Reasons why hands go numb at night. Complete overview of diseases

Kalinov Yury Dmitrievich

Reading time: 4 minutes

Most people have experienced nighttime finger numbness at least once. Unless the problem is permanent, few pay attention to this alarming symptom. However, loss of sensation in the extremities often indicates the development of pathological processes in the body. Therefore, it is important to know why fingers go numb during sleep. Ignoring regularly appearing unpleasant sensations and the lack of timely treatment of the diseases that caused them can lead to serious consequences.

Causes of finger numbness

Most often, the fingers become numb due to sleeping in an uncomfortable position. If the body position is incorrect, the vessels are pinched and there is a violation of normal blood circulation. Waking up, a person feels pain in the fingers and loss of sensation in the hand.

Many note that after sleeping in an uncomfortable position in the morning, the fingers are difficult to bend. Using a hard pillow can also affect hand movement. If the cause of discomfort is physiological, then in the morning the blood flow is restored and the numbness should pass.

Often the numbness of the fingers on the hands provokes tight and uncomfortable clothing. You can also squeeze the vessels with a strap from the bag. Prolonged wearing of weights also provokes clamping of small capillaries in the hands and disrupt their motor activity. As a result, there may be slight tingling in the pads and fingertips, a feeling of “wadding” or “goosebumps”.

Hands, feet, and fingers often become numb and swollen during pregnancy.

Numbness that occurs for physiological reasons does not require special treatment. When these factors are eliminated, pain disappears.

However, if a problem bothers a person with enviable regularity, then often the cause of its occurrence lies in the disease. Finger numbness at night can be a symptom of:

• diabetes;
• cervical osteochondrosis;
• Raynaud's syndrome;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• multiple sclerosis;
• neuropathy;
• anemia;
• ischemia, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases;
• tumor formation of various etiologies;
• vegetovascular dystonia;
• carpal tunnel syndrome.

Everyone inevitably faces stressful situations. In response to the shock, the body produces a large dose of adrenaline, which continues to flow into the blood even at night. A person feels anxiety and an oppressive state of fear. At the same time, coldness and tingling in the fingers are observed, they can become numb.

diabetes mellitus and neuropathy

Diabetes mellitus is dangerous for its complication - neuropathy, as a result of which the peripheral nervous system is affected. The result is a deterioration in the condition of the small capillaries that feed the nerves. Pathological changes occur due to the increased content of glucose in the blood. As a result, the patency of blood vessels decreases, and the nerve endings experience a lack of nutrition and oxygen starvation.

Article content

A common phenomenon among patients of different ages is numbness of the hands at night, which is accompanied by tingling or slight pain. The main reason for the development of such a pathology is considered to be compression of the vessels of the circulatory system. Too frequent numbness of the hand at night is considered a dangerous symptom and requires seeking the advice of a specialist. Such a phenomenon can serve as one of the signs of a dangerous disease that occurs in the human body.

Reasons for violation

Numbness of the upper extremities causes the appearance of a certain clinical picture. Some patients complain that they have numbness in both hands at the same time, while in others this phenomenon occurs only on one limb. Sometimes the manifestation of such a symptom lasts for quite a long time, but sometimes it can last only a few days.

Such a manifestation of the body should not be left without due attention, because it often develops as a result of various mental disorders and even vision problems. With numbness of the hands at night, you should definitely visit a specialist who will conduct an examination, find out the cause of such failures in the body and, if necessary, select an effective treatment.

Pathology of the left hand

Sleep numbness of the left hand often signals a malfunction of the cardiovascular system or heart disease. Such a phenomenon requires the obligatory supervision of a specialist, since it can cause disruption of the functioning of other organs and systems.

In the event that the left limb becomes numb at night and during the day, the specialist may suspect a microstroke or a pre-infarction condition. If such a symptom occurs, it is imperative to visit a specialist, which will avoid the development of many complications.

Often, the left limb begins to go numb due to failures in the metabolic processes occurring in the human body. Vitamins A and B take an active part in the construction of the sheaths of nerve fibers, and often a pathological condition develops when they are insufficiently supplied to the body. A deficiency of such elements causes damage to the membrane, which ends with a decrease in the sensitivity of nerve fibers.

Sometimes numbness of the left hand occurs with a disease such as atherosclerosis of the artery of the shoulder. Mostly this disease is diagnosed in elderly patients and requires emergency treatment.

It must be remembered that the numbness of any hand is not always a sign of a dangerous disease that occurs in the body. Such a violation can occur when wearing uncomfortable and tight clothes, staying in one position for a long time, or during active sports.

Pathology of the right hand

Doctors say that a person's right hand goes numb under the influence of the same factors as the left. Mostly this pathology develops with the following disorders:

• squeezing of blood vessels;
• cervical osteochondrosis;
• shoulder injuries and injuries;
• scoliosis;
• neurological disorders of the brachial plexus.

At the same time, numbness of the right hand is not considered as a sign of heart disease. Only sometimes such an ailment can signal a pre-stroke condition, which is accompanied by vasoconstriction in the neck.

If two hands go numb

Nighttime numbness of both limbs at once is considered a sign of diabetes mellitus, intervertebral hernia or osteochondrosis. Periodic leakage of the left and right hand with the wrist can signal pathologies of the nervous system or an increase in pressure.

Simultaneous numbness of both hands is one of the signs of the following disorders:

• cirrhosis of the liver;
• arthritis;
• anemia;
• multiple sclerosis;
• increase in pressure;
• lack of vitamins in the body.

There is no need to delay examination and treatment, since numbness of the hands during sleep causes a gradual decrease in fingers, arthritis or partial paralysis.

