Numbness: limbs, finger, arm, leg go numb

Kinds

Before contacting a specialist for qualified help, it is important to determine the type of tingling (the medical definition is paresthesia). Thus, each type of illness speaks of various types of disorders in the body.

1. The little finger of the right hand goes numb - the nerves are pinched and cervical osteochondrosis develops.
2. Middle finger – damage to the cervical vertebrae of the collar zone occurs.
3. Ring finger – if the finger is not pulled over the wedding ring, then muscle strain should be suspected.
4. Numbness in the thumbs of the right and left hands - the cause may lie in a basic lack of vitamins, muscle strain or inflammation of the brachial nerve. But you should also be wary of more dangerous diagnoses, namely: pre-stroke condition, disturbances in the functioning of the nervous and cardiac systems.
5. The index finger goes numb when the metabolic system does not work properly, or when the nervous system malfunctions due to stress and breakdowns.
6. The little finger and ring fingers of the left hand – the functions of the cardiovascular system are impaired.

Diagnostic measures

When visiting a clinic, the patient is referred to a therapist. The doctor collects anamnesis, asks about symptoms, their frequency, duration. After a preliminary diagnosis has been made, the patient is given directions for diagnostic examination:

• Dopplerography
  - necessary to determine the patency of arterial and venous vessels;
• MRI or CT
  — allows you to identify degenerative changes in the cervical spine: vertebrae, soft tissues and nerve fibers;

• electroencephalography
  - carried out to assess brain activity, oxygen saturation of the main arteries;
• echoencephalography
  - determines structural changes in parts of the brain;
• X-ray images
  - helps to identify deviations in cartilage discs, compression of blood vessels, nerve endings.

Suspicions of problems in the cardiovascular department are confirmed by ultrasound and electrocardiogram. They are necessary for symptoms of pre-infarction and pre-stroke conditions.

Causes

Paresthesia is not always associated with a painful condition of the body (neuralgia). Non-medical causes of numbness in the fingers include:

• general hypothermia of the body or upper extremities;
• consequence of hand injury;
• sleeping in an unnatural position;
• poisoning of the body with alcohol, drugs, chemicals;
• wearing tight-fitting jewelry (rings, bracelets);
• keeping your fingers in one position for a long time (knitting, typing on the keyboard).

REFERENCE! During pregnancy, a woman may experience numbness in her limbs due to the increased load on the body and hormonal changes.

If tingling is felt with constant frequency and is present in the same limb or finger, you should immediately contact a specialist for timely diagnosis and prescription of effective treatment.

Medical causes of the disease include:

• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• tunnel syndrome;
• inflammatory processes in the joints;
• failure of the cardiovascular system;
• cerebral hemorrhage;
• brain activity disorders;
• improper blood circulation against the background of developing diabetes mellitus;
• thrombosis;
• disruption of the endocrine system;
• nail fungus;
• avitaminosis.

It should be borne in mind that the proper functioning of the body directly depends on the lifestyle that a person leads. Bad habits have a tremendous impact on the body's ability to function properly.

General information about pathology

Incomplete tactile sensitivity, a feeling of periodic tingling in the phalanges may indicate pathologies of various internal systems and organs.

Dystrophic-degenerative changes in the spine, various injuries, and osteochondrosis can cause numbness not only in the fingers, but also in the entire arm.

During pregnancy, women should pay attention to the slightest deviations: swelling, poor flexion of the fingers and immediately seek professional help.

Without a full diagnostic examination, it is impossible to choose the right treatment regimen; it is necessary to identify the source of the pathological condition. Prolonged ignoring of increasing symptomatic signs can lead to complications, the transition of the underlying disease into chronic forms. The physiological type of disorder should be given no less attention - constant problems with blood circulation will eventually develop into real diseases.

Which doctor treats

For regularly recurring attacks of paresthesia, seeking professional medical help is a must. First of all, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist.

When choosing a clinic, you should take into account the presence of its own diagnostic facilities, the experience and qualifications of the working specialists (in particular, neurologists).

ATTENTION! The Kuntsevo Treatment and Rehabilitation Center has an extensive diagnostic base in all possible areas (MRI, ultrasound, electroneuromyography, etc.) to quickly and accurately determine a patient’s diagnosis.

Basic tests and procedures to make a correct diagnosis:

• blood and urine tests;
• blood sugar level analysis;
• Ultrasound, ECG of the heart muscle;
• MRI of the hand;
• Dopplerography of blood vessels, etc.

If necessary, additional studies will be ordered to more accurately diagnose the patient.

Depending on the nature of the origin of the symptom, based on the tests performed, the specialist will prescribe the most effective treatment in each specific case. The clinic employs the best neurologists, orthopedic traumatologists, rheumatologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, chiropractors, rehabilitation specialists and other specialized specialists with many years of experience.

Numbness of the fingers is a sign that indicates neurological disorders in a person’s limbs.

IMPORTANT! A slight decrease in sensitivity can become a real problem after some time if timely treatment is not started by a qualified specialist.

Self-medication, as in all other cases, threatens not only to complicate the situation, but also to develop other neurological disorders. Therefore, make an appointment with an experienced neurologist at our center, who will conduct a full range of diagnostics, determine the causes of your condition and prescribe effective treatment.

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Sources of development of the problem

Doctors distinguish two main subgroups of causes of discomfort. Particular attention is paid to diseases, under the influence of which the fingers on the upper extremities began to go numb.

Physiological causes of deviation

Non-standard symptoms do not always serve as evidence of the development of a pathological process. Common reasons include:

1. Uncomfortable position during night rest - due to weight pressure on the limb. At first it tingles in the palm area, later it swells. Statistical posture provokes pain throughout the arm, up to the elbow and above.

