Numb fingers

handels

handels

Cathlete
The pinky and ring finger of my left hand have been sort of numb for about a week. I googled it (of course) and found that this can be caused by putting weight on your elbow. I often rest my head on that hand, with elbow on my desk, so that sounds like a reasonable explanation.

However, the solutions I've found don't seem to be helping. I'm obviously trying not to lean on my elbow anymore. I found some stretches online that are supposed to help - moving wrist with arm outstretched.

Has anyone had this happen to them and found a way to get rid of it? It's hard not to think about it and it was really concerning me while I was lifting. I don't think it affects my grip but it certainly makes me feel insecure about holding a heavy weight above my face :)

Thanks for any advice!
 
Hannah,

I experienced this in the past. It was due to repeatedly bashing my elbow on doorways. I had a tendency to pull my hair into a ponytail (or comb my hair) while walking through doorways. I'm weird. :eek: I felt numbness in my index and ring finger. I didn't really find a way to get rid of it except not bash my elbow anymore. It took at least a month or so to go away and I haven't had the problem since.

Sorry I can't be of more help. It will go away in time.
 
I bash every joint known to man into the doorjambs in my house! :eek: Never experienced anything but pain from it BUT part of my arm from my elbow up through my hand and pinky and ring figers will "fall asleep" if I put pressure on my elbows in a certain way for too long so I am kind of familiar with what the OP is talking about. As soon as I change position though, the feeling starts to disappear.
 
Well, once again it's me who has had experience with this. My left pinky and ring finger are actually numb as I type this. My problem isn't in the elbow though, it's a pinched nerve up in my shoulder neck area. I've researched this too and found that it can be either a pinched nerve in the elbow or in the shoulder. I've done about all I can at work to try and make my work area "ergonomical", but I've still been struggling with this for months. My chiropractor has been helping me a little, but what helps the most is putting moist heat on my shoulder (seems funny to treat the area that isn't necessarily hurting, but you can stretch your fingers and wrist all you want and it's not really helping the cause of the problem) and my DH takes a hard tennis ball and rolls it around on my shoulder neck area to relieve the tension. I also put moist heat on my elbow too just in case. I can't take it right now, but I was told ibuprofen would help especially if the nerve itself is actually inflamed or the area around it - or something like that. I'm not a doctor so I can't remember all the technical stuff. Just that Advil helps. ;) I can't take it while I'm preggers though.

I use a cloth bag with rice inside and nuke it to get the moist heat by the way. Also, if anyone tries to tell you it's carpal tunnel, it's not. People keep telling me that and carpel tunnel affects the other fingers of the hand. It can sometimes affect half of the ring finger, but not the pinky. If your pinky is numb, it's either the elbow or the shoulder that is the problem.

p.s. Just read that the nerve can also be compressed at the wrist. Pesky little Ulnar nerve! Sounds like yours is probably the elbow though. We only know mine is the shoulder because I actually have a knot in my shoulder that when they touch it, it hits the nerve and sends this shocking pain straight down those 2 fingers. Not to be scary or anything, but if this doesn't stop, it can cause permanent damage to the nerve, so at some point you may want to mention it to your doctor. They are hoping mine will go away after pregnancy. If not, I'm going to have to have something done to fix it.
 
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Liann said:
. People keep telling me that and carpel tunnel affects the other fingers of the hand. It can sometimes affect half of the ring finger, but not the pinky. If your pinky is numb, it's either the elbow or the shoulder that is the problem.
Click to expand...


Cubital tunnel syndrome affects the opposite fingers that carpal tunnel does (pinky and 1/2 the ring finger).

Erica
 
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EricaH said:
Cubital tunnel syndrome affects the opposite fingers that carpal tunnel does (pinky and 1/2 the ring finger) and that could be what your problem is - especially if you are pregnant.

Erica
Click to expand...

Yep, that's what it is. They said it's the "ulnar nerve" that is getting irritated. No morning sickness, swelling etc.., but all my dang nerves are going to heck in handbasket! ;) If anyone has any sciatic questions, that one is screwed up too! ;)
 
Liann said:
Yep, that's what it is. They said it's the "ulnar nerve" that is getting irritated. No morning sickness, swelling etc.., but all my dang nerves are going to heck in handbasket! ;) If anyone has any sciatic questions, that one is screwed up too! ;)
Click to expand...

I was one of the lucky ones to get carpal tunnel in both of my hands in my last pregnancy and it didn't go away after delivery like it does for most women (or maybe all women except for me). I also have cubital tunnel in my right hand.

Hope everything resolves for you after your baby is born!

Erica
 
Do you get burning and the pins-and-needles feeling with it? I have a pinched nerve in my neck and certain positions bring numbness on along with that nasty burn that goes all the way down my arm.
If it doesn't go away soon maybe talk to a doctor? I've been prescribed muscle relaxers and certain exercises for those neck muscles, but if it doesn't resolve I may end up in surgery. Not to scare you, but maybe it's something that's not going to go away without medical attention!

PS to Liann- I feel for you sister; when I was pregnant my sciatica on the left side was so bad I could hardly waddle around! I went to the chiropractor and he worked on my preggo saddlebags, bum, and lovehandles a bit and it did relieve some pressure on that nerve; I don't know how bad yours is but it might be worth a try if you're up for it!
 
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Sometimes when I'm in meetings I have to be careful to not put my elbows or forearms on the table, or my nerves start shooting all the way up my arm into my fingers for the whole meeting. Not really numbness- I'd pray for numbness when that happens!
 
Chiropractor

I think that your neck may be out of alignment. When I was 11 yo I was in a car accident that gave me pain/numbness in my left elbow. It turned out that it was just out of alignment and my chiropractor fixed it fairly easily. This can happen if you just sleep wrong, the neck bones slide in and out of where they are supposed to be and voila numbness because they are pressing on some nerves.
 
Jane - I have totally done that before (although not habitually). I hope it doesn't take a month to go away, but maybe that means I don't need to worry that it's been around for over week.

Wendy - That's exactly what it feels like, but it never wakes up. It's really distracting.

Liann - First off, congratulations!!! I hadn't seen anything about the problem coming from the shoulder, but I have been doing a lot of pullups lately. I also have a chronic problem with pulling a muscle on the other side of my body from my neck to back so I wouldn't be surprised if I've found a way to tweak the left side too. I will try the moist heat and massage.

Was there a site or source in particular that helped you make your workspace ergonomical? I work online so I'm on the computer 10 hours a day and already have to wear a brace on the right hand for repetitive stress. I really need to take that situation more seriously.

Jeanie - Hmmm. Could be that too. Keeping my arm straight while I sleep seems like a great idea. I'm sure I bend it at night and that might be keeping it from healing, even if it's not the root of the problem.

Calee - Nope, no pins and needles, its just numb like the "asleep" part before the pins and needles usually come. I wonder how long I can wait before seeing a doctor? Maybe I'll try some of the suggestions above for a week or two and if it doesn't help, I'll go see someone.

Morningstar - It's really just the numbness, though I know exactly what you are talking about. I don't think I banged it on anything but it could really be about any of the other explanations that have been suggested. I don't know how I'm going to narrow it down!

RapidBreath - It really could be. I have a talent for tweaking my neck and shoulders doing the simplest thing, so it could definitely be from something funny I did or how I slept. I will try a chiropractor if none of the suggestions help in a week or so.

Thanks everyone for all of your advice. I also feel so much better that this happens to other people. I thought it was really strange when it happened! I'm going to try your at-home suggestions for a week or two and see if that helps, if not I'll try a chiropractor. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for all of your help! You gals are the bestest :)
 
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