Pinched Nerves: Symptoms and Treatments

5. Gradual Causes

Age-related wear and tear on the spine can cause pinched nerves. Discs between vertebrae dry out and shrink, which forces vertebrae closer together. The vertebrae grow small outcroppings of bone, called bone spurs, to compensate. Bone spurs eventually fill enough space to pinch nerve roots in the spinal column.

Repetitive tasks, such as typing, using a mouse, and other tasks requiring fine motor skills, can strain muscles and ligaments in the hands and wrists. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when muscle and ligament tissue pinches the median nerve.