During pregnancy

Hands often become numb in women during pregnancy, and there are several explanations for this pathology:

• diseases that arose during gestation;
• a rapid set of extra pounds in the last trimester of pregnancy;
• various changes in the vascular system;
• deviations in water-salt metabolism, which are accompanied by the appearance of edema;
• insufficient content of calcium and magnesium, which causes cramps during sleep;
• disruption of the endocrine system;
• too little mobility immediately before childbirth;
• overexertion of the neck muscles due to a long stay at the computer.

In addition, various injuries, pathologies of the spine, and anemia in the expectant mother can cause numbness of the upper limbs during pregnancy.

Possible diseases

Often, nighttime numbness of the hands begins to disturb a person due to various pathologies that occur in the body. Why does such a symptom occur, and what diseases can it accompany?

1. tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome. With such an ailment, the median nerve is clamped, localized between the tendons of the muscles and the bones of the wrist. The consequence of such a pathological condition is a decrease in the sensitivity of the fingers, which is complemented by pronounced pain. Mostly carpal tunnel syndrome is detected in people whose work requires constant flexion and extension of the hand.
2. Chronic circulatory disorders. Such a pathological condition can develop as a result of various diseases occurring in the human body. Circulatory problems can occur due to anemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiac ischemia or hypertension. With an increased concentration of glucose in the human body, destruction and changes in the structure of the walls of blood vessels are observed, and the result is disruptions in blood circulation. Heart diseases are characterized by a violation of the pumping function of the main organ, that is, the vessels cannot fully fill with blood.
3. Osteochondrosis. The cause of numbness of the hands at night can also be osteochondrosis in the event that the localization of the inflammatory process becomes the cervical spine. With such a pathology, the roots of the nerve endings are strongly pinched, and their blood supply is disrupted, which ends with a malfunction of the spinal roots. It is possible to diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervical spine by the presence of a crunch and pain in the neck while turning the head, as well as recurring headaches of unclear origin.

In some cases, numbness of the upper limbs at night can occur:

• with insufficient content in the body of vitamin B;
• with inflammatory processes in the nerves;
• against the background of degenerative changes in the nerves and blood vessels.

Only an experienced specialist can establish the truth of the cause of hand numbness, therefore, if such a symptom appears frequently, you should contact a medical facility. Do not ignore such a symptom, as it can signal serious health problems.

External causes of pathology

There are various situations when hands may become numb at night or immediately after waking up in the morning. In most cases, the cause of this pathological condition is physiological causes, that is, problems with blood circulation, squeezing the wrist or elbow. However, sometimes it is enough just to change a hard pillow or an uncomfortable position, and the unpleasant sensation of discomfort immediately disappears.

Some external factors can provoke numbness of the limbs. Often, the cause of a decrease in the sensitivity of the limbs or their leakage is the wrong position of the body during rest, when the palms are raised up or tucked under the pillow. During sleep, the work of the heart and vascular system is much slower and blood flow is noticeably disturbed if a person's upper limbs are bent at the elbow or his fists are clenched. Experts do not advise resting on your side at night, pressing your hand with your body, and also putting it under your spouse's head. It is these positions that often provoke numbness and tingling in the limbs, so when they change, they immediately disappear.

Too uncomfortable or tight clothing in which a person sleeps can cause a tingling sensation in places where the hands are squeezed. The main reason for the development of a condition when the upper limbs are numb is tight folds, cuffs or too tight seams. For relaxation, it is recommended to choose comfortable pajamas made of soft materials and refuse to wear too narrow T-shirts.

A common cause of numbness and swelling of the hands at night is a heavy or hard pillow. When using too large an uncomfortable pillow during rest, the cervical spine arches too much, there are problems with blood circulation, the fingers go numb, which is why their sensitivity decreases. To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to replace the hard pillow with a lower and softer one. The best solution would be to purchase a special orthopedic pillow, which has a special cushion under the neck and a small recess for the head. Such a convenient device helps the body to take the correct anatomical position and normalizes blood circulation during sleep.

The constant wearing of various jewelry on the fingers and wrists can cause pain and swelling of the upper limbs. To solve the problem, it is recommended to remove all rings and bracelets before going to bed, which will allow the blood to move normally to all vessels and nerve endings.

Another reason why both hands go numb at night may be the use of alcohol, spicy foods or coffee before bedtime. In addition, such nutrition causes the patient to develop swelling and pain in various parts of the body. To eliminate this pathology, you should not eat salty and fatty foods before going to bed, and also do not go to bed while intoxicated.

Pathology treatment methods

Before proceeding with the treatment of hand numbness, you should find out what reason provoked the development of such an ailment. If such a symptom appears, you should seek advice from a therapist, neurologist or cardiologist. With constant numbness of the hands, a complete MRI should be performed - examination of the spine and ECG

When a patient is diagnosed with such a diagnosis as parestensia, a general strengthening massage of the collar zone, therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy are prescribed. The specialist selects simple exercises, indicates their frequency and issues a memo with the indicated exercises.

For the treatment of hand numbness, local methods of treatment are mainly used:

1. Manual exposure helps to reduce the inflammatory process in the affected tissues and stop vascular hypoxia.
2. Physiotherapy helps to increase the movement of blood in the tissues and improve their nutrition. Ultrasound, laser therapy help to achieve a biostimulating effect, and electrophoresis makes it possible to influence the affected area with drugs.
3. Therapeutic and preventive gymnastics helps to develop muscle joints and strengthen them. In addition, such exercises increase blood circulation and improve tissue traffic.

