Numb hands can be a pain and most of the time there are simple solutions to solve numb hands, fingers or arms. In this article we will discuss a few of the reasons why you may be experiencing this frustrating symptom.
Health conditions causing numb hand symptoms.
Raynaud’s disease is a condition that can affect the circulation of blood to the hands. This can make them look blue, feel cold or go numb. If you get any of these symptoms it is best to check with your GP who can rule out Reynaud’s disease.
Another condition that can cause numbness is Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This tends to occur after an infection and is rare, but can be serious. If you suspect this condition again, it is best to seek medical advice.
Non medical reasons for Numb hands
For the vast majority of people, numb hands are the result of poor posture in the upper body. We have a large network of nerves, that exit the spine, travel under the collar bone and head off down the arm. They rely on having space to move between joints and under muscles unhindered. If you have a normal, healthy posture these nerves are unlikely to get compromised. However, if you spend a lot of your time at a desk, have rounded shoulders and a head that sits in a forward position, these nerves can get compromised. The most common result is numb hands.
Is Carpal Tunnel the reason for my numbness?
Carpal Tunnel syndrome is often associated with numb hands. Learn more about this condition by clicking here. One of the key symptoms is numbness that wakes you at night, but is often ok in the day. A true carpal Tunnel occurs when the area around the wrist, that the nerves run through is narrowed, often due to inflammation. However, numb hands are often incorrectly diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome, as often this is a wider nerve issue, caused by problems elsewhere. There are tests we can do to understand whether your numb hands are caused by carpal tunnel.
What else causes numb hands?
As mentioned above, for most people hand numbness is simply a postural issue. As the shoulder rounds forwards, the space under the clavicle is made smaller, meaning the nerve is less able to move and can become compromised. This can lead to numb hands, especially when reading a book, using a mobile phone or computer.
In addition, the neck is a prime place for nerves to become impinged. The nerves exit the spine through small holes made by one vertebrae sitting on another. If the stability of the neck is poor, this space can become smaller, catching the nerve and making the hand go numb.
What can I do to fix my numb hand?
The first thing is to get an assessment to understand what is causing the numbness. We are able to assess you and check for Carpal Tunnel and a GP can rule out any medical reasons for the numbness. But once those are ruled out, the key is to improve your posture.
A deep tissue massage, to help release the muscles at the front of the shoulder and in the neck, is a great starting point. At The Reinge Clinic, we are also able to test the nerves and perform some nerve mobilisations to help the nerve move correctly again. Our nerve testing will allow us to understand whether the neck is involved, or whether this is simply a shoulder issue.
Once we understand where the nerve is compromised, we can provide you with some strengthening exercises, both for the shoulders and the neck, helping to retract both areas to offload the nerves. Home stretches and mobilisations are also very useful in solving numbness in the hands.
What if exercise doesn’t work?
If you have done a course of strength work, retracting the neck and shoulders and this hasn’t helped. The next stage would be to ask your GP for an X-Ray or MRI scan of your neck. The neck is an area that can affect nerves, any arthritis or inflammation in the neck can cause the nerve to become compromised where it exits the spine. Similarly disk issues can also lead to nerve pain.
It is important that you work through any hand numbness with both your GP and a qualified therapist, however in most cases, numb hands are easy and relatively quick to solve.
