Numbness of the hand: causes and treatment tactics

What is hand numbness and its causes?

Many people are familiar with the unpleasant feeling of tingling, “crawling on the skin,” as well as pain, decreased sensitivity and deterioration of mobility in the limb. All of these manifestations characterize numbness, which can occur in the arms, legs and other areas of the body. It is associated with impaired blood circulation in the tissues or compression of the nerves.

Along with numbness in the hands, the following symptoms may also occur:

1. burning sensation;
2. muscle spasms;
3. tingling sensation;
4. pain in hands, fingers;
5. feeling of itching;
6. tingling and numbness that gets worse when you move your fingers;
7. increased sensitivity to touch;
8. pain in the cervical spine.

External reasons

It’s good if your hands go numb during sleep due to unstable air temperature in the bedroom. Once this situation is corrected, the sensations will disappear. Parasthesia may occur due to the fact that the pillow or bed is chosen incorrectly or the person suffers from bad habits.

High headboard

Getting carried away by dense pillows when your head lies high, you can get a deflection in the cervical spine. This situation leads to the fact that the roots of the nerve endings passing along the spinal cord are poorly supplied with nutrition. In the areas of the spine responsible for sensitivity and mobility of the limbs, blood flow worsens.

To get rid of cramps, replace the pillow with an orthopedic version or place a cushion under the neck. Sleep items are made taking into account the anatomical features of the head and neck. Thanks to this, blood flows evenly to all parts of the spinal column.

Body position

Your sleeping position is important so that your hands do not lose sensitivity in the morning. When a person sleeps on his side, he lies on his hand, pinching the vessels in it. The blood begins to stagnate, leaving the hand and fingers without nutrition. The heart works slowly at night, so it is unable to deliver blood to hard-to-reach areas of the body.

Loss of sensitivity is caused by throwing your arms behind your head while lying on your back. Tight pajamas, nightgowns with long sleeves, when tight seams squeeze the blood vessels in the arms, contribute to the swelling of the limbs.

Control of body position is difficult to achieve at night. But you need to accustom yourself to the correct sleeping position so that all parts of the spine are in a straight line. Sleepwear is chosen from breathable natural materials. Women are advised to remove all jewelry from their fingers and wrists to avoid squeezing blood vessels.

The median nerve may be pinched by tight cuffs

Lifestyle

Evening consumption of coffee, strong tea, and alcoholic beverages leads to the fact that a person sleeps poorly. After all, at first the vessels are dilated, but at night they sharply narrow. Hence the occurrence of headaches and intestinal disorders. Starting to toss and turn in their sleep, people take an unnatural position, which is why their hands begin to go numb.

Hands cramp if:

• work at the computer for a long time;
• lead a passive lifestyle;
• physically load the spine during training and hard work;
• Raise their hands up during professional activities throughout the entire shift (installers, painters).

The nerves in the limbs are temporarily compressed when they draw or write for a long time.

Causes of numbness in the left hand:

