Acute pain and numbness in arms & hands when sleeping.

[vkrue]

Hi, am new here... will try not to sound dumb.

I've been reading several of the posts regarding numbness while sleeping but, none really resemble my experience.

I experience severe pain and numbness in my arms (especially my elbows) and hands when sleeping. Sleeping is difficult as a result. I can sleep as little as 15 minutes before the pain wakes me or sometimes a couple of hours... (this is when the pain is the worst). I usually just change positions and feel relief after a minute or two allowing me to return to sleep.
This happens repeatedly all night... every night.
This has been happening for several years.

I am 44 yr. old male, 6'2" - 300 lbs.
Heart rate in mid 60s
BP 110/80
Non smoker
Became very sick this past winter (2006-2007) had bronchitis for 6 weeks... went through 3 types of antibiotics before recovering.
Family Doc suggested a Pulminary Function Test.
Recently failed PF test...(miserably) I passed out before finishing the test and later (10-20 minutes) had some kind of seizure or attack which lasted approx. 30 minutes.
Family doc has scheduled several other tests to find problem with passing out during PF test.
TEE indicates:
1- Mild mitral regurgitation with normal left atrial size.
2- Trace Tricuspid regurgitation
3- Intra-Atrial septal aneurysm
4- Small low septal (septum premum) defect with predominantly left to right shunting, but right to left shunting was seen on the bubble study during valsalva and coughing increasing maneuvers to increase the right-sided pressures.

Am concerned with the pain & numbness while sleeping...
Any suggestions ?
Any conections with other symptoms ?

Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Vic

[Karonaa]

I too have very painful numb hands and arms that is getting worse every day. In the morning, I can not even make a fist. I do get relief from standing with my feet together and touching my toes and sretching out my spine. While touching my toes in the standing position, I lift my head up and then down with chin on chest. This either resume blood flow or relives possible pinched nerves. I am not sure what is wrong with me but I hope this helps as I fell for each one of you. I am going to seek out a chiropractor.

[Millhouse34]

I just thought I'd post an update, it's only been about 2 weeks since my last post but I am experiencing improvement.

I have been icing and heating the base of my neck every night and doing yoga and I have had 4 nights without numbness. It is so wondeful! I have skipped on the ice and heat and have woken up with some numbness so I think that's what really helps.

Try it!

[Millhouse34]

I am new to the forum. Many of your stories and suggestions give me hope to no numb arms at night.

For the last few months I have been experiencing numb arms and hands at night. I didn't think much of it, I thought it was normal. A few weeks ago I was rafting a river and my feet went numb, not from the cold water. It took them until about 30 minutes after we finished rafting to come back to normal. My toes tingled for a few days but haven't since then. Still, not thinking anything is too alarming until last night.

I was in a deep sleep on my back and I was woken up to severe numb and painful arms and hands. I couldn't move the ring and pinky finger on my right hand for a few minutes. The back of my head, bottom of skull on the left side was also numb and tingly. That is what alarmed me. Not only was it super uncomfortable, but why was my head numb? When I switched positions, the head numbness went away, but the numbness in the arms continued throughout the night.

Does anyone have any idea why my head would go numb? I have changed around my pillows, no help there. My BP is 103/70 (I think), I am 26 and very healthy.

I read on the internet about nerve damage caused by spinal taps. I have had two in my life.. but that would be way more painful right? Also that would show up fairly soon after right? Any ideas are much appreciated!

Thanks and good luck to everyone.

PS I did go to my massage therapist last week and she did a cranial and some hip and shoulder work on me. That night was fairly good but it has gone back to bad like it was before.

[MyStory50]

And to further complicate my story - i have never had a bad cholesterol reading, all my tests prior to surgery were completely clear of any heart desease, no plaque, no high blood pressure, nothing wrong with me.  I am very active - the numbers are not always the best indicator.

[MyStory50]

Vic,

Go to your PCP and have them check your Carotid Artery.  This is the Artery in your neck that feeds your brain with blood.

I had this arm pain for 6 years.  My PCP listended to my Carotid Artery during a routine examination and sent me for a ultrasound.  Surgery a month later and guess what?  The Pain in my arms is gone.

It's a matter of life and death.

[colinfrance]

hello everyone its me back again after treatment. colin france
WOW What a difference having two injections have made.... first as i said i was to have an injection of cortisone, this was done with an anesthetic local injection in the hand , then the cortisone. just a couple of slight pricks, and a swollen finger. the pain was light and although it took a few days to wear off the result was fantastic.... my finger no longer locked up, arm pain gone, strengh returned to my hand and fingers, in fact only if i swept my finger down the palm of my hand could i get a very slight trigger action and without pain... 1 month later i returned to the specialist and he examined me again and gave me another injection , this time i didnt need a local, just the cortisone.
this time no swelling in the finger but a tender pad at the base of the finger for a few days.  this is nothing to all the pain i have been suffering for the last two years. today i have full power in both hands, no pain, no locking fingers, no arm pain, i sleep well, and generally feel so much better. i can ride my motorbike again and hold the grips well, garden and do absolutly everything... so there it is, for my problem cortisone was a 100 % cure. and all covered by the french system 100%

incedently but totaly un related, i had to return to hospital recently as i had a massive chest pain that i thought was a new pancreas attack. i had had one before and had my gall bladder removed one year ago. tests showed no problems with the pancreas,  lipas was 32. and they transfered me from accident service to the heart ward for more tests. i did the cycle test the next day and they started the machine at 30 and in steps went all the way to 170. the test lasted 15 minutes and i was peddaling for my life. all tests showed negative.i didn't even get leg muscle pains afterwards!!! i could not believe how strong i was.  no reason was found for the sudden chest pain attack and after a new transfer to the gastro ward then i got an ok to go home.   no one has any idear what caused it or what it was though i did have a very stressfull week leading up to the attack. so ive calmed down and im fine. incidently i got a result from the heart tests scans etc that said i could under take any sport without any danger to my heart. not bad for a 56 year old who prefers motorbiking and drinking to walking and sport...although my dog takes me for a daily walk...  anyway i just hope that some of this info might be relative to someone and you might be able to ask for cortisone injections and get cured as i have been. i still have neck problems as this is arthritus and i can live with that. i needed my hands and they are working fine again, so im very very happy and relieved. good luck to you all, colin