Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on April 08, 2021 When you have a pinched nerve in your neck, all you want is to find relief from the pain. There are
a number of stretches and exercises that can help alleviate the discomfort that comes with a pinched nerve, and all they require is a comfortable chair and a few minutes of your time. Since your neck is part of your spine, exercises that stretch and strengthen your
spine and core muscles will help relieve pain from a pinched nerve in your neck. These exercises focus on slow, small movements that engage the core. 1. Chair Stand This exercise helps work the core by standing up and sitting back down in slow, controlled motions: Step 1: Sit down in a comfortable chair. Step 2: Keep your feet together and place them flat on the floor. Step 3: Place your hands on your thighs. Step 4: Sit up straight and engage
your core muscles. Step 5: Take a deep breath and exhale as you stand up slowly. Step 6: Sit back down in a slow, controlled motion. Step 7: Repeat 8 to 10 times. 2. Single Leg Raise Here's another easy exercise to strengthen your core while using a chair: Step 1: Sit down in a comfortable chair. Step 2: Keep your feet together and place them flat on the floor. Step 3: Place your hands on your thighs. Step
4: Engage your core muscles. Step 5: Take a deep breath and exhale as you lift one leg as high as you can. Step 6: Lower your leg in a slow, controlled motion. Step 7: Repeat 8 to 10 times with each leg. 3. Staggered Chair Stand This is similar to the Chair Stand, but with staggered feet to work your balance more: Step 1: Sit down in a comfortable chair. Step 2: Keep your feet a few inches apart, stagger them by moving one foot forward, and place them flat on the floor. Step 3: Place your hands on your thighs. Step 4: Engage your core muscles. Step 5: Take a deep breath and then exhale as you stand up slowly. Step 6: Sit down in a slow, controlled motion. Step 7: Repeat 8 to 10 times. Step 8: Repeat after you stagger your feet the other way. 4. Heel Raise Using a chair in a slightly different way, this
exercise improves balance and posture to help prevent neck pain: Step 1: Stand straight behind a chair, holding the back with your feet hip-width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Step 2: Tighten your abdominal muscles. Step 3: Lift up on your toes until you're standing on the balls of your feet. Don't let your ankles roll inward or outward. Step 4: Slowly lower your heels to the floor. Step 5: Repeat 8 to 10 times. 5. Standing Side Leg Lift Here's another way to engage your core with the help of a chair: Step 1: Stand behind a chair, holding onto the chair back for support. Step 2: Engage your core muscles. Step 3: Take a deep breath and exhale as you slowly raise one leg out to the side as far as you comfortably can. Step 4: Make sure your toes remain pointing forward. Step 5: Repeat 8 to 10 times with each leg. 6. Front Plank on Table This exercise requires a table or counter to get into a plank position: Step 1: Stand with your feet together, facing a sturdy table or counter. Step 2: Bend and place your forearms on the table with your hands clasped together. Step 3: Make sure your shoulders align directly over your elbows. Step 4: Step back onto the balls of your feet until your body forms a line, similar to a plank. Step 5: Hold for 15 to 60 seconds, or as long as you can. Safety ConsiderationsPain and discomfort are common when you have a pinched nerve in your neck. You may also experience:
If your symptoms last longer than a few days and don’t respond to the exercises above, call your doctor. Lasting Effects If a pinched nerve is left untreated, it could lead to chronic pain. It may also lead to permanent nerve damage in the affected area. Other Treatments If exercises and pain medication don’t improve your condition, other measures may need to be taken. These include:
How do you Unpinch a nerve?Some home remedies for a pinched nerve may include:. Resting the Affected Area. When you have a pinched nerve giving yourself time to rest is important. ... . Applying Ice. ... . Using Heat Therapy. ... . Stretching and Exercises. ... . Physical Therapy. ... . Chiropractic Care. ... . Massage Therapy.. Do pinched nerves go away on their own?Will a pinched nerve go away on its own? How long does it take? Yes, most will with time (normally four to six weeks). You can improve symptoms with rest and pain medications such as naproxen, ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
How long does it take a pinched nerve in the neck to go away?So how long does a pinched nerve cause pain and discomfort? In most cases, symptoms improve and nerve function resumes to normal within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
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