• Cardiac ischemia. In addition to numbness in the left arm, there is discomfort in the chest. If after taking nitroglycerin or stopping the physical activity that caused the symptoms, these manifestations disappear, then it is angina pectoris. In addition to numbness of the left arm, it is accompanied by chest pain in the heart area, panic, pale skin, nausea, shortness of breath, and cold sweat.
• Myocardial infarction. Sometimes hand numbness is the only sign of this acute cardiovascular disaster. During an attack, the patient experiences intense pain and a feeling of constriction in the chest, shortness of breath, and interruptions in the functioning of the heart. The skin becomes covered with cold sweat. Along with numbness in the hand, a person experiences pain radiating to the lower jaw, stomach, and the area between the shoulder blades.
• Atherosclerosis. Due to atherosclerotic damage to the blood vessels, decreased strength and numbness in the arm may occur. Symptoms intensify when raising the limb upward.
• Stroke. Numbness in the left hand may indicate damage to the right hemisphere of the brain. In this case, the upper and lower limbs on the left side become numb, vision and speech are impaired. Along with numbness in the hand, a stroke can cause a complete loss of sensation in the hand. Other symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage include weakness in the limbs, loss of coordination, severe headache, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, and irritation from bright lights and sounds.
• Vegetative-vascular, or neurocirculatory dystonia. This is a complex of autonomic disorders that is associated with disorders of nervous regulation. In addition to numbness of the left hand, it may be accompanied by headaches, insomnia, pressure fluctuations, arrhythmia, and panic attacks.
• Raynaud's disease. The pathology is accompanied by paroxysmal circulatory disorders in the arteries of the extremities. Along with the numbness of the hand, its rapid freezing is felt. In the cold and with excitement, a person’s fingers may turn blue. As Raynaud's disease progresses, not only the hands become numb, but also the legs, chin, nose, and ears.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency. This connection is extremely important for the normal functioning of nerve tissue. With its deficiency, a person not only experiences numbness in the hand, but also suffers from dry mouth and pale skin.
• Osteochondrosis (usually cervical and thoracic). First, the fingers go numb, then weakness develops in the upper limb, and the grip strength of the hand decreases. Sometimes pain is felt along the outside of the shoulder and forearm.
• Overstrain of muscles in the cervical-collar region. Pianists and PC operators suffer from hand numbness due to prolonged maintenance of the same position. The problem lies in the overstrain of the muscles, which compress the nerve fibers responsible for the sensitivity of the limbs.
• Insufficient blood circulation. The upper limb becomes numb due to impaired blood flow due to damage to the walls of blood vessels, for example, in diabetes mellitus.
• Stress and psycho-emotional overload can cause hand numbness.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome. When the median nerve passing through the wrist is compressed, the left hand may become numb. This problem is familiar to people of certain professions (programmers, musicians). Nerve compression can also occur in women during pregnancy due to swelling, as well as in patients after surgery, in obese people.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

To prevent episodes of tingling in the hands, the patient is advised not to overload the hands and take breaks from monotonous work. For those who have to work at a computer all day, there are special palm rests and computer armrests that relieve some of the stress. It is necessary to avoid sudden overheating or hypothermia of the hands, so as not to provoke vascular spasm.

Conservative therapy

Tingling is generally mild or moderate, so symptomatic treatment with analgesics is usually not necessary. For sharp stabbing pains, it may be necessary to take systemic painkillers or administer local anesthetics (therapeutic blockades). Complex therapy is selected taking into account the etiology of the disease. The following groups of drugs are used:

• Calcium antagonists
  . Recommended for expanding the lumen of blood vessels, which plays a decisive role in the treatment of Raynaud's disease. If they are ineffective, treatment is enhanced with ACE inhibitors and selective serotonin receptor blockers.
• Antiplatelet agents
  . They improve blood flow in peripheral arteries and capillaries, reduce the phenomena of vasospasm and ischemia of the hands. Medicines help reduce the frequency of attacks in those suffering from Raynaud's syndrome and prevent complications of the disease.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
  . Exacerbations of neuropathies require the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which eliminate pain and swelling and eliminate discomfort. In severe cases, therapy is supplemented with systemic corticosteroids.
• Sedatives
  . For neurotic disorders, herbal and synthetic sedatives are effective, they stabilize the patient’s emotional background. Occasionally tranquilizers and antidepressants are used.
• Vitamins
  . For vitamin B12 deficiency, cyanocobalamin is administered parenterally, which quickly eliminates tingling in the hands and paresthesia. For neuropathies and intervertebral hernia, other B vitamins (thiamine, pyridoxine) have a good effect.

In the treatment of neuropathies, targeted administration of drugs into the affected area is effective, which is carried out through electrophoresis and phonophoresis. After clinical improvement and disappearance of stabbing pain, mud therapy, electrical myostimulation, and myofascial massage of the hand are prescribed. Physical therapy is needed to restore nerve function and improve muscle strength.