In the treatment of hand numbness, the main focus is on improving blood flow through the vessels, and regular exercise can achieve the best effect. It is possible to eliminate the discomfort that occurs during sleep with the help of hiking and morning exercises.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for hand numbness are not as effective as drug therapy, but you should not completely abandon their use. With their regular use, it is possible to get rid of the pain syndrome and restore the sensitivity of the fingers.

To combat numbness of the fingers, you can use the following traditional medicine recipes:

1. In a container, mix 50 ml of ammonia with 10 ml of camphor and pour such a solution with a liter of water. After that, you need to pour a spoonful of table salt into the mixture and stir until it is completely dissolved. Prepared folk remedy should be rubbed on the hands of those places that go numb at night.
2. Pour 3 liters of hot water into the basin and dissolve a handful of rosemary in it. The prepared product must be slightly cooled and poured into the bath, which is recommended to be taken 15 minutes before bedtime.
3. Potatoes should be peeled and boiled, then drain the broth and add 10 ml of vegetable oil to it. Root crops need to be cooled slightly and placed in a hand container for 15 minutes. After the procedure, you need to rub the cream into the skin of the hands with light massaging movements to improve blood circulation.
4. Pumpkin porridge, which is prepared from the pulp of a root vegetable in water, is considered an effective remedy of traditional medicine in the fight against a decrease in the sensitivity of the hands. Such porridge must be applied to the numb areas of the upper limbs and covered with a warm scarf on top. Before each procedure, the porridge should be heated in a water bath and only then applied to the hands.
5. You can eliminate discomfort in the hands and improve blood circulation with the help of mustard oil, which is sold in a pharmacy. It is necessary to rub the sore areas of the hands well with such a remedy, put on cotton gloves or long-sleeved pajamas.

Hand numbness at night often signals a dangerous disease that occurs in the body. In a situation where such a pathology occurs periodically or every night, you should seek help from a medical institution as soon as possible. Timely diagnosis makes it possible to identify pathology at the very beginning of its development and thereby avoid the development of many complications.

With rare numbness of the hands, morning exercises, sports and a healthy lifestyle are considered a good preventive measure. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to scroll the hands in different directions and warm up the shoulder joints. Alternative methods of treatment help to cope with the problem, but only if numbness is not a sign of a dangerous disease.

Often a condition occurs when fingers become numb during or after sleep. In medicine, this condition is called paresthesia. Unpleasant pain and tingling are felt in the palms, fingers, they move with difficulty, become like cotton. Discomfort in the limbs torments for a long time, prevents you from falling asleep again, and in the morning from doing everyday things.

Why do my fingers go numb in my sleep

Usually, the phenomenon of paresthesia is associated with a temporary violation of blood flow, but sometimes serious diseases are the cause. The most common medical diagnosis is compression of the median nerve, neuritis, osteochondrosis. Sometimes, to confirm the diagnosis, consultation of narrow specialists is required - a neuropathologist or a cardiologist.

Before seeking specialized help, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of pathological paresthesia and distinguish it from numbness of the fingers during sleep due to a pinched nerve.

External causes

There are several typical situations when hands become numb after sleep. This is usually associated with pinching in the elbow or wrist joint, as well as circulatory disorders due to other physiological reasons. Sometimes it is enough to eliminate an external problem to forget about discomfort in the morning forever. We list the most common causes of paresthesia.

Uncomfortable sleeping position

Raised hands and palms folded under the pillow - this position during a night's rest is the most common reason why fingers go numb during sleep. Closed fists and bent elbows impede the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, its work slows down, and blood flows to the hands with difficulty.

The same effect is obtained by sleeping with the arm under the head or on the side, leaning on the limb with the whole body. Usually it is enough to change the position to a more comfortable and relaxed one for the tingling and numbness to go away.

hard pillow

This is another common reason why fingers go numb during sleep. A large, heavy and uncomfortable pillow leads to arching of the spine in the cervical region just at the level of the arms. The circulation of the nerve roots of the spinal column is disturbed and spreads to the fingers, palms and the entire arm, causing numbness.

The solution to the problem will be a high-quality selection of a pillow, which should be small and loose, and even better - orthopedic, which has a cushion under the neck and a notch for the head. This design promotes a natural anatomical sleeping posture and normal blood supply.

tight clothes

Tight, tight, uncomfortable pajamas and shirts often cause fingers to go numb during sleep. Burning and numbness is felt in the place of pinching the limbs with rough seams, tight cuffs, various folds and ruffles. Leisure clothing should be soft, loose, mostly from knitted fabrics.

Decorations

Fingers and hands can swell while you sleep, so jewelry such as watches, bracelets, and rings can interfere with natural blood flow. In order to avoid the occurrence of numbness and pain, it is recommended to remove jewelry at night, and lightly massage the place where they are worn.

Bad habits

Another reason why fingers go numb during sleep may be alcohol abuse, especially sleeping while intoxicated. Before going to bed, you should avoid eating fatty, salty and spicy foods. Saturated coffee at night can also provoke numbness in the hands.

The above reasons are caused by external factors and do not bring significant damage to health. It is much worse when the symptoms of numbness are the consequences of the disease. In this case, without a thorough examination, treatment and medical supervision is indispensable.

Internal causes

The condition we are considering requires more careful attention if the fingers go numb in the morning after sleep almost every day. Advanced diagnostic methods help to identify the disease and cure it at an early stage. Focus on paresthesia should be in the event that the elimination of external factors did not bring relief from anxiety symptoms.

Initially, for an examination, you should contact a therapist, and then, if necessary, a cardiologist and a neurologist.

Possible signs of the disease:

• Significant swelling;
• Cramps in the fingers;
• Severe pain on waking that persists for a long time;
• Cracking in the joints, weakness of the arms, pain in the neck.

