Night time numbness in hands

[heana]

I am 34 female experiencing hand numbness upon waking.  This has been going on for over three years now.  Normal CBC and nerve test.  Neg to carpal tunnel.  Have not found a doctor that can diagnose the problem.  Have had xrays at Chiropractor which show Scoliosis.  They say my problem is situational and positional.  I would like to cure this ailment.  Please advise me!!

[Aegmos]

Well here's my story,I have having nighttime numbness and tingling in my fingers
and thumb ongoing for about 10 years and it has been driving me crazy but I think
I have finally found the answer.I first found relief from rolling over on my side and letting
my arm hang towards the floor when in bed.This isn't any solution,but it helped.
I had had back x-rays,bodywork,chiropractic and all kinds of alternative energy medicine
treatment and nothing helped.The x-rays found nothing wrong.The chiropractic did nothing,neither did chinese accupuncture.Here's what made it stop:nutritional supplements.This is a vitamin-mineral imbalance much like what happens when someone gets leg-cramps in bed at night,which I think is related to a magnesium-calcium deficiency.I had heard this woman on a radio show (don't laugh)talk about
her use of a technique called BODY SCANNING used in conjunction with her
nutritional supplement program.She did the body scan thing and put me on her
vitamin-supplement program.After about a month and a half,I don't notice the terrible
numbness,burning and tingling in my fingers and thumb which kept waking me up at
night,losing all kinds of sleep.If you want to contact the person that helped me
her website is www.choosecra.com CRA stands for contact reflex analysis.
You can write it off as quackery,but it worked for me.My doctor diagnosed me as
having "carpal tunnel syndrome" after doing some silly tests on me.Then why has
my carpal tunnel disappeared,smarty pants know it all doctor?

[tiredofpain0202]

i have the same issues ,wake up with arm and hands numb and hurts... can't sleep i have had it 4 yrs and always ignored .i am told its the theorcal sac being leaned on by the vertabrae in my neck. but i am loosing grib ,i could even old my new born with out a pillow on my labto ensure his safety

[GGCB]

I am actually a member of another medical forum on this site, trying to handle some very serious problems of my own, but I was just looking at some of the other forums and was interested by this one as I also get hand numbness when I sleep.  I came across your post and wanted to give you my input on your vision/headache portion of your problem.  Just to give you some information on the vision disturbances you were having with the zig zag and then headaches...this is most likely an "ocular migraine".  You pretty much have described it to a tee.  First you get the zig zag vision disturbance, often with a blind spot, then it follows with a headache.  I have gotten these for 20 years.  I used to get them several times a week, but now I only get them once or twice a year.  This is generally not a serious condition, just annoying and can be a bit scary.  You can get flashing lights, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, etc.  When you get them, try to relax because if you get nervous, it makes them last longer and makes them worse.  They can be triggered by hormones, anxiety, or nothing at all.  I used to mark them on a calendar to see if they had a pattern...mine did.  Most of the time it was due to monthly hormonal changes in my body...once in a while after I was very upset about something.  It may help to put them on a calendar and write down how long the zig zag vision portion lasted, what time of day it was (most of mine happened between 8 and 11 in the morning), and note any significant event that may have happened that day.  You should see an ophthamologist to confirm that what you are having is indeed "ocular migraines" and make sure that there is no other underlying cause that needs to be treated.  Make sure you bring your calendar records about the episodes.  Good luck!

[AusRob]

Strange the symptoms should be so similar and that we all get the numbness in the Left Hand, Pinky Finger and the Ring Finger and only while sleeping.

I'm 37, Male, 6'2" and a dead ringer for Mic11 only I'm a little overweight 107kgs and I  don't play sport.  I have mildly High Cholesterol 6.0 but otherwise my blood work and health is good, my only know illness is reflux. I have a shocking immune system, and get a cold if someone sneezes in a 3 meter radius of me but I'm not autoimmune.