Numbness in the right hand may have the following causes:

1. impaired blood flow, pinched nerve due to incorrect position of the limb (for example, during sleep);
2. staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time (may be due to the nature of the work, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome);
3. frequent carrying of bags, suitcases and other heavy objects;
4. long exposure to frost or in a cold room;
5. long-term muscle tension of the upper limb.

Why your hands go numb in your sleep: mechanisms of paresthesia

Lack of blood supply . From a simply uncomfortable position, narrow pajama sleeves, a sedentary lifestyle to blockage of small and medium-sized vessels with cholesterol plaques and Volkmann’s ischemic contracture.

Neurological diseases . Destruction of the myelin sheath, disruption of conductivity and trophism, inflammation, overload, toxin poisoning are factors affecting the failure of the transmission of nerve impulses.

Lack of vitamins , microelements; hypovitaminosis, less often vitamin deficiency. The propagation of a signal between neurons requires the presence of neurotransmitters, the synthesis of which requires certain substances and enzymes.

Inflammation . Tunnel syndromes, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and injuries are common root causes of numbness in the hands during sleep.

Why does hand numbness occur?

When a patient says that his upper limbs are numb, he may mean:

• a tingling feeling that causes discomfort;
• sensation of “goosebumps” under the skin;
• decreased sensitivity of the skin.

Numbness of the hands does not always indicate pathology. It may be the result of wearing too tight clothes and jewelry that compress blood vessels and nerves.

The most common causes of numbness in the hands:

• Uncomfortable body position, monotonous mechanical work, disrupting blood flow. After changing the position of the limb, the unpleasant sensations disappear.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (usually affects the working hand due to prolonged monotonous work).
• Atherosclerosis. Accompanied by tingling and numbness of the hands, in the future a decrease in their muscle strength is likely.
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (numbness, usually symmetrical, may intensify after physical activity).
• Diabetic neuropathy (usually both hands go numb).
• Intervertebral hernia in the cervical region (numbness is associated with compression of the spinal nerve roots).
• Ischemic stroke of the brain (threatens numbness and paralysis of the arm).
• Multiple sclerosis (if part of the postcentral gyrus of the brain is affected, the limbs may go numb).
• Thoracic outlet syndrome (compression of nerve trunks and blood vessels in the area of ​​the upper chest opening).
• Brachial plexitis (numbness of the arm occurs due to inflammation of the brachial plexus).
• Damage to peripheral nerves due to alcoholism (alcoholic polyneuropathy).
• Brain tumor (the formation can compress the motor and sensory neurons responsible for the innervation of the upper extremities).
• Raynaud's disease (a disorder of the innervation of small arterioles, more common in women, manifested by numbness and pain in the extremities).
• Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation and deformation of joints leads to compression of nerve fibers) and others.

Main services of Dr. Zavalishin’s clinic:

• consultation with a neurosurgeon
• treatment of spinal hernia
• brain surgery
• spine surgery

Diseases that cause numbness

Diseases that develop in people throughout life are a common cause of numb and tingling fingers. It is imperative to identify incipient pathology in order to prevent serious health problems. Paresthesia may be a signal of impending disease.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

After 40 years, women whose work involves tension in the tendons and joints of the hands feel tingling sensations in the wrist area at the end of the day. The skin in this place itches, goosebumps run across it. The syndrome occurs due to pinching and swelling of the nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel.

From there they control the movements of the palm, fingers, and their sensitivity. First, the syndrome affects the little fingers, then the entire palm. When the pathology spreads and is neglected, the death of nerve tissue occurs. Then sensitivity in the affected area is completely lost. As a result, a person becomes unable to use even a spoon or pen.

