Symptoms

• Symptoms of a pinched nerve include numbness, sharp pain that radiates outward, tingling, muscle weakness, and twitching. These symptoms may become worse during sleep.
  
  

Causes

• A number of factors may contribute to the tissue compression that leads to a pinched nerve. The common causes are poor posture, injury, obesity or rigorous activities.
  
  

Risk Factors

• Those who are obese, have poor posture or suffer from osteoarthritis are all at an increased risk for pinched nerves. Repetitive hand, wrist and shoulder movements can also put someone at risk.
  
  

Treatments

• The first recommendation for a pinched nerve is to rest the area that is affected. Immobilizing the area with a splint or brace may also be recommended. An anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen, can be used to reduce pain and swelling.
  
  

Surgery

• If no improvement is shown, surgery to relieve pressure around the nerve may be needed. The specific type of surgery will vary, depending on the nerve affected.
  
  

Prevention

• Pinched nerves may be prevented by practicing proper posture, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in flexibility exercises and restricting activities that are repetitive.