If you’re dealing with radiating pain, you know how disruptive it can be. This type of pain often starts in one area, like the neck or back, and travels to other parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, or shoulders. It can feel sharp, burning, or tingling and is often a sign of nerve involvement. At Power Health Colorado, we help patients find relief by identifying the root cause of their radiating pain and providing targeted, effective treatment.
Many people with radiating pain are suffering from medical conditions like herniated discs, pinched nerves, or spinal misalignments. These issues can compress or irritate nerves, sending pain signals down pathways in the body. Our experienced team uses a combination of advanced diagnostics and personalized therapies, including chiropractic care, physical therapy, and regenerative treatments, to reduce nerve irritation and support long-term healing.
What Is Radiating Pain?
Radiating pain is a type of pain that begins in one part of the body and travels to another, often following the path of a nerve. It’s commonly caused by irritation, inflammation, or compression of nerves in the spine or other areas.
For example, a problem in the neck may cause pain that radiates into the shoulders or arms, while an issue in the lower back might send pain down the legs. This pain can feel sharp, burning, tingling, or even like an electric shock, and it may come and go or remain constant.
Radiating pain is often associated with medical conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica, or degenerative disc disease.
Radiating Pain vs Referred Pain
Radiating pain and referred pain are both types of pain that you can feel away from the actual source of the problem, but they work in different ways.
Radiating pain is pain that starts in one place and then spreads or travels along a specific path, usually following the route of a nerve. For example, if you have a pinched nerve in your lower back, you might feel sharp or burning pain that moves down your leg. The pain starts at the source, but you can feel it moving outwards to other areas connected by that nerve.
Referred pain, on the other hand, is when you feel pain in a part of your body that isn’t injured or damaged. The pain comes from a different area, but your brain thinks it’s coming from somewhere else. A common example is when someone having a heart attack feels pain in their jaw or left arm instead of the chest. With referred pain, the pain doesn’t move or spread like radiating pain does; it’s just felt in a spot that isn’t the real source of the problem.
Causes of Radiating Pain
Radiating pain can be caused by a variety of underlying issues, some involving the nerves and spine, while others originate in internal organs. This type of pain occurs when a condition in one area of the body, such as the spine, muscles, or internal organs, triggers discomfort that travels to another part. Understanding the root cause is key to effective treatment.
Our team helps patients find relief from pain caused by musculoskeletal conditions and nerve irritation.
Sciatica (Radiating Pain in the Legs)
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body, is compressed or irritated, usually by a herniated disc or spinal misalignment in the lower back. This causes sharp, burning, or shooting pain that radiates from the lower back through the buttocks and down the back of the leg. It can also cause numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness in the affected leg.
Sciatica can be persistent and painful, but with proper treatment such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, and targeted rehabilitation, relief is possible.
Herniated Disc (Radiating Pain in the Legs, Chest, and Arms)
A herniated disc occurs when the soft inner material of a spinal disc pushes through its outer layer and presses on nearby nerves. Depending on its location, this can cause radiating pain down the legs (lumbar herniation), into the chest (thoracic herniation), or into the arms (cervical herniation). This pain is often described as sharp, burning, or electric-like and may be accompanied by tingling or weakness.
Treatment at Power Health Colorado focuses on relieving nerve pressure and strengthening the surrounding muscles to prevent future disc issues.
Piriformis Syndrome (Radiating Pain in the Legs)
Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle, located deep in the buttock, compresses the sciatic nerve. This leads to radiating pain that travels from the hip down the leg, mimicking sciatica. It can be triggered by overuse, injury, or prolonged sitting. Stretching, physical therapy, and muscle release techniques are key to relieving the pressure on the nerve and restoring normal function.
Spinal Stenosis (Radiating Pain in the Legs)
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, often due to age-related changes, that places pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This condition commonly causes radiating pain in the lower back and legs, especially during walking or standing. Patients may also experience numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness. Our treatments focus on relieving pressure and improving mobility through customized therapies and supportive care.
Bone Spurs (Radiating Pain in the Legs and Arms)
Bone spurs are bony growths that can form on the spine and other joints due to arthritis or joint degeneration. When these spurs press on nearby nerves, they can cause radiating pain in the legs or arms, depending on where the spur is located. This pain may worsen with movement or certain positions.
At Power Health Colorado, we use non-invasive treatments like chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory therapies to reduce pain and improve nerve function.
