Numbness in fingers

My left thumb, index, and midle fingers of my left hand have been numb for about a week. They don`t hurt, but the numbness is uncomfortable. I play tennis and work out, and about 3 weeks ago the back part of my neck and my left shoulder were hurting me due to, I believe, shoulder exercises (this happens quite often when I work out my shoulder muscles). But the numbness in the fingers have never happened before. Also, when I`m seating down, the inside part of my left arm hurts a little bit, right above the elbow. It`s actually more of an uncomfortable feeling than pain. I`ve  taken antiinflamatory 2 weeks, but my fingers (especially the tip of my index) are stiil numb. This is driving me crazy already. Can anybody help me ? I don`t have medical insurance and I olny can go see a doctor if a really need it! Can I keep doing exercises or should I rest for a while ? How long is it ok for the fingers to be numb ? Should I take vitamin B12 to help heal the nerve ? Any help would be appreciated!

[abuahmad]

unfortunately I have the same complaint, but on the side, started after a sudden heavy shoulder exersise and wieght lifting.
I wish we can recieve the best advice for our problem.

take care, good luck.

[DrKalraMD]

Hi, this seems to be onset of carpal tunnel syndrome or cervical spondylosis.Consult neurologist for investigations and treatment.

“numbness and paresthesia (a burning and tingling sensation) in the fingers, especially the thumb, index, and middle fingers. These symptoms appear at night because many people sleep with bent wrists which further compress the carpal tunnel.

If the median nerve is already under stress, the increased compression of the bent wrist results in numbness and tingling. Difficulty gripping and making a fist, dropping objects, and weaknesses are symptoms of progression”. Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel_syndrome

[abuahmad]

I tried something and It worked with me so far.
bending my head to the other side stopped the finger numbness and tomorrow I will do cervical X- Ray or CT then I will cunsult a Spinal Neuro Surgeon.

Try bending your head to opposing side, and please tell me the results.
bye.

[felipe25]

I thought my fingers had been numb for a month, but today it has been actually 3 weeks. I started taking IBOPRUFEN yesterday and rotating my head, like you said. I think it got a little bit better today. When I rotate my neck slowly, when it gets to the position that my neck hurts, I can feel my whole nerve hurting a little bit, all the way from the neck to the fingers. So I hope its just a muscle injury squeezing the nerve, and not something serious. Let me know what the doctor tells you. I dont have health insurance and I bet these exams would cost me thousands of dollars. good luck

[rkumbc185]

Hey ... I have similar symptoms...but mines differ a bit.

[rkumbc185]

Sorry for the previous post .. I just wanted to get advice...it seems that the forum has now reached its limit for posting new topics... PLEASE email me back at ***@****

Basically:

I worked out about a month ago doing tricep activities and pushdowns...Ive been a heavy lifter for a while and have known that my wrists are not the strongest part of my body.  Needless to say, I have also been cracking my neck for about a decade for relief and twisting my back for years.  Additionally, I do have poor posture as I always sit cross-legged indian style when studying and hunch over...I have now changed that.  Lastly, I used to smoke for approx 4 years..and quit..as soon as my symptoms started

Symptoms:
2 days after working out (or perhaps working out may not be the cause) I started to notice a pain in both wrists...seemed to me it was probably from the workout.  A day after that I noticed heaviness in both forearms around the forearm flexors...and a slight twitch/shaking in my ring fingers...I got really scared and didnt know what to do. Concurrently, I had been taking graduate courses in neuroanatomy and pathophysiology..which didnt help as I thought I had multiple things including MS, UMN and LMN disease of some sort....anxiety of the UNKNOWN did not help...and I started developing fasciculations as well...which went all over my body..I am aware of BFS and my symptoms to some degree were consistent with that...which did help calm me down.  I went and spoke with my PCP who did a gross motor screen and neuroscreen and it didnt reveal anything remarkable.  I just started paying so much attention to myself, and everythign that was under the radar seemed more perplexing now.  The MD prescribed me some Naproxen which I felt may have helped over the course of the first week, and discontinued it.  Though the heaviness in the forearms subsided...I noticed a decrease in my fine motor control...and tremor in fingers...expecially the ring and pinky fingers and thumb..The numbness is since back in my forearms and translates into heaviness in my fingers and hand..ALso, whenever I flare my fingers (like playing an imaginary piano) I notice that both pinking fingers sort of snap back unlike the others which remain fluid (both hands)...The pain in the wrists has also returned when I place them into extension.  I have also had soem pains radiating from my low back into my legs, especially the knees...It should be however known that my knees have popped before while playing basketball and I have also torn both hamstrings in the past...but that was more than a decade ago.  The loss of fine motor control has made typing and writing difficult but not impossible.  My doctor said that the symptoms do not indicate that I need to get a head/neck MRI right now.  The heaviness and numbness...along with burning sensations which can be felt around the thumb (palmar area) often switch arms...that is, sometimes the symptoms are worse on the left and then sometimes worse on the right.  I feel like stretching my flexors of the forearms helps...but not so much as to reduce the symptoms bigtime.  I saw an orthopedic physical therapist who said that I may have hypermobility of the neck and some compression...I am scared to think that the cause is neurogenic...I dont have a family history of any neurogenic disorders...I am scheduled to see a neurologist on Monday,,,and am hoping that she will prescribe an MRI....It seems most that the anxiety associated with not knowing what is causing this...has really left me most depressed...I have trouble sleeping and focusing on school...CAN ANYONE PLEASE RECOMMEND SOMETHING? or has anyone suffered similar symptoms?  

***@****

Thanks..much for your time.