These symptoms may indicate diseases of the CCC (cardiovascular system) or nervous, as well as the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, a visit to the doctor for advice is strictly necessary.

If the fingers of the right hand go numb in a dream

A similar condition may be the result of cervical osteochondrosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthrosis. Paresthesia results from stenosis of the arteries and smaller blood vessels. And also regularly recurring numbness can portend a stroke.

Frequent causes:

• Cardiac diseases - ischemia of the heart, hypertension;
• Nerve compression due to destructive changes in the joints of the spine and upper limbs;
• Fatigue of the neck muscles with prolonged sitting at the computer desk;
• Carpal (carpal) tunnel syndrome, manifested by swelling of the ligaments; in case of progression of the disease, complete or partial death of the muscles of the hand is possible.

If the fingers of the left hand go numb in a dream

If the left hand is numb at night, this may indicate a pathology of the heart. In case of recurrence of symptoms during the daytime, during waking hours, it is necessary to immediately consult a cardiologist. Timely medical examination and treatment can save a life, as there is a high proportion of the likelihood of developing a heart attack and stroke.

Paresthesia in heart disease is difficult to confuse with other causes, since it usually captures the little finger and ring finger, is complemented by cold hands, cyanosis of the lips, choking, pain behind the sternum, under the shoulder blade, or in the left hand itself.

Possible causes of numbness:

• Cardiovascular diseases:
  • angina;
  • myocardial infarction;
• Avitaminosis - lack of vitamins A, B or E, accompanied by severe peeling of the skin;
• Diseases of the spine:
  • Osteochondrosis;
  • Spinal hernia;
• Pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs);
• Problems in the functioning of the liver and kidneys.

If fingers go numb in a dream during pregnancy

We will analyze the reasons why expectant mothers may experience paresthesia.

Of these, the most common are:

• Edema, moisture retention by the body due to a lack of potassium and a malfunction in the water-salt balance;
• Seizures that appear in a dream due to a lack of calcium and magnesium;
• Excessive weight gain towards the end of pregnancy;
• Low motor activity.

And also the reasons can be:

• Endocrine pathologies;
• Diseases acquired during pregnancy;
• traumatism;
• Unhealthy spine;
• Anemia (anemia);
• Physiological predisposition.

Why do fingers go numb in a dream on both hands

If paresthesia is observed at once on both limbs, then diabetes mellitus, intervertebral hernia or osteochondrosis may be the most likely factors.

Alternating numbness is a sign of hypertension or abnormalities in the functioning of the central nervous system.

Possible diagnoses:

• Hypertension (increased blood pressure);
• Diabetes mellitus - accompanied by a narrowing of the arterioles and, as a result, provokes numbness of the extremities to one degree or another;
• Circulatory pathology in anemia, obliterating endarteritis, deposition of cholesterol plaques, multiple sclerosis;
• Thrombosis of the upper limbs is a dangerous pathology in which the artery of the hand or any other limb is blocked by a thrombus, and the first symptom may be numbness of the fingers;
• Joint diseases - arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, destruction of intervertebral discs;
• Polyneuropathy is an organic damage to the nerve plexuses of the hand and fingers, in which there is a symptom of numbness and slight tingling. Such unpleasant sensations can disturb a person quite often if the damage to the nerve fibers has reached a high degree;
• Raynaud's syndrome is a pathology in which there is a significant narrowing of the capillaries of the skin, as a result of which it first turns pale, after a while it turns blue and, at the end of the attack, turns red;
• Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rather dangerous autoimmune disease in which inflammation of the nerves occurs, which negatively affects the tactile and motor functions of a person. One of the earliest symptoms of the disease is numbness and slight tingling of the fingers of the upper and lower extremities.

If there is a suspicion of any disease, it is impossible to postpone the examination. Untimely assistance inevitably leads to irreversible consequences - arthritis, loss of sensitivity of the fingers, and in severe cases to partial paralysis of the limb.

Diagnosis and treatment

Methods for diagnosing the disease:

• X-ray of the spine in the cervical region;
• Computed (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
• Angiography of the cervical vessels and upper limbs;
• Detailed analysis of urine and blood;
• Blood test for the presence of sugar;
• Visual assessment of nerve reflexes.

Medications for the treatment of paresthesia

• For treatment, vitamins of groups A, E, B are always prescribed;
• With arthritis and osteochondrosis, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed;
• With the identified violations of the vascular circulation, the use of drugs that lower cholesterol levels and strengthen the walls of blood vessels is indicated.
• If numbness of the fingers during sleep occurs against the background of a stroke, diabetes mellitus or a tumor, then the priority direction of drug treatment is the underlying disease.

Pregnant women are advised to carefully control the amount of fluid and salt consumed. In case of swelling, carry out a small massage of the fingers from their tips towards the wrists. This stimulates blood circulation in the fingers and lymph outflow.

• Swinging of the hands relaxed at the wrists;
• Tight squeezing and complete relaxation of the fingers;
• Raising and lowering hands lying on your back;
• Sorting in the palms of a rounded object - a ball, a massage ball or a ball.

Folk remedies for the treatment of numbness of the fingers in a dream

Folk recipes do not bring such an effect as medication, but serve as an excellent addition to the main treatment. Their regular use is largely able to restore sensitivity in the fingers and eliminate pain. The choice of option depends only on the personal choice of the patient and ease of use.

