More and more patients come into an upper cervical office for a pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment in hopes of finding lasting relief from their pain. After all, a pinched nerve can trigger many problems that can heavily impact your life.

Symptoms like pins and needles, muscle weakness, numbness, and sharp and burning aches could hinder you from doing all sorts of activities. Fortunately, a spine alignment through Upper Cervical Care may be able to address the problem. Combine that with a natural remedy like doing exercises for pinched nerve in the neck, you can potentially rid of your pain for good. 

Exercising and Pinched Nerve in the Neck

Exercise is effective in helping patients struggling with disorders that cause mild to severe pain. It can encourage the release of endorphins, a natural pain reliever produced by the body.

Exercising may also help strengthen the muscles and release tension in the neck and other areas where the pain spreads. The only challenge is to get things right to avoid putting undue stress on your neck muscles, bones, and ligaments. The last thing you’d want is to increase further the nerve compression caused by the soft tissue or bone. 

Below are seven easy and safe exercises that you can do along with getting a pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment. Make sure to do them slowly. This way, you can relax your body into the movement and prevent further damaging or pinching the affected nerves. 

1. Chin Tuck

Chin tuck is an effective neck strengthening exercise that comes in extra handy in combating pain caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. Here's how you can do it:

• Start with the right posture by ensuring that you're standing or sitting straight.
• Carefully bring your head back and tuck your chin in with your fingers.
• Release or revert to a relaxed position.
• Repeat the position above and make sure that your ears align with your shoulders.
• You can repeat the routine up to five times each day.

2. Trapezius Stretch

Otherwise known as trap stretch, this exercise makes a fine addition to your pinched nerve relief routine. It helps release the tension on your trapezius and lower neck, plus increases spine flexibility and back strength. Follow the steps below to do the trap stretching:

• You can either stand or sit provided that you maintain proper posture. 
• Place your left hand on your back with the elbow bent.
• With your right hand, gently pull down your head to stretch the base, neck, and upper portion of your shoulder muscles.
• Hold the position for around 40 seconds, then repeat all the steps above for the other side of the body. 

3. Head Turn

Typically, a pinched or irritated nerve can cause a decreased neck motion. However, this won't prevent you from doing head turns in a gentle and controlled manner. Feel free to adjust the range of motion depending on your condition. If you feel slight pain, we recommend trying smaller and slower movements. Here’s how you can do it right:

• Stand straight with your feet close together.
• Turn your head to one side of the body at a slow pace.
• Once your head faces the other side, pause for at least five seconds. 
• Turn to the other side, and again, hold your position for at least five seconds. 
• Then you may begin to tilt your head upward and downward, following the same progression.

4. Shoulder Roll or Shrugs

Boosting your neck and shoulder strength can make a lot of difference to your pinched nerve condition. This type of exercise also make an excellent addition to your exercise routine after a pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment

• Stand straight and place your arms on your sides.
• Begin shrugging or rolling your shoulders backward in a rotating manner.
• After 10 to 15 seconds, start a similar movement, only this time, you should do it in the opposite direction.
• Repeat the exercise no more than 15 times with around 30 seconds break in between the sets.

5. Walking

If you tend to sit for hours, we suggest taking frequent walk breaks. Whether you're working at home or the office, we recommend walking for 10 minutes during break time. Make sure to stand upright with your ears leveled with your shoulders and your jaw completely relaxed. 

6. Back Stretch

The neck and back are closely linked to each other. That’s why if you’re receiving pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment for the neck, doing regular back stretches may help you see more improvements in your condition. We recommend doing side bends to stretch your back properly and avoid putting more pressure on the affected nerves. Here's how you can do it properly:

• Stand and place your hands on the hips.
• Gently bend your body sidewards and maintain the position for around 10 seconds. 
• Repeat it on the other side of the body. 
• Do five sets and follow proper breathing techniques to encourage muscle relaxation.

7. Side Twists

The last type of exercise on our list is the twist or side twist. Many patients find relief from their nerve numbness and muscle pain after performing twists. To do this exercise, you'll need to:

• Sit on a chair and mind your posture.
• Place your left hand on the right knee ad slowly twist your upper body to the right side. 
• Hold the position for five seconds, then return to the normal front-facing position.
• Do precisely the same movement on the other side of your body.  

Getting Results with Pinched Nerve Chiropractic Adjustment

You’d be surprised by how the simple exercises above can help you improve your condition. They’re relatively easy to do on your own, but they may work better if done under professional supervision. 

Combined with Upper Cervical Care, you can encourage your body to heal independently. This way, you don’t have to rely too much on temporary pain relief options.   

With a pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment using Upper Cervical Care, you get to fix faulty bone alignments that may be causing or aggravating your condition. By realigning the spine or neck, the affected tissues can recover. Consequently, this can reduce or eliminate compressed nerve symptoms like numbness, tingling sensation, or burning pain. 

Many patients have found success in Upper Cervical Chiropractic. It’s gentle, safe, and precise, and it can provide you with lasting benefits. Upper Cervical Care is definitely an excellent option if you’re looking for a new and better remedy for your pinched nerve.

Need a pinched nerve chiropractic adjustment for your condition? You can find a nearby Upper Cervical doctor to help you. Get in touch with a chiropractor today to schedule your appointment.

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