 

A severely pinched nerve can take up to three months to heal with professional care. If your symptoms persist, your doctor may suggest surgery to resolve the pressure on the nerve. 

What Causes Pinched Nerve?

The cause of your pinched nerve can influence how long it takes to heal. Common causes of pinched nerves include:

  • Bone spurs: A bone spur is a piece of excess bone tissue that develops in response to friction or pressure. Bone spurs can form on the vertebrae and may press on spinal nerves. Older age, genetics, spinal injuries, and poor posture can increase your risk of spinal bone spurs. 
  • Herniated disc: Disc herniation occurs when an intervertebral disc ruptures, causing the jelly-like interior to push out through the disc exterior. The damaged disc can impinge on nearby nerves. A herniated disc can result from age-related spinal degeneration or a sudden trauma to the spine. 
  • Spinal stenosis: Spinal stenosis is a condition characterized by the narrowing of the spinal canal. As the canal narrows, it reduces the space around the spinal nerves. Eventually, spinal structures may press on nerves in the affected area. 
  • Spondylolisthesis: Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra slips downward, resting on the vertebra below it. While some cases of the condition are asymptomatic, others experience nerve impingement from the displaced bone. 

How Do You Know If a Pinched Nerve Is Healing?

You may know that a pinched nerve is healing if your pain decreases, neurological symptoms improve, and spinal mobility increases. 

Key signs of a healing pinched nerve include:

  • Improved sensation in the back and extremities: With a pinched nerve in the lumbar spine, many people have numbness in the lower back and legs. Greater sensation in these areas may indicate that the irritated nerve is healing. 
  • Fewer pain flare-ups: As a pinched nerve heals, it’s less likely to trigger sharp pain flare-ups with day-to-day movements. You may feel more comfortable bending and twisting the spine, without fear of a sharp pang. 
  • Reduced radiating pain: Pain that radiates from the pinched nerve into the extremities typically improves as the nerve heals. 
  • Greater muscle strength: A common symptom of nerve impingement is weakness in the muscles supplied by the nerve. As the nerve recovers, you may experience greater muscle strength in the affected areas. 
  • Greater range of motion: A pinched nerve can limit your range of motion and cause muscle stiffness. When the nerve heals and inflammation decreases, your range of motion will increase. 

What Makes a Pinched Nerve Worse?

High-impact exercise, excessive twisting or bending, and poor posture can make a pinched nerve worse. 

  • High-impact exercise like weightlifting, running, and contact sports can make a pinched nerve worse. These activities can exacerbate the pressure on the irritated nerve and increase inflammation. 
  • Excessive twisting and bending of the spine can further impinge the nerve. This is why it’s important to avoid stretches that aren’t recommended by physical therapy. 
  • Poor posture keeps the spine out of its natural, healthy alignment. This increases the pressure on spinal nerves when you sit, stand, or carry out various movements. 

Other factors that can worsen a pinched nerve include:

  • Spinal degeneration: Whether due to natural aging or overuse, spinal degeneration can exacerbate existing nerve irritation. As the spinal tissues degenerate, the nerves are subject to greater impact with various movements and positions. Degeneration also increases the risk of conditions like spinal stenosis, which can directly contribute to a pinched nerve. 
  • Repetitive movements: Repeatedly twisting, jerking, or bending places excessive impact on one area of the spine. This can cause or worsen a pinched nerve. 
  • Being overweight: Being overweight or obese places significant strain on the spine. If you have a pinched nerve, excess pounds may worsen the inflammation and exacerbate your symptoms. 

Is It OK to Rub a Pinched Nerve?

It is OK to rub a pinched nerve, to an extent. To avoid further nerve irritation, it’s best to visit a licensed massage therapist.  

Rubbing a pinched nerve can improve blood flow to the irritated nerve. The oxygen and nutrients in blood support the nerve recovery process and may decrease inflammation. However, rubbing an impinged nerve excessively can further irritate the nerve, potentially worsening your symptoms. 

A licensed, qualified massage therapist or physical therapist has the knowledge to rub around a pinched nerve without causing additional damage. Along with improving circulation to the affected area, massage therapy can decrease tension in the muscles surrounding the nerve. This may prevent muscle spasms and alleviate some of the pressure on the nerve. 

What Is the Fastest Way to Fix a Pinched Nerve?

The fastest way to fix a pinched nerve is to rest, avoiding any activities that trigger your symptoms. Heat and cold therapy can also accelerate the recovery process. 

