Trapped Nerve in Your Back: Causes, Red Flags and What May Help

“I think I’ve got a trapped nerve” is a statement i hear often when people phone up to book. It’s a useful phrase to describe pain, but it is a broad topic. Sometimes it really is a nerve root being irritated by a disc or a narrowed space in the spine. Just as often, it’s a muscle in spasm pressing on nearby tissue and mimicking nerve pain without a nerve actually being involved.

Telling the two apart matters, both for how it’s managed and because a trapped nerve occasionally comes with warning signs that might need medical attention rather than a chiropractic appointment. Making a correct diagnosis is essential and that is why your first visit to see me as a chiropractor is a little longer than subsequent appointments.

“Regular treatment has given me relief, prevented flare ups”

“I was suffering with a pinched nerve in my neck, causing pain in my neck upper back and down my right arm to my hands, with several numb fingers. …. Leslie Budzynski set me on my course to recovery, I started to improve after my first few visits and within six visits was 90% recovered. He started off by showing me a model of a spine and pointing out where my trapped nerve was and how the movement of the vertebrae when moving my head was pinching the nerve causing the pain to shoot down my arm…. It is a very miserable time when you are in constant pain, Leslie knows exactly what you are going through, and his empathy and skill is worth every penny of the cost. He is very easy to get on with and we had some very good chats during my visits.”

Rob R

What is a Trapped Nerve?

In clinical terms, a trapped nerve usually means a radiculopathy that is a term which means that a nerve root, the point where a nerve exits the spine, may have become compressed, inflamed or irritated. This happens more often in the neck or lower back, since that’s where the spine moves the most and the nerve roots are more exposed. When it happens in the lower back and affects the sciatic nerve specifically, it’s what most people know as sciatica, which I’ve covered in more depth in my sciatica guide.

What makes this confusing is the pain feels like a trapped nerve: sharp, electric or shooting but it may actually be a referred pain from a muscle or joint, without any nerve root involved at all. The distinction isn’t always obvious from how something feels, which is part of why a proper assessment matters more than trying to diagnose from symptoms alone.

Clinically, this can affect either the neck and cervical spine, sometimes called cervical radiculopathy or brachial neuralgia, which is  pain running into the shoulder and arm. Or the lumbar spine, causing lumbar radiculopathy, more commonly known as sciatica when it involves the sciatic nerve specifically. Other terms you might come across include pinched nerve, nerve root impingement and foraminal stenosis: which describes narrowing of the small canal a nerve root passes through. These all describe variations of the same underlying mechanism: a nerve root under enough pressure or irritation to produce pain, numbness or weakness along its path.

What Could Cause a Trapped Nerve

A bulging or herniated disc is one of the causes of a trapped nerve, where the disc’s inner material presses against a nearby nerve root. Another cause of it is a narrowing of a space the nerve passes through, whether from age-related changes, swelling or a thickened ligament it can have the same effect. Facet joint swelling after an awkward movement or a period of poor posture can also crowd the space around a nerve root temporarily.

Muscle spasm is worth mentioning on its own, because it’s such a common source of nerve-like symptoms without true compression. When a muscle like the piriformis in the buttock or the scalene muscles in the neck tighten significantly, it can irritate a nearby nerve enough to cause tingling or aching, even though there’s no actual pressure on the nerve root itself. This is one reason two people can describe very similar symptoms with quite different underlying causes.

Symptoms of a Trapped Nerve

Patients usually describe symptoms of a trapped nerve as a sharp, electric or burning sensation that runs along a specific path, down part of an arm or leg, rather than presenting as general soreness. Numbness and/ or a pins and needles feeling is sometimes present alongside a noticeable weakness, such as a foot that feels weak or a grip that doesn’t feel as strong as usual.

This is different from how people typically describe muscular pain, which tends to feel more like a deep ache or tightness in one area, often worse with certain movements and eased by stretching or changing position. If pressing on the sore spot keeps the pain localised rather than sending it further down the limb, that also points more towards muscle or joint rather than nerve. Neither pattern is completely reliable on its own, which is why I always combine what a patient describes with hands-on orthopaedic and neurological testing during the first visit.

How Chiropractic Care May Help

For the more common, non-emergency cases, research on manual therapy for nerve root irritation is reasonably encouraging, though it’s a smaller and more mixed evidence base than for straightforward back pain. A systematic review of manual therapy for cervical and lumbar radiculopathy found manipulation, mobilisation and traction techniques were each associated with improved pain and function.[1] A more recent meta-analysis looking specifically at neural mobilisation, a technique that gently moves the nerve through its surrounding tissue rather than the joint itself, found meaningful reductions in both pain and disability.[2]

In my clinic, care usually combines gentle manual therapy, specific neural mobilisation exercises and advice on positions and movements to avoid while things settle. NICE guidance on sciatica and back pain generally recommends against staying still and supports staying as active as symptoms allow.[3] Every plan is individualised to what’s actually driving the compression, someone with facet-related irritation is managed differently to someone with a disc-related one and I’ll always explain what I find during assessment before deciding on an approach together. Most people with straightforward nerve root irritation improve meaningfully within six to twelve weeks, though this varies depending on the underlying cause and how long it’s been going on.