The most famous recipes are:

• Mix 50 gr. ammonia and 10 gr. camphor, add 1 liter. water and 1 tbsp. salt, mix well. Rub this solution on numb areas.
• Pour a handful of rosemary into a basin and pour three liters of hot water, insist a little. After that, the infusion should be added to the filled bath and taken for 15 minutes immediately before going to bed.
• Boil porridge from pumpkin pulp in water, cool to a comfortable temperature. Apply the gruel to numb areas, cover with cling film and wrap in a woolen shawl or scarf.
• A positive effect is achieved by daily rubbing of sore spots with mustard oil, which can be purchased at a pharmacy. After rubbing, put on cotton gloves, pajamas or a long-sleeved shirt.
• Other liquid for rubbing can be prepared by yourself. To do this, you need to cook 3 pods of hot peppers, 3 pickled cucumbers (not pickled!) And 0.5 liters of vodka. Cut vegetables, pour vodka and insist in a dark glass container for 7 days. The liquid should be rubbed daily, and compresses should be done before going to bed.

Prevention of finger numbness during sleep

To prevent the occurrence of paresthesia, the following is recommended:

• After sleep, do a little morning workout, which has a beneficial effect not only on the limbs, but also on the general condition;
• It is recommended to sleep on special orthopedic mattresses and pillows;
• If you sleep in clothes (pajamas), it should be comfortable;
• To prevent stroke, control blood pressure;
• If you experience pain in the kidney area, do not postpone the visit to the doctor for later, since problems with them can also affect the sensitivity of the limbs;
• As a prevention of nighttime numbness of the extremities, a healthy lifestyle plays an important role, i.e. quitting smoking and alcohol abuse;
• Try to avoid nervous situations and stresses that generally negatively affect the nervous system;
• Before going to bed, a short walk in the fresh air is recommended;
• If you led a sedentary lifestyle, you should reconsider it and do fitness, aerobics, swimming, etc.;
• Periodically undergo a massage course;
• With the onset of the cold season, it is very important to dress appropriately for the weather and avoid hypothermia.

Do not forget that the success of treatment largely depends on the timeliness of the examination and an accurate diagnosis, and only a medical specialist can do this. Therefore, even if the numbness of the fingers in a dream is of a short-term nature and does not interfere with normal life, but it manifests itself regularly and for no apparent reason, this is a sufficient reason to seek the advice of a doctor.

Probably, each of us is familiar with this feeling - "lay down" a hand. The limb becomes numb, you feel unpleasant tingling, you cannot feel objects with the surface of your fingers. But why is this happening? After all, the phenomenon is not always observed if you specifically clamp the blood flow of a limb with your torso, head, other arm or pillow. This is what we will analyze in the article - why fingers go numb at night, what this or that location of an unpleasant sensation means, whether this may indicate a certain disease. We will also analyze methods that will help us get rid of this.

What is paresthesia?

Do your fingers go numb at night, or most of the limb? In the medical world, this phenomenon is called "paresthesia". This sensation of discomfort in the limb is most characteristic of the night. It is manifested by tingling, characteristic pain sensations.

Therefore, when fingers go numb at night, a person wakes up from an unpleasant feeling. But it is enough to move a limb, move your fingers, rub your skin, as paresthesia ceases to bother - you can sleep on. Statistics say that such sensations are familiar from 7 to 45% of the population.

Why do fingers go numb at night? The main reason is a violation of blood circulation in the limb. That is, it is caused by an uncomfortable posture during sleep, when you pinch the blood flow to your hand and fingers. Of course, if paresthesia is a phenomenon that you observe infrequently, it will not bother you much. But what if numbness makes itself felt periodically, or even every night?

Note!

Fingers go numb at night - what to do? If such a syndrome torments you often (or even every night), is the cause of nighttime discomfort, sleep disturbance, then there is only one way out - contact a specialist as soon as possible!

In addition, the following should alert you:

Location of numbness

Why do hands and fingers go numb at night? You can find out the answer if you track exactly where in the limb you feel an unpleasant sensation. We suggest you refer to the table.

Note that the table is not a direct guide to diagnosing a particular disease in yourself (this is the prerogative of your treating specialist only). It only indicates the possible causes of frequent, intermittent paresthesia. But they can be covered not only in diseases.

Poor body position while sleeping

Why do fingers and hands go numb at night? The very first reason is that you are not sleeping properly. And here is how it can be expressed.

Wrong, inappropriate and not even suitable pillow for sleeping. In particular, too high. Or did you specifically put it on the edge. This creates the wrong base for your spine - it begins to sag in the cervical region. This factor is the reason. Fingers go numb at night precisely because of this. You may also feel general discomfort, back pain, tingling all over your body.

Solving the problem is very simple - get a new flat pillow. And best of all - orthopedic. The latter will help to give your head the correct anatomical position, which contributes to uniform blood circulation throughout sleep.

Numb fingers at night. The reason here is this - you sleep in uncomfortable tight, not stretchy, tight clothes. A nightgown, pajamas in a dream can somehow twist, ride up, which compresses blood vessels and causes paresthesia.

A common reason is an uncomfortable posture. In particular, you threw your arms behind your head or placed your hand under the pillow or under the ear, cheek. So you also disrupt the processes of blood supply. The fact is that the circulatory system at night will work in a gentle, slow mode. This means that in this position, the blood simply will not reach your fingers.

And one more not quite usual factor of paresthesia. It's your job. If it is due to the fact that you periodically during the working day keep your hands above the level of your heart (this is typical, for example, for installers, painters, artists), then at night you will probably wake up from an unpleasant sensation of numbness of the limbs.

tunnel syndrome

At night, fingers go numb in a dream - this is one of the manifestations of a professional syndrome. Who is it for? For people who regularly strain the tendons of the upper limbs during the working day. In other words, for those who for a long time make the same type of movements with fingers, hands, hands in general.

Tunnel syndrome is typical for PC operators, typists (in the past - for typists), seamstresses, illustrators, artists, some musicians, and so on. In addition to numbness, a person waking up at night will also feel pain.

