numb fingers - help

[luthien]

Hey,apologies for the long post.

So . . . recently - over the past few weeks I've noticed increasingly, my right thumb, index finger and middle finger go numb when I'm asleep. Any ideas as to what it could be? The only position which seems to stop it is if I'm on my back with my arm above my head on the pillow. I've tried changing which side I lie on, pressure on my arm / shoulder / angle of hand. Nothing helps, it's so much so that the numbness / pain wakes me up a few times a night and I'll spend a few minutes getting the feeling back before falling asleep again for it to repeat. It's now happening when I cycle, I cycle commute 40 mins to work and about 10 mins in that same numb thing comes on and for the remainder of the ride. It'll always go either on it's own / gentle massage, but leaves my hand feeling a little weak. I used to have the numb hand when sleeping for about a year previously but on odd days and about once a month so just thought I must have slept weirdly.

I'm otherwise healthy, with no drastic changes in anything! I have endometriosis but that's under control (well as much as it can be). I'm due to have my yearly full bloods, diabetes, cholesterol and thyroid check - in the family, but I'm fine, all always come back okay, platelets and white blood cells are a little high so I'm going to push for those to be investigated this year, along with more detailed thyroid ones, as I'm feeling tired / drained / just exhausted sort of thing.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Macblank]

It's a trapped nerve somewhere, and get to your Dr ASAP.

If a nerve gets trapped too often, it can be permanently dented (think kink in a hosepipe). You want to go for a NERVE CONDUCTION assessment.

There they send very small amounts of electric down your arm and hand, to see where the problem lies.

I have a damaged ulna nerve in both arms, and Cosmo left for so many years, it's permanent, despite having surgery to correct it.

Good luck, and hope you get it sorted.

[luthien in reply to Macblank]

how long are we looking at for permanent damage? docs here take ages, and referrals could be months.

The numbness comes and goes, most of the day it's a little off but not numb kind of tired.

[strongmouse in reply to luthien]

Some areas in the UK have clincs which do urgent assessments for pain to do with nerves. You need to speak to your GP and have him / her do an assessment and then refer you to the right person, which may be a specialist physiotherapist initially, if they have one in your area

I have issues with trapped nerve in my spine which causes numbness and pain in my hand and neck. It came on gradually, but if they are worried that it might cause permanent damage they can refer you more quickly. I had an initial assessment by a specialist physiotherapist at a Spine and Back Pain Clinic then had an MRI which showed the problem to be spinal bone growths (osteophytes which can grow as you get older). I don't need treatment, but it is important to get it assessed in case you do. I manage with pain medication and being careful how I use my arm.

[luthien in reply to strongmouse]

Thanks,

I have physio booked for tomorrow as an emergency case, hopefully they'll be able to help if it's just soft tissue. I hope it's a change in exercise which has caused it - handstands and gymnastics rings classes. I shall go from there, if physio doesn't help during the weekend i'll book an on the day GP appointment Monday.

[Macblank in reply to luthien]

I'd suggest you see a different Dr, one that is less than 50. These drs are taught differently, and have fresher skills and more.modern way.

I'm not sure how.long.before it's permanent, as depends on so many.factors. for.me, I had it a lot as a kid.... Numb nuts, and numb hands when cycling, especially if over a couple hours.

Push your Dr to getting you sent to either a quick unit, or specialist.... Quick units are like little clinics that asses you before sending you to the hospital to see a specialist.... But like triage!

Definitely push for it tho.

[Hidden]

Go get studies done. I have this I have neck issues. You may need to do some exercises to correct your posture and strengthen it might be compression. You might want to do some chin tucks and work on your traps to release and doing rows and wall angels. Physio helps doing IMS look it up. For tight spots. Painful but helpful while you strengthen. I’d get a kinesiologist to check out your body movements to see what’s off your get more bang for buck than with physio. & get studies done but guarantee they’ll ask what you’ve done to try to solve it.

[nosher in reply to Hidden]

Do you do any repetitive motion with your hands at work or home (computer,etc) You should look into carpal tunnel if caught early it can be treated with splints,etc. I would ask for a neurological referral.

[luthien in reply to nosher]

I do use a computer but have done for years without any issues, doesn't feel like carpel tunnel as it feels like it originates further up.

Did some door stretches last night, seemed to help, although I did have to sleep on one side all night!

I'm thinking I aggravated something during exercise, but am going to look into it, doctors appointments take ages here so may go private.

[cyberbarn]

You may like to see an osteopath. Some see NHS patients, but many are still private despite being on the same level as physios now that they are also Allied Healthcare Professionals.

I have had problems with my hands and arms that have all originated in my neck, and my osteopath keeps things working well for me.

[luthien in reply to cyberbarn]

I've managed to get a emergency physio appointment for tomorrow morning, as my GP is really slow.

Hopefully they'll be able to do some investigation / manipulation and let me know what the problem is. It'd just be good to know what's going on and whether I'm currently doing the right stretches to help.

From there I'll look at an osteopath or kinesiologist long term as I suspect this has been creeping up not just happened.

[Classicslaw]

It sounds like a trapped nerve, or bulging disc in your neck- you have exactly the same symptoms as I have. (I also found that sleeping oddly with one arm above my head was the only comfortable position) I went to the physio initially, and they told me it was a soft tissue problem, but I went for an MRI and it turned out to be a severely bulging disc. As others have noted, there can be an issue with permanent nerve damage, so do make sure that you get it thoroughly checked..

Hope you feel better soon.

[Affrael]

I have numbness issues like that too, although I get numbness during the day also. I tend to rub or shake my hands when it happens. For me, if I'm in bed and awake, I can feel a numb tingling sensation in my fingers, which spreads if I don't move my arm. The more alarming thing is when I wake up to find the numbness has gone up my arm. My hand flops about uselessly and I cannot feel or move any part of my hand. With a lot of rubbing and shaking, sensation slowly returns, but for a while it doesn't feel like my hand and my fingers feel swollen.

I have to admit I find this rather scary and I'm always scared that the feeling won't come back. I have tried to explain it to a doctor once and he wasn't concerned, but I remain anxious about it.

I do have cervical spondylosis and osteoarthritis in my lower spine among other things, so really don't know what causes the issue.