Common Symptoms of a Pinched Nerve: Finding the Source of Your Pain

5. Stiffness In Affected Area

Many patients with a pinched nerve may experience stiffness in the affected area. Patients who have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis may be more likely to have stiffness. To reduce or alleviate this symptom, it can be helpful to avoid keeping the affected area in the same position for too long. If the patient uses a supportive brace for the area, they should ask a physician about how long the brace needs to be worn, as wearing it for too long may cause stiffness. In addition, gently rotating the wrist, ankle, fingers, or other impacted areas will keep blood flowing and reduce the amount of stiffness the patient may experience. Slow stretches with elastic bands may be useful too, and physical therapists can instruct patients in the most effective stretches for their particular situation. Many patients find hydrotherapy and swimming help reduce stiffness, and activities performed in water are easier on the joints compared to those performed on land. Moist heat from a heating pad or rice bag may reduce stiffness and ease movement as well.

6. Radiating Pain That Travels Along a Path

Unlike a simple localized ache, a key indicator of a pinched nerve is pain that seems to shoot, travel, or "radiate" along the specific path of the affected nerve. You might experience a sharp, electric-like jolt or a deep, persistent ache that starts, for instance, in your neck and travels down your arm and into your fingers (cervical radiculopathy), or from your lower back, through your buttock, and down your leg (classic sciatica). This traveling sensation occurs because the entire nerve becomes irritated, sending distress signals far from the actual compression point.