If we consider the anatomical atlas, then on the human hand we will see a small tubule - tendons will pass through it, as well as a nerve, which is responsible for the sensitivity of the palms. With its (nerve) overvoltage due to long-term work of the same type, edema occurs in this location. It is he who becomes the cause of numbness, numbness at night or closer to the morning, to awakening.

Tunnel syndrome is not just an unpleasant manifestation. If you find it in yourself, you should contact a specialist! After all, if you do not treat the syndrome in a timely manner, it can reach the death of the muscles responsible for the mobility of the thumb. This will already lead to a limitation of the mobility of the entire hand, the inability to perform a number of work and household operations. Most of all, tunnel syndrome is typical for women over forty years of age.

Diseases of the spinal column

Fingers go numb during sleep and after night. Another common cause is various pathologies that affect the spine. As a rule, a person will complain not only about nighttime numbness of the limbs. To this symptom is added a headache, periodic dizziness, ringing in the ears, and sometimes even loss of consciousness.

Taken together, these are very serious signs! You need to see a neurologist as soon as possible. Perhaps the symptoms indicate an intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis of the cervical column - diseases that require timely and complete treatment.

As practice shows, a common reason why fingers go numb at night (left and right) is osteochondrosis of the spine. Unfortunately, a very common disease in modern times. It is connected with a sedentary lifestyle, "sedentary" work in the office or in a car seat. With such an incorrectly distributed load on the body, the muscles overstrain and spasm. As a result, a person feels a characteristic numbness of the hands, fingers, not only at night, but also during the day.

Osteochondrosis is a whole set of degenerative processes related to the metabolism in the bone and cartilage tissues of the spinal column. Numbness will already indicate the stage of destruction of the vertebrae. Then the roots of the spinal nerve are squeezed, which becomes the result of painful sensations - in the upper limbs, back to the ribs.

Vascular diseases

At night, fingers become numb and sore. The most dangerous reason here is vascular pathologies. The fact is, if blood circulation is disturbed in one of the parts of the brain, this is reflected in its "subordinate territory". If this is a hand, then it can just become numb.

Do you feel the numbness of the limb, at the same time diagnosing a sharp increase in blood pressure, which is accompanied by dizziness, confusion? These are warning signs of a microstroke! It can be caused by banal overstrain, severe stress at home or at work. Or even a sharp jump in blood pressure.

Hand numbness is a characteristic sign of another dangerous vascular disease. They will be an ischemic stroke of the vertebral, cerebellar artery. Since blood circulation in one of the areas of the brain is also disturbed here, this may well be manifested by numbness of the fingers or the entire hand. An additional diagnosis is an increase in blood pressure (blood pressure), dizziness.

Bad habits

When fingers go numb at night, the cure can sometimes be as simple as giving up bad habits! Yes, they can also cause paresthesia.

If you smoke before going to bed or specifically get up at night to smoke a cigarette, these actions provoke a sharp vasoconstriction. The body may respond to this with numbness of the limbs.

A similar effect is given by the use of alcohol on the coming sleep. An alcoholic drink works a little differently. First, it expands the blood vessels for a short time, and then narrows them sharply. And an important fact. The vessels here narrow not to their original state, but to a smaller diameter. Therefore, paresthesia is one of the most harmless consequences of such a shock "shake".

Pregnancy

Pregnant women often notice numbness in both their fingers and their entire hands at night. The reasons for this can be both general, which we have listed above, and characteristic only for the "interesting situation".

The latter will include the following:

• Lack of calcium and magnesium in the body of a pregnant woman.
• Violation of the water-salt balance.
• Pathological processes affecting the vascular walls, caused by hormonal changes in the body of the future mother.
• Sedentary lifestyle, decreased activity.
• Weight set.
• Uncomfortable sleeping position.
• Diseases affecting the endocrine system.
• Anemia that develops during pregnancy.
• The development of diseases of the spine due to a new unusual load on it.

Other causes of paresthesia

The syndrome may have a number of other causes. Basically, these are chronic diseases:

• Diabetes.
• Cardiac ischemia.
• Anemia.
• Hypertension.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Dystonia vegetovascular.

Numbness of the hands is also evidence of a lack of trace elements. In particular, B vitamins.

Another infrequent, but still occurring cause of paresthesia is the formation of blood clots in the vessels. They impede or completely stop blood circulation in a certain area, which also leads to numbness of the limb.

Diagnosis and therapy of paresthesia

A sufficient reason to contact a specialist for nighttime numbness of the hands and fingers is the state of paresthesia that periodically or constantly torments you. But even if rare numbness does not go away within an hour, this is a significant cause for concern.

Paresthesia is not an independent disease. This is a consequence of a different pathology, disease. First of all, you need to go to the therapist's office. The doctor should refer you for further examination to a neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist or traumatologist.

• Analyzes of urine, blood, studies of the gastrointestinal tract are carried out to detect violations of the endocrine system.
• Another cause of paresthesia is elbow neuropathy. This pathology helps to detect electroneuromyography.
• Often, numbness is caused by some kind of injury, overstrain of the muscles of the hand. Here, a traumatologist gives sufficient recommendations.
• The reason may be purely neurological in nature. In this case, the patient is prescribed a therapeutic complex - taking vitamins, drug treatment, physiotherapy.

How to get rid of the feeling?

Here we have analyzed the causes and treatment. Fingers go numb at night - how to get rid of this condition? We suggest you follow a simple algorithm.

