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

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.