Pathological changes in the spine

As a result of orthopedic pathologies, damage and destruction of nerve tissue occurs. The causes of the conditions are related to:

• degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine (spondylosis);
• hernias caused by a rupture of the outer shell of the disc;
• a pinched nerve in the arm at night;
• osteoporosis.

The consequence of the injury may be what the hands endure. Then the patient will complain not only of numbness, but also headaches and dizziness.

Vascular disorders

Poor condition of blood vessels and disturbances in their structure contribute to numbness in the hands at night. Insufficient blood flow to the extremities is associated with diseases:

• The congenital pathological connection between arteries and veins leads to the fact that the vessels are tangled into a ball. Arteriovenous malformation is the reason why areas of the upper extremities become numb.
• Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots that block passages in blood vessels. Pathology can occur as a result of acute inflammation of the arteries, veins, and poor lifestyle.
• The density of fat and cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels leads to a narrowing of the peripheral arteries. Therefore, blood flow to the hands and fingers is limited.
• With frostbite and a decrease in air temperature in the room, parasthesia of the upper extremities is observed.
• In patients suffering from ischemic stroke, cerebrovascular accident, not only do their hands numb, but their consciousness becomes foggy, they become dizzy, and their blood pressure levels rise sharply.

If even one hand is numb for a long time, you need to contact a specialist. This could be a sign of a stroke or heart attack.

Neurological pathologies

Numbness of the hands at night and after sleep appears in people who are chronic alcoholics and diabetics. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have problems with loss of sensation in their hands as the body attacks its own tissues and cells. Limbs go numb when heavy metal poisoning occurs, injuries are sustained, and spinal tumors occur.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the causes of hand numbness

The cause of malignant anemia is insufficient vitamin B12 in the body, hence the loss of sensitivity. Paresthesia that appears as a result of diseases does not go away quickly. This is worth paying attention to. Urgent help is required if sensitivity is lost for an hour and you cannot bend your fingers.

Diagnosis of the causes of hand numbness. How to identify?

At the appointment, the doctor examines and palpates the patient’s limb and asks the following questions:

• Where exactly is the numbness felt?
• When did the unpleasant tingling sensation and decreased sensitivity first appear?
• How long does numbness in a limb bother you?
• What actions and movements aggravate symptoms?
• Are there any other complaints, such as burning, itching, tingling, pain?
• How do your arms, hands, and fingers feel—cold or warm?

The main task of the doctor is to determine the causes of hand numbness. It is necessary to exclude systematic mechanical compression of blood vessels, as well as to determine household and industrial factors that could cause disturbances.

Numbness may be a harmless symptom, but it may also hide serious problems - myocardial ischemia, stroke, spinal problems, diabetes mellitus, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc. In this case, the doctor issues a referral to doctors of relevant specializations (cardiologist, endocrinologist, neuropathologist, etc.).

The main emphasis in identifying the causes of numbness is on detecting signs of osteochondrosis. For this, the patient is referred for magnetic resonance imaging, radiography, computed tomography, and electromyography. The purpose of imaging studies for arm numbness is to determine the height of the intervertebral disc, detect osteophytes, and clarify the presence of protrusion or intervertebral herniation.

Principles of treating hand numbness

The primary task of the doctor is to identify the root cause of this symptom. For this purpose, radiography, myelography, MRI, blood tests, etc. can be performed.

Depending on the nature of the disease that caused numbness in the hands, treatment methods are selected. First of all, the underlying disease is treated. Drug treatment is supplemented by:

1. physiotherapy;
2. physical therapy;
3. reflexology;
4. massage;
5. diet therapy;
6. lifestyle correction.

Treatment of pins and needles and goosebumps in the hands at the MART clinic

Goosebumps in the hands, pins and needles, numbness and other similar sensations in the hands, as a rule, indicate the presence of serious disorders in the body. Some of them can even be dangerous, and therefore you should not try to solve the existing problem yourself or using traditional methods. Prescribing the necessary treatment for goosebumps, burning sensations, pins and needles and other discomforting sensations in the right or left hand is possible only after determining the exact cause of their occurrence.