2. Wearing tight clothing with tight sleeves and cuffs can cause circulatory dysfunction in both upper extremities. Rings, bracelets, watches delivered overnight interfere with the free circulation of blood through the phalanges and hands.

3. Deformation - bumps, dents on the bed provoke discomfort in the morning. If after waking up your arm hurts or your pads go numb, then you need to replace your old mattress with an orthopedic one.

Spending a long time at the computer or office desk also negatively affects the sensitivity of the fingers. The solution to the problem is to perform gymnastics for the upper limbs - every hour for 5 minutes.

Treatment of a runny nose requires identifying the source of the infection (allergy, bacterial or viral infection). But to alleviate the patient’s condition, auxiliary medications are needed, including drops and sprays for congestion. Read more in the article: “nasal drops for nasal congestion without addiction.”

Pathological causes

There are a large number of diseases that can lead to numbness in the fingers. Common causes include pathologies of the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular departments.

Cervical osteochondrosis

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A disease characterized by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cartilaginous tissues of the joint. Damage to the cervical spine leads to damage to the nerves going to the upper limbs. Periodic loss of sensation in the fingers is observed on one of the hands - right or left.

Depending on the location of the damage, the following manifestations occur:

• at the level of the 8th vertebra - ring finger and little finger;
• at the 7th vertebra - middle and nameless;
• at the 6th vertebra - large, index and middle.

Combined sensory loss in the lower and upper extremities is rare. Cold hands in hot weather are a sign of circulatory problems.

Sometimes, due to tissue rejection in the area of ​​​​the feet and legs, defects are formed that occur after necrosis. Trophic ulcers occur after complications of chronic pathologies and are characterized by a long healing process, infection and frequent relapse. Read more in the article: “Treatment of trophic ulcers.”

Carpal tunnel syndrome

The pathology leads to pinching of the median nerve in the wrist. Symptoms appear:

• swelling of the fingers;
• pain syndrome of varying severity.

A severe form of pathology prevents the patient from engaging in daily work. A person may drop small and medium-sized objects from their hands and have difficulty moving their fingers.

The disease occurs in people who have been in a statistical situation for a long time.

Strong tension in the hands provokes poor circulation, congestion, and pinched nerve endings. Patients are recommended to do short warm-ups every hour to normalize blood circulation.

Polyneuropathy or polyneuropathy

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The condition occurs when the nerve endings in the hands of the upper extremities are damaged. The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of damage: unpleasant sensations can be observed in the fingertips several times a week or constantly. Lack of treatment leads to complete loss of sensation at the tips of the phalanges. Pathology is formed under the influence of vitamin deficiency, infectious diseases, and diabetes.

Raynaud's disease

The developing disease leads to disturbances in blood circulation in the small vessels of the hand. When going out into the cold, patients freeze, their fingers cramp, and they often catch a cold. People with Raynaud's disease must be careful when in contact with cleansers, detergents, and water - all work must be done with household gloves.

Arterial and venous thrombosis

It is characterized by blockage of blood vessels with blood clots, followed by dysfunction of the circulatory system. A lack of nutrients and oxygen causes the fingertips to go numb. As the pathology develops, loss of sensitivity spreads to the entire upper limb, and discomfort increases.

The presence of symptoms for more than 2 hours requires contacting a medical facility - delay threatens tissue necrosis.

Patients who ignore the signs of thrombosis for a long time, in severe cases, have their limbs amputated.

Cerebral vascular insufficiency

Lack of tactile sensation may indicate an impending stroke. The pathology affects one arm, the condition is accompanied by attacks of headaches and increased blood pressure. Lack of professional help can cause death.

Treatment methods

Treatment for numbness in the fingers is carried out in several ways.

1. Drug therapy. The doctor selects a course of effective, maximally safe medications, creams or ointments to relieve inflammation, relieve swelling and eliminate severe pain.
2. Local treatment. In this case, therapeutic massage or manual therapy is used.
3. Physiotherapy. Treatment is carried out with laser, magnet or ultrasound. As a result of this approach, blood circulation in the body is normalized and damaged tissues are regenerated.
4. Exercise therapy and gymnastics. Relieves pain, restores normal sensitivity in the limbs, and alleviates the general condition.

IMPORTANT! The priority area of ​​work of the CLRC is conservative therapy. The prescription of powerful, at the same time safe, pain-relieving drugs is combined with manual therapy, physical therapy, physiotherapy and massages. Only an integrated approach will help achieve the desired result quickly and for a long time.

Rehabilitation and lifestyle restoration

Rehabilitation programs at the CLRC are developed in different directions in order to select the most effective one in each individual case.

1. Physiotherapy.
2. Manual therapy.
3. Reflexology.
4. Physiotherapy.
5. Massage.
6. HILT therapy.
7. Shock wave therapy (SWT).
8. Electrotherapy (SMT therapy).
9. Electrophoresis with Karipazim.
10. Dry traction of the spine.
11. Laser therapy.
12. Rehabilitation after endoprosthetics.

Lifestyle with paresthesia

To eliminate the possibility of a return of symptoms of paresthesia, it is necessary to adhere to the basic rules of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

1. Do not drink alcohol, nicotine, or drugs.
2. Eat well. Eliminate food waste from your diet (sugar, white flour, preservatives, etc.)
3. Meals should be fractional. Avoid overeating.
4. Periodically monitor blood glucose levels and measure blood pressure.
5. Exercise regularly.
6. Maintain a daily routine.
7. Sleep at least 8 hours a day.