What Spinal Cord and Nerve Compression Feels Like

Spinal cord and/or spinal nerve compression occurs when pressure is applied to the spinal cord or and/or nerves.

This type of compression can happen anywhere along the spine—from the neck (cervical spine) down to the lower back (lumbar spine).

The symptoms can develop suddenly or gradually depending on the cause and severity of the compression.

Here are several descriptions of symptoms from people who have been spinal cord and/or nerve compression:

• Persistent back or neck pain that wouldn’t go away.
• I feel a lot of weight in my chest.
• A burning pain that radiates down my arms and legs.
• Sharp, stabbing pain in my neck and shoulders, and sometimes it shoots down my arms.
• A band-like tightness and feeling of pressure around my chest or stomach.
• Constant aching pain in my back and it gets worse when I move.
• Muscle tightness and cramping in my upper back.
• Numbness and tingling sensations that come and go, sometimes also weakness.
• Pain that feels like it’s deep inside the spine, almost like a deep bone ache.
• Difficult to walk or keep my balance
• Feels like I’m walking through mud
• A feeling of pins and needles in my arm and hand

These descriptions reflect the variety of sensations caused by compression of your spinal cord and/or spinal nerve(s), including pressure, burning, stabbing, and radiating pain, often accompanied by neurological symptoms like numbness and weakness.

Remember:

• Because the spinal cord transmits nerve impulses to many parts of the body, symptoms can be diverse and sometimes vague, making early diagnosis challenging.
• Because spinal nerves provide strength and sensation to your arms and legs, a compressed spinal nerve can cause symptoms anywhere along that nerve pathway.

Rarely, symptoms can include urinary retention and/or stool incontinence, and any type of loss of bowel or bladder control could be a sign of a serious underlying condition that needs prompt medical attention.

If you experience any combination of these symptoms (especially weakness or loss of bladder/bowel control), prompt medical evaluation is critical.

See Cauda Equina Syndrome