Nerves
Your body has 4 nervous systems made up of trillions of nerves. We are only talking about the peripheral systems that controls movement and your central nervous system …. your brain and spinal cord. Nerves are like cables that carry electrical impulses between your brain and the rest of your body. These impulses help you feel sensations and move your muscles.
Nerve cells are also called neurons. Neurons are present all over your body, especially in your brain and spinal cord. Nerves, together with your brain and spinal cord, are the foundation of your entire nervous system. Most of the time when doctors use the term “nerve,” they’re referring to the part of your nervous system outside of your brain and spinal cord. This is called your peripheral nervous system.
Types of Nerves
You have two main types of nerves: Sensory nerves carry signals to your brain to help you touch, taste, smell and see. Motor nerves carry signals to your muscles or glands to help you move and funtion.
You also have two main groups of nerves branching out from your brain and spinal cord: There are 12 nerve pairs called cranial nerves that have senory and motor functions. For example, cranial nerves help you make facial expressions, move your eyes and process smells. The 31 pairs of spinal nerves branching out from your spinal cord provide senory and motor function too. They carry sensations from your joints and muscles to your spinal cord.. Spinal nerves also control some of your reflexes/involuntary responses such as pulling your hand away from a hot stove.
Pain
Nerve pain, also called neuralgia, is usually caused by damage or pressure on nerves, often stemming from conditions like diabetes, injuries, infections (like shingles), autoimmune diseases (like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis), vitamin deficiencies (particularly B12), heavy alcohol use, exposure to toxins, and certain medications; essentially, any condition that can affect the nervous system can lead to nerve pain.
Nerve Flossing
Nerve flossing or gliding, are exercises that help release nerves that are trapped, compressed, or injured.
Nerve flossing Involves moving at least two joints simultaneously, which elongates one joint while shortening the other.
The exercises can be used for conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, or thoracic outlet syndrome. You might want to include them in your “everyday workout”. Just take things slowly and if you experience and “pain” while doing them, stop and consult your health care provider.
Exercises
#1 Supine Sciatic Nerve Glide
To perform the supine sciatic nerve glide:
- Lie on your back with your legs out straight.
- Bend one knee and grab behind it with both hands.
- Straighten your knee.
- Flex your ankle up a down a few times. You should feel a slight stretch behind your knee and calf.
- Slowly lower your leg back down to the bent knee position.
- Repeat five to 15 times.
#2 Sitting Sciatic Nerve Glide
To perform the sitting sciatic nerve glide:
A “sitting sciatic nerve glide” is an exercise where you sit upright, extend one leg straight out, and then flex and point your foot while simultaneously tilting your head in the direction of your extended leg, creating a gentle stretch and “gliding” motion along the sciatic nerve pathway, often used to alleviate sciatic pain; this can be done by bending your ankle towards you as you look towards your foot, then pointing your toes as you look down towards your chest.
• Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Extend your right leg, keeping the knee taut and muscles rigid.
• Slowly flex your foot, moving your torso to your knee, and hold for several seconds.
• Then, slowly point your toe and hold for several seconds.
• Release and relax.
#3 Hamstring Nerve Glide
Unless hamstrings are regularly stretched, they can become tight and lead to piriformis syndrome. The following standing exercise can help remedy this:
• Place the heel of your foot on a chair while keeping the leg straight. (To stabilize yourself, you can place the chair next to a wall and hold onto it for balance.)
• Tilt your chest forward until you can feel a stretch in your hamstring.
• Point your toes upward and hold for several seconds.
• Release and bring your torso upright.
• Repeat five to 15 times for each leg.
#4 Thoracic Brachial Plexus Nerve Glide (1)
This exercise focuses on nerve pain that travels from the neck to the armpit. To do this:
Relax and repeat five to 15 times.
• Stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
• Reach back and lace your fingers together.
• Pulling your hands down, draw your elbows and shoulder blades together.
• Shrug your shoulders up, holding for a few seconds.
#5 Thoracic Brachial Plexus Nerve Glide (2)
This exercise also helps release the brachial plexus nerves with a series of lateral stretches and rotations. To do this:
Repeat the exercise for five to 15 reps on each arm.
• Stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
• Lift your left arm to your side so that it is extended straight from the shoulder.
• Pull your arm back as far as it can go, keeping the arm straight.
• Flex your wrist so that your palm is facing outward, holding for several seconds.
• Bend your wrist as far as you can, holding for several seconds.
Take Away
If nerve flossing is performed diligently, nerve tightness and pain will usually subside over the course of six to eight weeks. You should notice less pain or tingling within a few weeks, and you will likely need to extend the stretches further and further as you progress.
Keep your health care provider updated with your progress!
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