Nerves run throughout our body, carrying information through the spinal cord and to the brain, such as telling us how to experience sensations – including pain.
But as our bodies don’t always run so perfectly – for a variety of reasons, many beyond our control, our nerves may become compressed. When a joint swells, a bone moves out of place, or a vital pathway in our body is altered or made smaller in some fashion, the added pressure compresses the nerves and causes them to send continual pain messages to the brain.
Examples of ways that nerves may become compressed include:
- Arthritis
- High blood pressure
- Tumors
- Bone spurs
- Birth defects
- Traumatic injury
- Regular wear and tear
