Advice for a (probably) pinched nerve? Good physiotherapist? (Tokyo)

Thanquol180 — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 06:17:23 -0800

I've had a tingling/burning sensation in my left shoulder/hand for about a week. A doc that I saw in Tokyo thinks I have a pinched nerve and told to come back in a week, but was rather vague about what to do in the meantime. I have no health insurance so I would prefer to not go back, but I just noticed the tingling starting up in my right hand as well. Hi all,

I posted last week regarding problems I was having regarding a tingling in the left shoulder. I stopped practicing piano for the time being and as the tingling didn't stop - it actually spread to my left hand - I decided to fork over the money for a doctor even though I don't have insurance (even without insurance, doctor visits are relatively cheap in Japan).

The doctor gave me a lookover (he bent my arms and head, asked of it hurt, never did), took an x-ray, and declared that I probably had a pinched nerve in the neck. He also said my neck was drooping forward because my posture sucks and told me to work on that. That makes sense - I always slouch when I walk + use the computer. He gave me some pain meds, sent me away, and told me to come back in a week if my situation doesn't improve.

I was told by a pharmacist that I should have gotten an mri as well to make sure that it is a pinched nerve, but that would mean forking out 350-plus dollars. The doctor didn't consult with me about that or give any other advice, just that a nerve was probably pinched and that I should "take it easy." He seemed pretty confident at the time, but looking on the internet there are plenty of illnesses that have tingling body parts as an illness.

That was yesterday. In between then and now, I have been working on sitting and standing straight, with my head further back (I think I am trying too hard, my lower back is getting sore). I also bought a better pillow and ordered an ergonomically correct chair for work. Before this I had been always using my laptop on my, well, lap. Besides that, I've been trying some stretches I found on youtube that are supposed to help (double chin + tennis in the sky) and doing some light jogging to try and get rid of some of this stress.

I also got an acupressure massage yesterday - it KILLED, especially in certain spots in the shoulder (where the pinched nerve is, I assume). I had to tell the therapist to take it easy more than once. I actually think the massage might have made the symptoms worse.

The therapist told me my shoulders/neck are super stiff. That makes sense, since I have been pretty stressed lately - I feel tension in my shoulders and jaw, which I am thinking might at least be one of the reasons I am having this pinched nerve problem now. my shoulders get really tired when typing, which usually doesn't happen.

Since I can't get on health insurance before April without paying a bunch of money, I am really hoping this goes away on its own and doesn't get worse. I am super worried though, and would like to get back to playing piano tingle-free. Someone recommended that I visit a physical/physiotherapist, but I don't know any good ones in my area (in or close to Tokyo).

TL;DR: Anyone suffer from a pinched nerve before? Anyone have any advice to help it heal on its own, or know of any physiotherapists to visit in Tokyo? What else could it be if not a pinched nerve?

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Advice for a (probably) pinched nerve? Good physiotherapist? (Tokyo)