I started getting the numbness almost 2 years ago, it's intermittent I may get it 5 nights in a row, then nothing for a month or so.  Sometimes it takes a little flexing or rubbing to remove the numbness, other times its 5 mins or so before I can flex my fingers, when this happens it can typically take days after the event before the numbness goes completely.

I'm an also a migraine sufferer and occasionally have vision problems associated with my migraines, a blind spot that tracks with my vision.

My GP put the numbness it down to circulation, said to take my watch off while I sleep (it didn't work), however as Medical tests cost so much in Australia and as its intermittent I haven't had any further tests, its annoying, but seldom painful.

The only other thing that could be related is I was in a major MTA when I was 18 and suffered a serious head trauma to my left side that caused swelling in the right side of my brain.  No serious long term effects but I did suffer permanent amnesia, suffered intermittent short term memory loss for years and underwent a major personality change at the time.

I work in a professional capacity and spend between 4 to 8 hours a day sitting down, usually typing on a computer or running workshops/meetings/interviews.

[Sophiee349]

i have had similar problems and it has been going on for nearly a year now. I had been getting numbness in my hands at night time and have been for about 9 months now. Firstly the doctor suggested it may me pernicious anaemia but it wasnt, then the doctor thought i had carpal tunnel but after seeing a neurologist it turns out my nerves are fine, so no firm diagnosis has been made and the hand numbness is very frustrating..... i have been sent for a MRI by my doctor and am still waiting the results. i think the doctor is looking for ms in the MRI scan, which i know can effect your eye sight too, i have had a couple of vision probelms in the last year but nothing ongoing, very occasionaly i have this zig zag type thing distorting my vision where i cant see whats in the zig zag but can see around it, it gives me a headache so i thought i was just experiencing a migraince but now i am worryin that it could be down to ms, but this has only happened a couple times in the last year so maybe it is just a migraine. does anyone have any advice?

[Pum]

I had a very similar problem but only my little finger and ring finger. I finally pinned it down to compressing the nerves in my elbows when I biked during the day. Also found that pushing a pram brought the same symptoms as does lifting heavy shopping or a child.
Are you doing anything during the day that would compress or stretch your elbownerves?

[help_24]

stop eating white rice, white flour, and anything that has too much starch for a while and see what happens. You should also try taking calcium tablets.  let me know the results.    It worked for me.

[Kristin P.]

Hello there.  I sure hope that everyone here has or will find solutions to their medical concerns!  

Tonight is the first time that my symptoms have been so bad that I cannot sleep.

About a year ago, I began to feel a burning/itching sensation at night.    If I recall, it seemed to be all over my body.  Had bloodwork done and was checked for Lupus.  No indications of Lupus were found.  Was told it was dry skin.  I also noticed around this time that my skin would get very red (red streaks) on my torso if rubbed, even minimally, as in trying on clothes or nervous rubbing with fingers.  The only other thing of note from this time is that doctor told me I have a slightly elevated bilirubin level (cannot remember what this is called).  Nothing of real significance.

Fast forward a year and the nighttime burning has evolved into numbness.  It has been going on for about six months or more.  I wake up at night with numbness in my hands and feet, as well as legs and arms (not so much arms).  As others here have described, I will wake up multiple times during the night with these symptoms.  The numbness does not usually involve tingling as when a foot "falls asleep", just a dull heavy aching numbness.

I've been told I have Fibromyalgia and I'm wondering if not getting good night's sleep for so many months might be causing it.  Myriad of symptoms has had me in to doctors of all sorts.  Every time I mentioned the nighttime numbness to a doctor, they never seemed very concerned so I didn't immediately pursue seeing a neurologist.  That will be my next step.  This is beginning to hurt too much.

Also, I do feel the numbness during the day.  It is in the same locations as it is at night only less noticeable, bothering me only minimally.

Thanks in advance for feedback and advice!

Kristin


  

[Larry B.]

