How do I relieve a pinched nerve in my neck or back?

A pinched nerve is simpler than it sounds: somewhere along its path something has layered over it and presses - a tight muscle, fascia that stopped gliding, a tired disc. The nerve itself is fine; it is just crowded. That is why the pain, tingling or weakness can travel into an arm or a leg - the nerve is long, and the squeeze echoes along it.

The relief almost always comes from one thing: space. Decompression of the body creates space and takes the pressure off - the spine lengthens in the hang, the places where nerves exit open up, and as soon as the squeeze around the nerve is released, the relief comes. Slow, supported, with breathing, and never into pain.

Listen to your body: if the pain is sharp and shooting, we do not force anything - we start even softer, a few seconds at a time, and let space do its quiet work.