Gallstones (Radiating Pain in the Back and Chest)
Gallstones can block the flow of bile from the gallbladder, leading to intense abdominal pain that radiates to the upper back or chest. This pain is often sharp and sudden, especially after eating fatty meals. Gallstone pain may be mistaken for other conditions. In some cases, surgery may be necessary.
Acute Pancreatitis (Radiating Pain in the Back)
Acute pancreatitis causes inflammation of the pancreas, which can result in severe abdominal pain that radiates to the back. This pain often feels deep and constant and may worsen after eating.
It’s important for patients with unexplained radiating pain in the back to be evaluated promptly. Severe cases of acute pancreatitis may require hospitalization and even surgery.
Prostate Cancer (Radiating Pain in the Back)
In some cases, advanced prostate cancer can spread to nearby bones or nerves, causing radiating pain in the lower back, hips, or thighs. This type of pain is often dull, persistent, and may be accompanied by other symptoms like urinary changes.
Peptic Ulcer (Radiating Pain in the Chest and Ribs)
A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach or upper intestine that can cause burning or aching pain in the abdomen. In some cases, this pain may radiate to the chest or ribs, mimicking heart-related discomfort.
Heart Attack (Radiating Pain in the Arm)
A heart attack can present with pressure or pain in the chest that radiates to the left arm, jaw, neck, or back. This is a medical emergency, and any sudden or unexplained radiating pain in these areas should be taken seriously. Patients with signs of cardiac arrest should go to the emergency room for immediate medical care.
Radiating Pain Treatment at Power Health Colorado
At Power Health Colorado, we offer a range of non-surgical therapies focused on issues like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, pinched nerves, and sciatica. Our experienced team creates customized care plans to relieve pressure on affected nerves, restore function, and improve your overall quality of life.
Rehabilitation
Our rehabilitation services help patients recover from injuries or chronic conditions. Using targeted exercises, movement training, and hands-on therapies, we work to restore strength, stability, and range of motion. Rehab is especially helpful after spinal injuries or flare-ups of nerve compression, supporting long-term healing and preventing future pain episodes.
Neuro Rehab
Our neuro rehab program focuses on restoring proper nerve function and coordination. This specialized care involves balance training, neuromuscular re-education, and functional therapy to help retrain the nervous system. It’s ideal for individuals recovering from conditions like sciatica or cervical radiculopathy that impact both nerves and mobility.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine uses the body’s healing power to repair damaged tissues and reduce inflammation around irritated nerves. At Power Health Colorado, we offer advanced regenerative therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), to alleviate joint pain and chronic conditions. These treatments are minimally invasive and help promote long-term tissue repair.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is one of the most effective ways to treat radiating pain related to spinal misalignment or nerve compression. Our chiropractors use gentle spinal adjustments to realign the vertebrae, relieve pressure on nerves, and improve overall spinal health. These treatments can be especially helpful for herniated discs, sciatica, and neck-related nerve pain.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy focuses on building strength, flexibility, and proper movement patterns to relieve and prevent pain. Our therapists develop individualized exercise programs that target the root cause of your discomfort, such as disc problems or postural imbalances. Physical therapy also plays a key role in long-term recovery by helping you move more efficiently and safely.
Medical Massage
Medical massage therapy helps relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation that may be contributing to pain. Our licensed massage therapists use targeted techniques to release tight muscles and improve mobility around the affected nerves. It’s a valuable addition to a broader treatment plan and enhances overall comfort and healing.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture offers a natural way to manage radiating pain by stimulating specific points on the body to reduce nerve irritation and promote healing. This therapy can help calm inflammation, improve circulation, and restore energy flow, making it especially effective for chronic pain or nerve-related symptoms in the arms or legs.
Pain Relief Injections
For immediate relief from severe radiating pain, we offer targeted pain relief injections. These minimally invasive treatments deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the source of nerve irritation, such as a spinal joint or area around a compressed nerve. Injections can provide fast relief while supporting other therapies in your recovery plan.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
At Power Health Colorado, we focus on identifying the root cause of radiating pain so we can treat it effectively. Through comprehensive evaluations and personalized treatment plans, we aim to relieve nerve pressure, reduce inflammation, and help you return to a more comfortable, active life.
Booking your appointment is simple. You can call us at (720) 451-0000 or complete the online form. Our staff will guide you through the process, ensuring you receive the attention you deserve. Contact us today and take the first step toward recovery.