I had the same problem except my whole arm went numb and was useless. The doctors started working on trigger points and after 30 min. it was mostly ok. As time goes by it's down to a little tingle. It was a rib out of place as well as trigger points in my arm behind the shoulder and another trigger poin t near the elbow that was the problem. I hope this is of help to you or anyone else who suffered like I did for so long.

[Mic11]

Also, I have tried sleeping in different positions, in a recliner, everything except hanging upside sown....... no luck still go numb.  When I have had a chance (Busy summer with my two kids, and work) I fell asleep around one in the afternoon, and then too........ I got numb in the hands!!!!  It is very aggrevating!!!  My clinic has seemed somewhat proactive with the MRI test and the carpal tunnel test, but trying to see a specialist or neorologist is like pulling teeth........... which I think would be better that my hand numbness.........

[Mic11]

........... I too have hand numbness..... Started in left hand (pinky and ring finger), progressed to whole hand....... after about five weeks, hand first occurance in right hand. that was my first call to my doctor. This all started about June 2007, Now it is mid august and I cannot sleep one night without having my hands completely numb each night. I wake up to shake and rub them......... they come back and a try to go back to sleep. It seems to be getting worse as time passes, one night it took almost 10-15 minutes for me to get my left hand back.........  My other issue is that it seems to be causing me to have fatigue or some weird feelings during the day....... muscle ache or just not feeling normal. I had some minor feet numbness in mid-july, but it has always been my hands at night.......
My issues during the day are scaring me abit....... I have had an MRG to rule out carpal tunnel, MRI's on my head and cervical spine, showing minimal things my Primary care can see....... i have an appointment in mid sept. with a neurologist to go over my MRI's and symptoms, but it seems too long.......... I dread 9:00 oclock because I know sleep is coming soon....... which means waking up around 12:30 totally numb ........... then 2:00ish,  about 3:30ish ........... and once more around 5..... then i give up and just get going for work.......
I am a male, 37 years old, 6' 2" 240lbs, little heavy.....but in with an athletic build, always been, and still play sports, High Cholesterol, but my blood work has come back OK........... for sugars and white cell.......... I original thought my issue was vascular........ circulation was what I thought was my issue, but the clinic doesnt seem to think so......... Nerve issues scare me more.............Any feedback would be great.........

[heana]

Thanks for all your help.  I was taking the B-12 pills under my tongue.  

[PlateletGal]

IMO... I wouldn't be too concerned about an autoimmune condition, unless you were having other symptoms. However, if you are still concerned and especially if you have other symptoms, there is a test called an "ANA", which checks for an autoimmune disease (unspecified). If the ANA titer is positive, your physician will order other lab tests. The ANA does not diagnose MS. You may want to ask your physician about whether or not he/she feels you should have an MRI.

I know you mentioned taking B-12. Were you getting B-12 shots ? That is the best method.

[PlateletGal]

I'm sure your physician did an EMG when they checked you for carpal tunnel, correct ?

The only other thing I can think of is to get checked for diabetes. If you test negative and continue having numbness and especially if you have other symptoms, consider getting tested for autoimmune conditions.

[heana]

Do you mean get tested for things like MS and Lupus?  Is there one blood test?  

[PlateletGal]

When you sleep, do you put anything (pillow, your head, etc) on your arms that may cut off your circulation ?

[heana]

It doesn't seem to matter how I sleep, but I mostly sleep on my left side.  But when I occasionally fall asleep on the couch on my back or on the airplane sitting up or on my stomach in my bed, it happens. Doesn't matter where I am or how I sleep.  I tried the wrist splints for carpal, even though I have tested neg for that...I have tried B-12, aspirin.  Do you think I need an MRI?  No doc has suggested that so far, but something must be causing this, right?  Do you think it is curable?  I have many years left to live and this is very aggravating.  I have no pain thank God, but the numbness every time I awake is driving me nuts!! I have heard of pregnancy causing this, but I am not and never have been pregnant. I keep putting it off because it doesn't happen when I am awake, just while I am sleeping.  Wonder if it is serious??  Thanks.