Any pressure applied to a nerve by the surrounding tissue will produce irritation and will disrupt the nerve's functioning, with consequences that can range from aches and pains to a loss of feeling or weakening of muscles. The pinching can occur for many reasons pregnancy, an injury, repetitive motions or joint disease, to name just a few. Nerves passing over a rigid prominence, such as a bone, are particularly vulnerable. The most typical pinched nerves are the median, ulnar and radial nerves, which extend down the arms from the shoulders to the hands. With treatment, a pinched nerve generally heals in a few days to a few weeks.
Chronic cases can result from persistent irritation of the affected nerve.
In some cases, damage to the nerve can become permanent. Symptoms Tenderness, tingling or numbness in one part of your body, often a limb. Prickly, burning or stabbing pain where a nerve is being irritated, with a dull ache farther along the nerve's length. The vertebrae are separated from one another by fibrous pads, or disks. The outer layer of the disc is strong and flexible, encasing a soft, jellylike core.