As you lie down for a good night’s rest, the last thing you want to deal with is a pinched nerve in your neck and shoulder keeping you awake. If you experience this type of discomfort, you want to find lasting relief from this uncomfortable condition. Let’s explore how to sleep with pinched nerves in the neck and shoulder and how your College Park chiropractor can help.
What Does a Pinched Nerve Feel Like?
A pinched nerve can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the location and severity of the compression. Here are some of the most common signs of a pinched nerve:
- Sharp or shooting pain: You might experience sudden, intense pain that radiates along the path of the affected nerve. Pain may radiate outward from the pinched nerve, often traveling down the affected limb. For example, a pinched nerve in the lower back might cause pain that shoots down the leg, known as sciatica.
- Tingling or numbness: You may feel a pins-and-needles sensation, tingling, or numbness in the area near the nerve.
- Muscle weakness: Over time, a pinched nerve can lead to weakness in the affected muscles, making everyday movements or activities more difficult.
How Can a Pinched Nerve Disrupt Sleep?
The most common reason a pinched nerve disrupts sleep is due to pain, and getting a good night’s rest becomes incredibly challenging. So, if you’re searching for tips on “how to sleep with a pinched nerve in the neck,” it’s important to understand the mechanics of what’s happening in your body. When you lie down, the pressure on the affected nerve can increase, causing an increase in your pain and discomfort as well. This discomfort can make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position or stay asleep throughout the night. Pinched nerves can result in muscle weakness or spasms, especially if the nerve compression affects the muscles’ ability to function properly. Muscle spasms can be painful and disruptive to sleep, waking you up throughout the night.
Certain sleep positions may worsen the compression on the pinched nerve, intensifying symptoms and making it harder to sleep soundly. For example, lying on your side or back might make your symptoms worse if the pinched nerve is in your spine. Learning how to sleep with a pinched nerve in the shoulder blade or how to sleep with a pinched neck nerve can make a significant difference in your comfort level and quality of sleep.
3 Sleep Positions to Help with Pinched Nerve Symptoms at Night
Here are three sleep positions that may help alleviate pinched nerve symptoms and improve your sleep quality.
Side Sleeping with a Support Pillow
This position can help reduce pressure on the spine and alleviate symptoms of a pinched nerve, especially if the nerve compression is in your lower back or hips. If you prefer to sleep on your side, you will want to bend your knees and place a support pillow between your knees to keep your spine aligned. This will also reduce strain on the lower back, making this position especially helpful for a pinched nerve in the lower back. Plus, if you’re dealing with shoulder pain, you might want to try using a body pillow to support your arm and relieve pressure on the affected area. This can be especially helpful for side sleepers learning how to sleep with a pinched nerve in the shoulder.
Back Sleeping with a Support Pillow
Sleeping on your back can help maintain the natural curve of your spine and relieve pressure on the nerves. Placing a pillow under your knees can further support your lower back and reduce strain on the nerves. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the bed. Then, place a pillow under your knees to elevate them slightly before straightening out and relaxing your legs and feet. You can also place a small pillow or rolled-up towel under the natural curve of your lower back for added support. If you’re dealing with pain from a pinched nerve in your shoulder, positioning a pillow under your affected arm can help relieve this pressure and also prevent unnecessary movements while you’re asleep. This position is also ideal for how to sleep with a pinched neck nerve because it reduces strain on the cervical spine.
Fetal Position
Sleeping in the fetal position can help open up the space between the vertebrae and reduce pressure on the spine, which may alleviate symptoms of a pinched nerve. Lie on your side with your knees bent, and gently curl your torso toward your knees. When you sleep in the fetal position, it’s important to keep your back straight and avoid curling too tightly. You can place a pillow between your knees for added support and to maintain alignment. This position can be beneficial for how to sleep with a pinched nerve in the neck or shoulder.
Three More Tips for Sleeping with a Pinched Nerve
In addition to adjusting your sleeping position, you can also take other steps to help reduce your pinched nerve symptoms and improve your overall sleep quality:
Use an Arm Brace
If you’re dealing with a pinched nerve in your shoulder, sleeping with an arm brace can provide support and stabilization. An arm brace prevents excessive movement, reducing strain on the affected nerve. This can be particularly helpful if you’re trying to sleep with an arm brace for a pinched nerve, which can help prevent your symptoms from getting worse during the night.
Apply Heat or Ice Before Bed
Applying heat or ice to the affected area before bed can help reduce inflammation and help relax tense muscles. Use a heating pad or warm towel for 15–20 minutes before sleeping to promote circulation and relax muscle tension. Alternatively, applying an ice pack can help reduce swelling and numb pain.
Improve Sleep Hygiene
Good sleep hygiene can make a significant difference in how well you rest, even when dealing with nerve pain. Here are some tips to improve sleep hygiene:
- Try to keep up a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
- Avoid caffeine and heavy meals too close to bedtime.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine, like reading a book or taking a warm bath.
- Make sure your mattress and pillows provide adequate support.
- Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed.
Stretches & Exercises to Try for a More Restful Night’s Sleep
Stretching and gentle exercises before bed can also help alleviate symptoms of a pinched nerve. Gently moving your body before getting in bed can promote better sleep by reducing muscle tension and improving flexibility. Here are some stretches for pinched nerve in the shoulder:
- Neck side stretch: Gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch along the side of your neck. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
- Shoulder rolls: Roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion, then roll them backward. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions in each direction.
- Child’s pose: Start on your hands and knees, then sit back on your heels while reaching your arms forward and lowering your chest towards the floor. Hold for 15-30 seconds while breathing deeply.
- Knee-to-chest stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent, and gently pull one knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the lower back and hip. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch sides.
- Walking: Taking a leisurely walk during the day can help improve circulation, reduce muscle tension, and promote relaxation, all of which can contribute to better sleep.
- Swimming: Swimming is a low-impact exercise that can help strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and reduce stress on the joints, making it an excellent option for people with pinched nerves.
How a Chiropractor Can Help with a Pinched Nerve
Chiropractors specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, including an issue like a pinched nerve. Here’s how a chiropractor may help with a pinched nerve that is keeping you up at night:
- Spinal adjustments: Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation techniques to realign the spine and relieve pressure on nerves. Reducing misalignments also reduces compression on the nerves, which can alleviate pain and other symptoms associated with a pinched nerve.
- Soft tissue therapy: Chiropractors may also use soft tissue therapy techniques such as therapeutic massage and trigger point therapy to relax tight muscles, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation around the affected nerve.
- Stretching and strengthening exercises: Chiropractors often recommend specific stretching and strengthening exercises to improve flexibility, mobility, and muscle strength, which can help support proper spinal alignment and reduce the risk of recurrent pinched nerves.
- Posture education: Poor posture can contribute to spinal misalignment and increase the risk of pinched nerves. Your College Park chiropractor can provide guidance on ergonomics and proper body mechanics to help you maintain better posture and reduce stress on the spine and nerves.
Pinched Nerve Care at AICA College Park
If your pinched nerve symptoms persist, it’s important to take steps to release the pressure and reduce discomfort. In addition to chiropractic care, here are some techniques that may help from our multidisciplinary team of doctors. A physical therapist can walk you through targeted exercises to help strengthen your surrounding muscles. A neurologist can also provide you with additional diagnostic tools and nerve tests to narrow down the affected nerve. At AICA Orthopedics, we are proud to offer a wide range of diagnostic tools and treatment approaches so you can get the personalized care you deserve.
Visit AICA Orthopedics in College Park to learn more about how to relieve pinched nerve shoulder pain and get a good night’s sleep!