There is a legend supposedly paying attention to the numbness of the fingers, which often occurs during sleep, is not worth it. It may well have a true basis only if paresthesia (the scientific name of numbness) occurs every few years and passes without a trace. However, if you began to notice that the numbness of the fingers on your hands becomes regular and the feeling of loss of sensitivity of the tips of the fingers is constantly present or you are not able to cope with muscle weakness, perhaps this is the most important reason for going to a doctor. Due to the high cost of medications and consultations, many patients greatly delay the visit to the doctor, thereby hopelessly aggravating the pathological process in the body. You should not stand on a par with such people, because you probably care about your health.
Causes: why the numbness of fingers on the right and left hand happens
Many people feel numb hands during sleep. It is often expressed by tingling, numbness, and even the inability to raise your hand or turn it along with the body to the other side. The hand can hang with a lifeless whip, which undoubtedly scares a person who has not woken up yet. Agree, this situation confuses many, but is it worth it to panic because of the symptoms? What should I look for?
1. When the hands go numb at night, we often understand that we simply “lay down” on the limbs. Due to unconscious movements in a dream, a person can roll over from side to side many times, sometimes not noticing that he did not lay down very comfortably. And the hand is able to be under the body. So there is a slight violation of blood circulation due to squeezing of blood vessels and the hand goes numb for a short time. Usually, if nothing else bothers you and paresthesias disappear in just a few minutes, you should not call an ambulance.
2. A more threatening cause of numbness of the fingers is osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia in the cervical region. With this diagnosis, paresthesias are constant companions of night sleep in patients, which cause considerable discomfort. Since osteochondrosis is a scourge of our century, more than 75% of the population suffers from them, and treating such a disease is extremely important. Otherwise, the lack of therapy can lead to disability, constant pain in the spine and circulatory disorders of the spinal cord and brain.
3. Numbness of the hands also indicates a serious disease - Raynaud's syndrome. In rare cases, the disease is acquired, but usually it is a genetic disorder. It can occur in workers at industrial plants, where finger micro-damages have become the norm. Also Raynaud's disease occurs in people with frequent hypothermia and emotional stress.
4. Tunnel carpal tunnel syndrome - a disease of office workers. It appears in almost all those who sit day and night at the computer or make movements of the same type: she writes a lot, knits, scribbles on a sewing machine, or paints walls. Each of the professions can trigger the onset of tunnel syndrome. It is manifested by pain in the radiocarpal joint, numbness of the fingers, often large and index, as well as unpleasant sensations when the hand is bent. If this ailment is not treated, it can lead to muscular dystrophy, squeezing of blood vessels and a serious impairment of blood circulation. It is treated by surgery, because it goes into gangrene.
5. For people with diabetes, finger numbness is not uncommon. Due to high sugar, the vessels invariably suffer, which leads to a disorder in blood circulation.
6. Fingertips may become numb with nail fungus - onychomycosis. Due to the inflammatory process that develops in the root of the nail, you may feel numb at the ends of the fingers.
7. Paresthesias are often felt by pregnant women. This is because the body is under constant pressure. An important factor is the hormonal changes inside it.
You can notice that only certain fingers are numb, for example, the little finger and the ringless one on the left hand, or the index finger and the big one on the right hand. This is what this may indicate:
• On the development of myocardial infarction. The left hand often signals malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. A pain that extends to the left arm with numbness in the fingers is a threatening symptom of a heart attack. If these sensations are accompanied by tingling and painful attacks behind the sternum and under the scapula, as well as a feeling of shortness of breath and dizziness, call an ambulance immediately.
• On brain stroke. The right or left hand is numb with it - it does not matter at all. Sudden sharp headache, movement disorder and severe muscle weakness in the arms or legs may indicate cerebral hemorrhage.
• Alcohol abuse causes a disease called polyneuropathy. It is characterized by pains in the hands, weakness, massive edema, and an impaired sensitivity of the fingers.
• Any neurological diseases or pathological formations in the body that are manifested by paresthesias should alert the patients and encourage them to visit the doctor immediately.
Diagnosis: how to determine the causes of hand numbness and what to do about it
Primary self-diagnostics consists only in the analysis of own sensations. Before coming to the doctor you should fix any symptoms, you can even write them down. For example, note the duration and nature of numbness in the hands. When exactly this happens: at night, in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening. How long does paresthesia last and which fingers are involved in the process. All this will help the doctor to make the correct diagnosis and subsequently prescribe treatment.
For a start it is worth visiting a regular therapist. He will assess the situation and can send you to narrow specialists. Numbness of the fingers is also treated:
• Vertebrologists,
• Cardiologists,
• Endocrinologists,
• Manual therapists,
• Neurologists,
• Rheumatologists.