Do this first:

• Check how comfortable the pillow and mattress on the bed where you sleep are.
• Pay attention to your night clothes - it should be soft, spacious, not compress the body with an elastic band, cloth.
• Ask your family to watch you sleep. Perhaps you are simply adopting an uncomfortable sleeping position.

Is the numbness still going away? Then more drastic steps:

The treatment of the syndrome is usually the following:

• Local - restoration of damaged tissues and the resumption of their functions. These are laser, physiotherapy, ultrasound, electrophoresis.
• Therapeutic gymnastic exercises, regular physical activity. Especially helps morning exercises and mini-workout two hours before bedtime.
• Reception of anti-inflammatory, vasodilators, vitamin complex.
• Referral to a manual therapist. Usually the condition returns to normal in 1-5 sessions.

For the prevention of paresthesia, one should not ignore the usual gymnastics of the shoulder girdle. The following exercises are effective:

• Squeezing / unclenching the fingers of the upper limbs.
• After relaxing your fingers, wrists, shake your hands well several times.
• Lie on your back. In this position, slowly raise and lower your arms several times.
• During the day, roll a massage, special spiked ball into your palms.

Lots of. If paresthesia is noted by you often, the feeling does not go away for a long time - do not hesitate, consult a doctor as soon as possible!

If the hands become numb at night more often, there is a feeling of crawling goosebumps, then you need to seek medical help. There is a possibility that the developing pathology became the cause of this condition. At night, hands may become numb due to,. After a complete examination, conservative and, if necessary, surgical treatment will be carried out.

General information

The main cause of hand numbness, tingling is considered to be a circulatory disorder. Similarly, the body reacts to insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Any movement of the hand - for example, clenching a fist - leads to the restoration of blood supply. This is manifested by short-term painful sensations, including tingling and burning. They quickly disappear, and the person calmly falls asleep.

Causes of numb hands at night

Often, to eliminate numbness, you have to wake up more and more often. This condition can no longer be explained by a long stay in an uncomfortable position of the body. In most cases, a circulatory disorder is provoked by some kind. But there are natural causes of this condition, which must be eliminated.

Uncomfortable pillow

During sleep on a high soft pillow, the neck is in a non-physiological position. Due to its strong deflection, blood circulation is upset, trophism (tissue nutrition) is disturbed. Blood circulates slowly in the compressed vessels of the hands, causing discomfort, tingling, numbness, and mild aching.

Incorrect body position

Deep sleep can also cause numbness in the upper extremities. Especially often, unpleasant sensations are experienced by people who are accustomed to sleeping with their arms thrown back behind their heads or with their palms under their cheeks. Since the cardiovascular system operates in an energy-saving mode at night, there is an insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissues.

Clothing that restricts movement

The likelihood of hand numbness at night increases in people who prefer to sleep in pajamas, especially those with long sleeves. When you change the position of the body, the tissue is displaced, unnecessarily pressed into the skin. Blood vessels are pinched, a state of oxygen starvation occurs. It is especially undesirable to sleep in pajamas made of airtight material that does not absorb moisture well.

Pregnancy

During the bearing of a child, a feeling of numbness may appear not only in the hands, but also in the legs. The reasons for this state during sleep are often quite natural, associated with the numerous changes taking place during this period. These are fluctuations in the hormonal background, a deficiency of vitamins and microelements, especially iron, a decrease in motor activity, a gradually increasing weight, a disorder of water and electrolyte balance. Nevertheless, at the next examination at the gynecologist, it is necessary to inform him about the numbness of the hands.

Decorations

Sleeping in rings and bracelets contributes to impaired circulation in the hands. With a long stay in an uncomfortable position, not only numbness and tingling can occur, but edema can also form. Doctors recommend that you always remove earrings, especially large ones. Jewelry squeezes the earlobes, on which there are many biologically active points.

Bad habits

Smokers and people who abuse alcohol often have numb hands and feet at night, and sometimes very painful cramps occur. Ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde, tobacco tar, nicotine worsen the condition of blood vessels. They become less elastic, and the innervation of the muscular walls of veins, arteries, and capillaries is also upset.

Myofascial pain syndrome

Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic condition in which rounded seals form in the muscle tissue in the form of trigger (pain) points. Pathology most often affects the skeletal muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle. Clinically, it is manifested by auditory disorders. At night, not only numbness occurs - a person cannot sleep due to constant pain.

Complications of cervical osteochondrosis

Tunnel neuropathies

Among all tunnel neuropathies, carpal or carpal tunnel syndrome, tunnel syndrome of the ulnar nerve are most common. The cause of the pathology becomes an inflammatory edema, a narrowed channel. The leading symptoms of any tunnel neuropathy are pain, tingling and numbness of the hands during the day and at night.

Polyneuropathies

Polyneuropathy is the name given to damage to the peripheral nerves. The main causes of the disease include aggression of the immune system to the body's own cells, hereditary predisposition, exposure to toxic substances. Polyneuropathy is characterized by impaired sensitivity in the hands (numbness, tingling, crawling), as well as muscle weakness and decreased tendon reflexes.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This rheumatic pathology most often affects predominantly peripheral. In severe cases of the disease, the sheaths of the tendons of the hand can be damaged. As a result, carpal tunnel syndrome first occurs, and then carpal tunnel syndrome. Reduced sensitivity and mobility of the fingers, especially the middle, thumb, index.

Hematological diseases

The course of any anemia is accompanied by iron deficiency, a decrease in hemoglobin levels, and a decrease in the number of red blood cells. Since the transfer of molecular oxygen is disturbed, a state of hypoxia, or oxygen starvation, occurs. Numbness of the hands, tingling appear during the day, and in the evening and at night their intensity increases.