To identify the cause of paresthesia in the hands, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination, which is recommended to begin with a visit to a neurologist. Effective treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor based on examination and additional research methods: laboratory tests, ECG, MRI, ultrasound.

At the MART medical center, treatment courses for pins and needles in the fingers and goosebumps in the hands are selected individually. If osteochondrosis or other neurological pathologies are detected, manual therapy, therapeutic massage and regular exercise therapy are prescribed. Physiotherapeutic procedures and reflexology are also used to restore normal sensitivity in the hand.

Sign up at the MART medical center in St. Petersburg (see map) by phone, or leave a request on the website.

Preventing numbness in the hands

In order to prevent discomfort in the upper extremities, it is recommended:

• exercise regularly (discuss the type and nature of exercise with your doctor in advance);
• maintain the health of blood vessels, joints and the body as a whole (give up bad habits, eat rationally);
• dress according to the season, keep your hands warm;
• take breaks every 40 minutes if your profession involves working on a PC or performing monotonous hand movements.

Treatment with folk remedies

The following recipes help with numb hands:

• as a compress or therapeutic bath, use a mixture of 2 liters of milk, 600 g of salt and 50 g of honey, heated to 60? C;
• apply an infusion of wild rosemary with apple cider vinegar (1:3) 3 times a day;
• infusion of garlic (several cloves) in vodka (400 ml) taken orally, 3-5 drops dissolved in water;
• for 1 liter of vegetable oil - 100 g of ground black pepper, cook for 30–40 minutes, rub the cooled product into the skin of the affected limb.

Treatment of hand numbness in specialized hospitals

Department of Neurosurgery, City Clinical Hospital named after. A.K. Yeramishantseva sees patients with complaints of numbness in their hands. Here, progressive methods of conservative and surgical treatment of diseases manifested by such symptoms are used. Advanced technical equipment and extensive professional experience of the medical staff guarantee good treatment results. Telephone.

Neurosurgeon Evgeniy Evgenievich Zavalishin treats diseases that cause numbness in the hands. Sign up for a consultation by calling 8 (499) 940-04-30.

Diagnostics

A neurologist will determine the cause of tingling in the hands. During the initial examination, the patient is asked to perform simple tests (clench the hand into a fist, rotate the thumbs), during which it is easy to detect motor problems and innervation disorders. If neuropathy of the radial or median nerve is suspected, Tinnel's sign is checked. For further examination, the following instrumental methods are used:

• Electroneuromyography.
  A comprehensive study of neuromuscular transmission is necessary to identify problems with peripheral nerves and to know the location of the lesion. ENMG helps determine the severity and extent of the process. The technique is effective for the differential diagnosis of neuromuscular and vascular pathologies.
• Radiography.
  X-ray imaging of the bones of the shoulder, forearm, and hand makes it easier to identify the location of nerve damage. In the pictures you can see bone deformations, degenerative changes or narrowing of bone canals, which could cause tingling and paresthesia in the hands.
• Angiography.
  Examination of the peripheral vascular bed using contrast is necessary to verify Raynaud's syndrome. The doctor pays attention to the unevenness of the lumen of the vessels, the absence of collateral branches and a decrease in the number of capillaries. Additionally, capillaroscopy of the nail bed is indicated.
• MRI of the spine.
  This is the most accurate method that allows neurologists to diagnose herniated discs. MRI shows not only the presence of a hernial protrusion, but also its size and the degree of compression of the spinal cord. The study is informative for excluding tumors, hematomas and other space-occupying neoplasms.
• Additional methods
  . To clarify the degree of spinal compression in intervertebral hernias, computed tomography with myelography is used. Peripheral microcirculation is assessed using Doppler flowmetry. Gastroscopy, gastric intubation, and blood tests help identify the causes of B12 deficiency.

Electromyography