Can a pinched nerve in your back affect your legs?

Pinched nerves can affect several areas of your body: A pinched nerve in the cervical spine can give you a stiff neck, and the pain and numbness can affect the shoulder and arm. A pinched lumbar nerve in the lower back can cause pain in your back, hips, buttocks and legs.

Can a pinched nerve travel down your leg?

Lumbar spine You might be familiar with one of the most common pinched nerve conditions, called sciatica, which causes pain in the buttock that radiates down your leg and even into your feet and toes. But pinched nerves in the lumbar spine can cause pain and discomfort in your hips and lower back, too.

What can you do for a pinched nerve in back and leg?

9 Treatments

  1. Adjust your posture. You may need to change how you’re sitting or standing to relieve pain from a pinched nerve.
  2. Use a standing workstation. Standing workstations are gaining popularity, and for good reason.
  3. Rest.
  4. Splint.
  5. Stretch.
  6. Apply heat.
  7. Use ice.
  8. Elevate your legs.

What happens if a pinched nerve is left untreated?

If left untreated, it may lead to permanent nerve damage. The most common symptoms of a pinched nerve include neck pain that travels down the arms and shoulders, difficulty lifting things, headache, and muscle weakness and numbness or tingling in fingers or hands.

What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve in your upper back?

The most common symptom of a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine and cervical spine is numbness and tingling sensation in the upper back or neck region that might also radiate to the arms, shoulders, hands, fingers and upper chest area and is felt as “pins and needles” sensation or a burning sensation.

What are the treatments for leg nerve damage?

In mild cases, over-the-counter medications may be beneficial in treating pain related to leg nerve damage. A doctor will typically recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — NSAIDs — because these medications reduce chemical signals related to pain and inflammation. If taken as directed, these medications are safe in healthy patients.

What are the symptoms of L4 and L5 nerve damage?

5.

  • and compression by a disc can interfere with this function or send false signals.
  • Weakness. Your brain sends impulses through nerves to tell your muscles to contract.
  • Warnings.

    • Why does your leg pain feel worse when lying down?

    Your pain will likely be worse when you’re lying down due to the direct pressure on your spine . Often called degenerative disc disease (DDD), the exact causes of this disease are unknown.