Hypovitaminosis B

The normal functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems is impossible with insufficient intake of group B. Deficiency of pyridoxine, thiamine, cyanocobalamin, riboflavin provokes an innervation disorder. Violation of the transmission of nerve impulses leads to paresthesia - numbness of the fingers. A person's memory and concentration of attention also deteriorate, mental and physical performance decreases.

Endocrine diseases

At night, hands become numb in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypo- and hyperthyroidism. But especially often this happens with hypoparathyroidism - a pathology that develops due to a lack of parathyroid hormone. Since it is involved in the regulation of phosphorus-calcium metabolism, there is a deficiency of these trace elements. The contractility of the muscles of the upper extremities is upset. At night, in addition to numbness, extremely painful cramps occur.

What to do if one hand goes numb

Numbness of only one hand during a night's sleep is an important diagnostic criterion for some diseases. For example, if discomfort occurs in one or the other limb, then the doctor suspects a serious disruption of the central or peripheral nervous system. A similar symptom is characteristic of polyneuropathy or complicated by intervertebral hernia.

Diagnostic methods

Since the hands can become numb at night for various reasons, it is difficult to make a primary diagnosis only on the basis of an external examination and patient complaints. Be sure to conduct functional tests to assess sensitivity, tendon reflexes, muscle strength. A number of instrumental studies are assigned:

• radiography in two projections;
• MRI of the spine;
• dopplerography of the vessels of the head and neck.

In diagnostics, myelography, evoked potentials, electroneurography, electromyography, ECG, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, thyroid gland, and heart can be used. With the help of the results and general clinical studies, it is possible to detect endocrine pathologies, hypo- and hypervitaminosis, and metabolic disorders.

General principles of treatment

The main task is to eliminate the cause of numbness. In therapy, conservative methods are usually used. Patients are assigned an appointment, it is recommended to visit physiotherapy and massage procedures. If discomfort is provoked, then patients are shown wearing it to stabilize damaged cervical discs and vertebrae.

Medical treatment

When prescribing drugs, the doctor takes into account the type of pathology that caused the numbness of the hands. So, to reduce sugar levels, long-term use of hypoglycemic agents is required. In case of endocrine diseases, treatment regimens include drugs that normalize the functioning of the endocrine glands. But there are drugs that are almost always used for sensitivity disorders:

• antiplatelet agents, vasoactive agents - Curantil, Clopidogrel, acetylsalicylic acid;
• drugs to improve blood circulation - Pentoxifylline, Eufillin, Xanthinol nicotinate;
• preparations with vitamins of group B - Kombilipen, Milgamma, Neuromultivit;
• balanced complexes of vitamins and microelements - Vitrum, Centrum, Selmevit.

In the treatment are actively used: Kapsikam, Finalgon, Viprosal, Nayatoks. They improve blood circulation, eliminate swelling, pain and numbness.

Surgery

With the ineffectiveness of conservative therapy, recurrent course of the underlying pathology, surgical treatment is performed. If the numbness is caused by compression of the nerve by a hematoma or tumor, then they are usually removed endoscopically. This method of operation is also used for carpal tunnel syndrome. The doctor cuts out the broad ligament that limits the space of the canal where the median nerve passes.

Surgical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists in the intervertebral disc and decompression of the spinal canal. The most commonly performed are microdiscectomy, laser reconstruction of the disc or its puncture valorization.

Exercises

To restore blood circulation in the hands, strengthen muscles, ligaments, tendons, patients are recommended to perform special exercises 1-2 times a day. The treatment complex is made by a physiotherapy doctor, taking into account the severity of the course of the underlying pathology. The following exercises are most effective for hand numbness at night:

• imitation of playing the piano;
• abduction and adduction of the thumb;
• clenching and unclenching fists;
• brush rotation.

For classes, you can purchase expanders, massage balls with soft spikes on the surface. When they are compressed, the muscles of the fingers, wrist and even the elbow joint are simultaneously strengthened.

ethnoscience

Before using folk remedies, you should consult with your doctor, as some of them may distort the effect of pharmacological preparations. To eliminate numbness, ointments, compresses and applications with warming, distracting and locally irritating properties are used. They are prepared according to the following recipes:

• ointment. In a mortar, mix a tablespoon of thick honey, gum turpentine, almond cosmetic oil. 100 g of petroleum jelly are added in small portions, the ointment is transferred to a jar, stored in the refrigerator;
• compress. 2 large leaves are crushed until smooth, add a tablespoon of kefir. Apply to the brushes for an hour, fix with a film and gauze bandage.

Applications are used to improve blood circulation in folk medicine. Paraffin or ozokerite (sold in pharmacies) is melted in a water bath, cooled to a comfortable temperature. Apply a thick mass to the brushes in several layers for 1 hour.

Possible Complications

Although night hand numbness is only a symptom, it can cause serious health problems. In the absence of medical intervention, sensitivity slowly but steadily decreases. A person does not feel severe pain during burns, cuts, punctures, and therefore does not attach importance to them. This can lead to the development of an acute infectious process, dangerous for its severe complications.

Prevention of numbness of the upper limbs

If the disease that provoked numbness of the hands is still incurable (, osteochondrosis, diabetes mellitus), then its relapse should be prevented. It is necessary to avoid increased loads, hypothermia. Doctors recommend giving up smoking and alcohol, if necessary, losing weight. To replenish the reserves of vitamins and trace elements in the body will help the inclusion in the diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products. But the best prevention of impaired hand sensitivity is considered to be daily exercise therapy.

Forecast

The prognosis is favorable, especially with timely seeking medical help. Compliance with all medical recommendations will allow you to get rid of all signs of violation of the sensitivity of the hands at night by curing the underlying pathology or achieving a stable remission.