While it’s important to rest the affected area with a pinched nerve, refrain from excessive bed rest. Remaining completely immobile may lead to muscle tension and weakness. Instead, stick to gentle, low-impact activities that don’t cause back pain flare-ups. 

Heat and cold therapy can help fix a pinched nerve by increasing circulation and managing inflammation. Heat therapy boosts blood flow to the area and relaxes the muscles, while cold therapy curbs swelling. Aim for 15 to 20 minutes of cold therapy, followed by 15 minutes of heat (or as recommended by your physician). 

Does Lying Down Help a Pinched Nerve?

Lying down can help a pinched nerve by removing all pressure from it, giving it a chance to heal. But, it’s crucial to lie in a position that keeps the spine in proper alignment. 

For a spinal pinched nerve, avoid lying on your stomach. Instead, lie on your back with a pillow under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees. The pillow helps keep your spine in a neutral position, with a natural curve in the lumbar spine. 

While at-home methods often resolve pinched nerves, you may need professional care to recover completely. If your pain doesn’t subside within a week or two, contact your physician for an exam. 

How Do You Unpinch a Nerve?

While you can’t unpinch a nerve, per se, you can reduce inflammation around the nerve and help the nerve tissue heal. 

Ways to improve a pinched nerve include:

  • Improving your posture: When the spine is out of alignment, it increases the pressure on spinal nerves, whether you’re sitting, standing, or walking. Improving your posture and avoiding positions that increase stress on your spine can give the irritated nerve a chance to heal. 
  • Use heat and/or cold therapy: Heat and cold therapy can both provide benefits for a pinched nerve. Heat therapy boosts circulation to the pinched nerve, delivering the oxygen and nutrients that the tissue needs to heal. Cold therapy reduces inflammation and swelling in the area, which can help with pain. 
  • Physical therapy: A physical therapist can provide personalized exercises to alleviate pressure on a pinched nerve and strengthen the abdominal muscles, which support the spine. Many PTs also provide various complementary remedies, like electrical stimulation and massage, to help lessen pinched nerve symptoms. 
  • Lifestyle adjustments: Various lifestyle changes can help a pinched nerve heal, including:
    • Improve your posture. If you sit in front of a computer for most of the workday, consider an ergonomic desk chair with excellent lumbar support. 
    • Regularly perform low-impact exercise, like walking, swimming, and cycling, to preserve your mobility and improve circulation throughout the body. 
    • Avoid high-impact activities, like weightlifting and contact sports, while you recover from a pinched nerve. 
    • Avoid overextending the spine, which can happen in certain activities like golf and gymnastics. 
    • Try shedding excess weight, which can lessen the strain on your spine with day-to-day motions. 

How Do You Know if a Pinched Nerve Is Permanent?

Most pinched nerves aren’t permanent and resolve within a few weeks or months of treatment. 

However, if a nerve remains pinched for several months without care, it can eventually cause permanent nerve damage. Signs that a pinched nerve may be permanent include:

  • Muscle weakness, particularly in the extremities
  • Difficulty with balance or walking
  • A frequent tingling, buzzing, burning, or shock-like sensation
  • Severe sensitivity to touch or sensory changes

To avoid permanent nerve damage, talk to a physician, like a neurologist, for a treatment plan to relieve the compression. Once the compression is resolved, the nerve can effectively heal.

Can a Pinched Nerve Be a Sign of Bigger Issues in Your Spine?

Yes, a pinched nerve can be a sign of bigger issues in your spine. Pinched nerves can result from several spinal conditions, like spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, herniated disc, and degenerative disc disease. 

Regain your mobility with Premia Spine!

David danced at his son’s wedding

Bonnie explains why TOPS surgery was the right decision for her

Wade is back to hiking

Scott speaks about going to surgery

Regain your mobility with Premia Spine! Contact us now

If a pinched nerve is caused by a spinal condition, it may require more extensive care. Spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis involve problems with the structure of the spine. While non-surgical remedies can help with symptoms of these conditions, only surgery can correct the structural abnormalities in the spine.

Spinal decompression surgery can open the spinal canal to resolve nerve compression from spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. The TOPS System is an FDA-approved, innovative device to stabilize the spine after this procedure without the need for fusion. 

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a pinched nerve, schedule an appointment with a neurologist in your area for personalized care.