If a trapped nerve in your back is causing you pain and getting in the way of things you would rather be doing, come and talk it through. I offer a free 15-minute consultation, you can come in for a short no-obligation chat with no examination or treatment.

Book a free consultation

Or call for a chat on 01202 937568

Red Flags: When to Seek Medical Attention First

Most trapped nerves are not medical emergencies. But a small number of cases involve a rare condition called cauda equina syndrome, where the bundle of nerves at the very bottom of the spine becomes significantly compressed. This needs same-day hospital assessment because delay can lead to permanent nerve damage.[4]

The symptoms to watch for are new difficulty starting to urinate or a change in how well you can feel yourself doing so, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the saddle area and weakness that’s progressing in both legs rather than one.[4] If you notice any of these, particularly alongside significant back pain, please go to A&E or call 111 straight away. This is rare, but important enough to mention.

Your First Visit

If you book in with suspected trapped nerve symptoms, the first visit is about getting an accurate picture before any treatment starts: a detailed history, a physical and neurological assessment and an explanation of what I think is going on and why, before agreeing next steps together. My first visit page covers what to expect in more general detail.

If you’re dealing with shooting, tingling or numb sensations and want a clear answer on what’s actually going on, I’d be glad to help.

Headshot of Leslie Budzynski DC, BCA registered Bournemouth Chiropractor at Bournemouth Chiropractic

Frequently Asked Questions

A trapped nerve usually causes more than local pain. You typically feel a sharp, burning or electric pain that travels along the path of the nerve, often with pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the arm or leg it supplies. Genuine nerve compression follows a recognisable pattern rather than aching everywhere at once.

Not always. Sciatica specifically describes nerve compression affecting the sciatic nerve, causing pain down the back of the leg. Trapped nerve is a broader, less precise term people use for various nerve or nerve like symptoms in the back, neck or elsewhere. If your symptoms are running down your leg, it’s worth reading about sciatica specifically.

Chiropractic care may help with some causes of a trapped nerve, particularly where stiff spinal joints or muscle tension are contributing to the irritation. Manual therapy and specific exercise are recognised conservative options for nerve-related neck and back pain. At my Bournemouth chiropractic clinic I first work out what could be compressing the nerve, because that determines whether care is appropriate.

Most trapped nerves improve over time. In a population study of cervical nerve root compression, around 90% of people were symptom-free or only mildly affected at follow-up, most without surgery.  Recovery often takes several weeks rather than days and I will give you a realistic estimate once I have examined you.

Seek urgent medical help rather than booking if you have weakness in both arms or legs, problems controlling your bladder or bowel, numbness around the saddle area, or symptoms following a significant injury. These are rare but need same-day assessment through your GP, NHS 111, or A&E. Chiropractic care is not the right first step for these signs.

Whatever may be causing your trapped nerve, come and find out

There are a lot of possible causes behind a trapped nerve in your back and the right first step is a proper assessment. If that's getting in the way of your day-to-day life, then I'd happily see you to find out whether chiropractic may help. During your full first consultation I'll take a full medical history, examine you carefully and answer your questions about what is going on.I also offer a free 115 minute chat to help you decide before you book.

A trapped nerve is an extremely common reason people come to see me here in Bournemouth and Poole.

In many of the cases that I see, chiropractic care is a very well-tolerated option worth considering and I'll explain clearly whether it's likely to help in your particular case. If I think you'd be better served by your GP, a specialist or another practitioner, I'll help point you in the right direction. Either way, you'll leave knowing more than when you arrived.

There's no pressure and no obligation, just come in, get assessed and let's find you a way forward.

You can book a free consultation online, or call the clinic on 01202 937568.

The first step is just a conversation. Call or message me, whatever's easiest and we'll take it from there.

References

[1] Kuligowski T, Skrzek A, Cieslik B. Manual therapy in cervical and lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review of the literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(11):6176. doi:10.3390/ijerph18116176

[2] Lin LH, Lin TY, Chang KV, Wu WT, Ozcakar L. Neural mobilization for reducing pain and disability in patients with lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Life (Basel). 2023;13(12):2255. doi:10.3390/life13122255

[3] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management. NICE guideline NG59. 2016, updated 2020.

[4] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy): red flag symptoms and signs. Clinical Knowledge Summary.

Medical Disclaimer : The information on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or guidance from a qualified healthcare practitioner. If you are experiencing pain or any other health concern, you should seek advice from your GP or another appropriately qualified clinician. Chiropractic treatment may not be suitable for everyone. Leslie Budzynski DC will assess your suitability for treatment at your initial consultation and will refer you to another healthcare professional where appropriate. Treatment outcomes vary between individuals. No guarantee of results is made or implied.

Practitioner: Leslie Budzynski D.C. | Doctor of Chiropractic | GCC registration: 00043 | BCA membership number: 0072

© 2026 Bournemouth Chiropractic Clinic Ltd. Company number 16589293.
Registered Address Suite 9 Pine Court Business Centre, 36 Gervis Road, Bournemouth, United Kingdom, England, BH1 3DH. Website by 3mil