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.
- The little finger of the right hand goes numb - the nerves are pinched and cervical osteochondrosis develops.
- Middle finger – damage to the cervical vertebrae of the collar zone occurs.
- Ring finger – if the finger is not pulled over the wedding ring, then muscle strain should be suspected.
- 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.
- The index finger goes numb when the metabolic system does not work properly, or when the nervous system malfunctions due to stress and breakdowns.
- The little finger and ring fingers of the left hand – the functions of the cardiovascular system are impaired.
Causes of numbness in various fingers
Numbness in the index finger may indicate arthritis and arthrosis of the elbow joint. Arthrosis destroys the joint tissue of the elbow, which is why the patient complains of pain. Mobility is becoming less and less. The vessels and nerves that pass through the cubital tunnel are compressed, which explains the loss of tactility. A person cannot bring the phalanges together.
Arthritis is caused by heavy loads on the elbow joint or an infectious pathology that causes an inflammatory process. The conductivity of nerve impulses is significantly reduced, causing the index finger to lose sensitivity.
If there are complaints of a slight loss of sensation in the index phalanx and middle finger of the right hand, structural disorders in the tissues are suspected. The consequence is functional malfunctions in the muscles and discs of the neck, intervertebral tissues. The result is compression of the nerve endings, obstruction of the signal through them. Pain symptoms also occur in the shoulder and forearm area.
The middle phalanx becomes numb in some cases due to neuropathy of the peripheral zone, resulting from a violation of the integrity of the distal processes of the nerve receptors of the radial nerve. This happens if there is a rupture or damage to the nerve fiber resulting from a sprain, subluxation of the elbow joint, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
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.
Circulatory disorders
Blood circulation is disrupted with the development of a disease such as vascular sclerosis. This pathology is associated with the heart and blood vessels - cholesterol is deposited in them. Numbness can also be a consequence of deformation of the intervertebral discs, which is recorded, for example, with osteochondrosis. Numbness mainly occurs if the pathology affects the cervical region. Then a neurologist will help you.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed in the carpal tunnel, which is located in the wrist. Inflammation in the tendon can be combined with swelling, which causes the syndrome. Or its beginning lies in mechanical action. Compression of the nerve is accompanied by deterioration of blood circulation, which impairs the tactility of the hand (or two hands at once, which is less common).
Pinching the neurovascular bundle of one of the muscles can cause numbness. After the numbness is eliminated, the unpleasant sensations disappear, and the person feels his hand normally again. Also among the causes of numbness is a lack of blood flow to a certain area of the brain. In this case, not only the hand loses sensitivity, but the patient’s blood pressure increases. With such an illness, it is extremely unwise to postpone a visit to the doctor; the consequences can be very sad. Treatment is generally long-term and requires precise identification of the cause.
If the numbness in your fingers goes away quickly and does not recur, then you may not need to consult a neurologist.
Structural deformation of the intervertebral discs, which impinges on the nerves, is likely to cause numbness in parts of the arms. Injury or inflammation of the spine, static heavy loads (as well as dynamic ones), professional sports are increased risk factors for numbness of the fingers.
Other common causes of numbness in fingers:
- monotonous work for a long time in one position
- heavy loads on the spine (daily or systematically)
- stroke and diseases in which disruptions occur in the circulatory system, the systems of the cervical region and brain are affected, and ischemic processes occur
- cardiac pathologies: acute form of coronary syndrome, chronic heart failure
Numbness may not only occur at night. A person ceases to feel both the entire hand and individual phalanges of the fingers. If only the little finger of the left upper limb is numb, then the reasons may be related to tension that constrains the muscle tissue of the upper spine and/or the muscles of the left hand. X-rays often show rotational changes and shifts in the alignment of the cervical or lumbar vertebrae, which leads to compression of the nerves.
When a skeletal disc ruptures, its particles can enter the intervertebral canal, while the fibrous ring remains intact. Doctors attribute this phenomenon to osteochondrosis, which gradually becomes an intervertebral hernia. The little finger of the left hand may go numb; if the patient has heart problems, additional tests should be prescribed.
If you cannot feel your left ring finger, this indicates a compression effect on the nerve cells of the elbow joint. The wrist, ulnar, and median nerves can be affected by injury or pinching, which often occurs in professional athletes. If the ulnar or wrist nerve is abnormal, the ring finger on the left hand may become numb.
In cases where the numbness is not related to injury, the cause may be strangulation of the ulnar nerve. A signal in some place cannot pass through it. If you have numbness not only in your ring finger, but also in your little finger, you should suspect heart pathology and urgently go to a cardiologist.
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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Causes of numbness of the thumb
Carpal tunnel syndrome is directly related to problems affecting this area. Depending on the degree of damage, the pathology in question affects the loss of sensitivity of the phalanges of the thumb, as well as the middle, index and partially ring fingers. In this situation, there is a compression effect on the median nerve passing through the carpal tunnel.
Numbness can also occur during prolonged work, in which the hand is in approximately the same position. This applies to everyone who works at a computer, whose professional activity is related to playing the piano, drivers, and jewelers. Stenosing ligamentosis of the transverse ligaments causes swelling of the connective tissue of the wrist. Compression of the nervous tissue begins, so the impulse passing through it becomes weaker. The movements of the phalanx become constrained, the patient complains of numbness.
The thumb may also go numb in those who have been diagnosed with hemangioma or neurofibroma. These are tumors that can put pressure on nerve endings. If your loss of sensation lasts more than 30 minutes, this is a signal that prompts you to go to the doctor. After all, ignoring the problem leads to worsening of the pathology and can result in atrophy of the muscles of the thumb.
Treatment methods
Treatment for numbness in the fingers is carried out in several ways.
- Drug therapy. The doctor selects a course of effective, maximally safe medications, creams or ointments to relieve inflammation, relieve swelling and eliminate severe pain.
- Local treatment. In this case, therapeutic massage or manual therapy is used.
- 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.
- 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.
What to do if you experience pain in your hands after knitting
Pain after working with knitting needles does not appear immediately. The first signs appear a few hours after finishing knitting.
Note! If pain in the hands, numbness in the fingers, or discomfort appear during knitting, then work should be stopped immediately to avoid more unpleasant consequences.
As a rule, the affected area of the hand turns red and is easy to identify. You need to apply something cold to the place where you feel discomfort or slight twitching and hold it for several minutes. For this purpose, it is advisable to use ice from the freezer (a chilled carton of milk will also work).
In extreme cases, if the pain has not gone away (or even decreased) a day after it occurred, it is recommended to seek help from a doctor. The doctor will prescribe the necessary medications and also apply a special bandage to the damaged area of the hands.
The pain caused to your hands from long-term knitting should not be taken lightly. If you do not take measures to eliminate discomfort in time, there may be complications later. A person will not be able to work with his fingers; they will turn red or even become completely numb.
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.
- Physiotherapy.
- Manual therapy.
- Reflexology.
- Physiotherapy.
- Massage.
- HILT therapy.
- Shock wave therapy (SWT).
- Electrotherapy (SMT therapy).
- Electrophoresis with Karipazim.
- Dry traction of the spine.
- Laser therapy.
- 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.
- Do not drink alcohol, nicotine, or drugs.
- Eat well. Eliminate food waste from your diet (sugar, white flour, preservatives, etc.)
- Meals should be fractional. Avoid overeating.
- Periodically monitor blood glucose levels and measure blood pressure.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain a daily routine.
- Sleep at least 8 hours a day.