Each of the doctors will prescribe a treatment that will save you from numbness at night or during the day.
In addition to self-diagnosis and full-time examination by a doctor, you can also get:
• X-ray of the spinal column;
• MRI or CT scan of the spinal cord or brain, as well as blood vessels and the cervical spine;
• Electrocardiogram and ultrasound of the heart;
• To hand over the general and developed blood test;
• ENMG, that is, electroneuromyography. This study is aimed at determining the mobility and excitability of muscles, assessing the state of peripheral nerve fibers and their sensitivity. It allows you to accurately determine the nature of the disease, whether it is a neurological disorder or primary muscular disease.
Treatment of numbness of the fingers - what procedures can be prescribed by a specialist
Immediately after the diagnosis, a qualified doctor will prescribe a course of procedures for you. Often this list includes:
1. Vitamin therapy.
Lack of vitamins can greatly affect the state of the muscular and nervous systems, as a result of which there are many problems, including numbness of the fingers, hands, and legs. Vitamins of group B, E and A will help to balance the balance. They can be taken in pills or by injection if the situation is neglected. In milder cases, a diet will help normalize the level of vitamins in the body. For example, a lack of vitamin B12 can be negated by eating eggs, fish and meat, as well as liver, cheese, seafood and sour cream.
To compensate for the level of vitamins A and E, eating butter, sea kale, cheese, cottage cheese, garlic, broccoli, as well as nuts, dried fruit, spinach and oatmeal.
2. Therapeutic exercise and massage.
Good results in numbness of the fingers and hands gives physical culture under the supervision of a specialist. Some exercises can be carried out at home, especially since they are not difficult. For example, with frequent numbness of the fingers, you can perform the flexion-extension exercise in different positions: with the arms raised upward, tilted and lowering down.
Normalization of blood circulation is perfectly helped by a massage performed by a professional. In addition to kneading fingers, palms and hands, it will be useful to undergo a course of massages of the cervical-collar area, for the prevention of osteochondrosis, muscles of the flexors-extensors of the forearm, elbow joint or a general tonic massage. To solve the problems of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, there are also certain types of massages.
3. Treatment with drugs and ointments.
In this case, only a doctor can choose a therapy. You should not engage in self-medication, because you should understand that numbness of the fingers can be dangerous and can be a symptom of a serious pathology that can lead to disability and even death (stroke or heart attack).
Therapy in tablets is aimed at removing the inflammatory process in the tissues, removing excess fluid if swelling occurs, reducing pain and relieving a feeling of numbness.
4. Physiotherapy.
Exposure to physiotherapeutic devices solves many problems. Magnetic therapy will help relieve joint pain, improve blood circulation and remove swelling. Heat therapy (paraffin or ozokerite compresses) is prescribed for diseases of the spine and osteochondrosis, it helps to warm up a sore spot, relieve spasm and speed up blood circulation. And electrophoresis makes it possible to deliver drugs into the deeper layers of the skin, straight into focal inflammations, providing a quick effect of treatment.
Folk remedies: how to treat numbness of the fingers with the help of a first-aid kit
At home, some remedies can also help relieve numb hands. For example, simple contrast baths or douches will perfectly restore blood microcirculation, and with regular use they will also relieve paresthesias. For this procedure you need to take two containers with hot and cold water. Put your hands in them in turns, holding literally 30-40 seconds. This exercise is repeated about 10 times.
Massage with essential oils will be a great helper not only in the treatment of numbness, but also to preserve youth and beauty of the hands. Only for this you will need someone from the family, because an independent massage can be inconvenient. To cope with the frequent numbness of your fingers, you need to take:
- Olive oil,
- Eucalyptus,
- Rosemary,
- Basil,
- Grapefruit
You can also use pumpkin or potato wraps to combat paresthesias. You need to boil the pumpkin or potatoes, stretch them and put them on the sore spots, wrapping them first in film and then in a towel or foil.
Another recipe: to remove numbness, you should mix olive oil with black pepper, boil on the stove for about half an hour and spread this mixture 2-3 times a day in the area of your fingers and fingers.
Preventive measures for numbness of the fingers
Remember: in order not to reap the fruits of their carelessness, you need to take care of your health.
Do not freeze. This is very important, as hypothermia negatively affects the entire body and the condition of the joints in particular.
Let your pens rest. Especially if you work at a computer or make a lot of monotonous movements throughout the day. Do a little gymnastics every hour.
Take comfortable posture during sleep. Do not forget that the normal state of the spine is considered its linearity. If your pillow is too high and your spine is bent in the cervical region, it cannot fully relax. Due to the constant clamping of small vessels, paresthesias may occur.
Take care of your body, otherwise it can respond to acquired diseases with very unpleasant sensations.
