Pins & needles | Referred from the spine
Symptoms such as pins & needles or numbness are commonly referred from an issue at the spine. In many cases the nerve symptoms are more unbearable than the source of these symptoms, for example, sciatica arising from lower back pain. Physios are musculoskeletal experts with advanced understanding of the anatomy involved. We can provide a diagnosis and treatment to relieve your pain and symptoms.
Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy is the term we use for pain and symptoms referred from the spine – commonly the neck and lower back. Between each of your spinal bones a nerve root emerges which carries information all over your body. In the case of the lower back these nerves control everything below your waist – everything from kicking a football to controlling your bladder to maintaining your balance. ‘Sciatica’ is where one or more of these nerve roots gets ‘trapped’ in the lower back and refers pain or symptoms such as pins & needles to the leg. There are other lower limb nerves that can be affected in the same way but the sciatic nerve is by far the most commonly affected.
Lower back pain and referred symptoms
There are many different reasons why a nerve may become ‘trapped’ in the lumbar spine. It may be due to a ‘slipped disc‘ or a facet joint problem. There may be some muscle imbalances causing the issue, for example, piriformis (deep gluteal) syndrome. Or the nerve may be being influenced by inflammation due to an injury or ‘wear and tear’ (also known as spondylosis). The lower back gives rise to the nerves that control your bladder and bowel, so where there are radicular symptoms, we need to ask some special safety questions and perform a neurological examination to eliminate any cause for concern.
Neck pain and pins & needles
Just like the lumbar spine, a ‘trapped’ nerve refers symptoms away from the neck. The location of these symptoms can tell us the source of the problem. For example, pain or symptoms in the upper arm or shoulder blade can arise from nerves coming from the lower neck. Again your physiotherapist will perform a safety examination but also assess you for other reasons for your symptoms such as the mid back, shoulder, elbow, carpal tunnel, etc.
The upper neck can also refer symptoms upwards towards the head with dizziness and some headaches being a form of cervical radiculopathy.
What can a physio do for pins & needles?
As with all physiotherapy, treatment starts with us obtaining a comprehensive understanding of your symptoms. We will then carry out a detailed examination to confirm your diagnosis (the cause of your symptoms). From this point we can formulate a plan to treat the problem and reduce the symptoms.
Here at The Physios we are manual therapy enthusiasts so expect some hands-on treatment such as joint mobilisation and manipulation. We will also treat the soft tissues and suggest some management exercises.
All our team have an area of special interest such as the management of headaches, rehabilitation of the lower back, massage therapy and acupuncture so we are confidence that we have the skills and knowledge to get you better and keep you that way. We will also tell you if an MRI scan is necessary and can arrange a referral for this.
If you’re struggling with pain or pins and needles, follow this link to book an appointment with one of our experienced physiotherapists today.
