Fingers go numb after physical activity. What could be causing numbness in the left hand Treatment of paresthesia of the left hand

Why do my hands go numb while running?

Let's look at the root of the problem, which leads to numbness in your arms when running. The bottom line is that while running, our legs act as the main pistons for moving both ourselves and our blood throughout the body. Of course, in addition to our heart. 🙂 Hands perform a very secondary function. And the amplitude of their movement is not as large as that of the legs. And there is almost no load, since they only move their weight in space. While the legs bear the weight of our entire body. Because of this situation, we have the feeling that our arms go numb when running. After all, they simply get limited blood flow.

The idea that I will share with you is not mine. I myself once spied it in a book about running, still published in the Soviet Union. And there the idea was also not the author. 🙂 He himself saw it in action during one of his runs and only slightly modified the instrument itself.

Solution to the problem when your hands go numb when running

You won't believe how simple the solution to the problem of when your arms go numb while running is! These are ordinary expanders! Yes, yes, those that are squeezed in the palm of your hand. They are called "carpal expanders." If your hands get numb while running, just take wrist expanders with you for a run. And that's it - problem solved! This way we put additional stress on our hands and improve blood flow to them. And voila - our hands no longer go numb when running!

When choosing an expander for running, I would like to advise you to opt for plastic or rubber models. Do not use expanders with metal handles! Remember that your palms will sweat when running. And metal becomes very slippery in a wet hand. Therefore, metal expanders will always try to slip out of your hands. I myself have been using plastic ones for the second year now and am very pleased.

When choosing an expander, pay attention to the fact that under the thumb it has a small, upturned horn-support. This is a very important element that will not allow the expander to jump out of the palm. You will be very comfortable working with it while running.

How do you combat numbness in your hands when running?

With this, my short note on the topic of solving the problem when your arms go numb while running has come to an end. I hope this old invention of runners will help you get rid of the unpleasant feeling when your arms go numb while running. Personally, this helps the author a lot. And not just when running. When I do machine training such as stair walking, I also use resistance bands all the time. And my hands don’t go numb, and I train my hand strength. At a minimum, a strong handshake will also improve your cardiovascular health. 🙂

Or maybe you, dear reader, have some kind of secret of your own to combat hand numbness during long running? I would be grateful for your advice, which you can leave here in the comments to my note.

Hand numbness or paresthesia is a fairly common phenomenon that can occur in both men and women of different ages.

Unfortunately, few people think about the reasons for this phenomenon. Let's figure out what causes numbness and what reasons it may indicate?

Paresthesia of the right hand is accompanied by decreased sensitivity, pins and needles sensations and mild tingling.

It is worth noting that in right-handed people, the right hand goes numb much more often than in left-handed people, since it is a working hand and is under constant tension.

Depending on the duration of the symptom, two types of presthesia are distinguished:

temporary;
chronic.

Causes of temporary paresthesia of the right hand

Decreased blood flow in tissues . Usually this phenomenon occurs during sleep, when a person takes an uncomfortable position. In addition, numbness can occur due to wearing clothes that are too tight, or if he has to hold an object in his hands for a long time.
Excessive and prolonged stress . Typically, this phenomenon worries athletes whose activities involve lifting weights. Sometimes paresthesia occurs in people who work at a computer for a long time
Hypothermia . As a result of prolonged exposure to cold, vasoconstriction occurs and blood flow is impaired, which is accompanied by numbness and mild tingling.
Smoking and alcoholism . Any bad habit is a risk factor for circulatory disorders.
Keeping the arm raised for a long time, above the level of the heart . For example, this condition can be observed in the case of injuries, when, for obvious reasons, the hand has to be held in a certain position.

Thus, we can say that temporary numbness means that the arm muscles are either overstrained or a temporary circulatory problem has occurred.

Temporary numbness is not so scary, it often goes away over time and is only a consequence of improper stress on the body.

Treatment of temporary numbness

Coping with temporary paresthesia is quite simple. To do this, it is important to follow simple tips:

stop wearing clothes with sleeves that are too tight;
choose a comfortable sleeping position;
stop smoking and drinking alcohol;
if your work involves constant tension in the arm muscles, you need to devote 10-15 minutes to gymnastics every hour. You can perform arm swings, flexion and extension movements, as well as exercises with an expander.

Chronic paresthesia of the right hand: causes

Arm and shoulder injuries . In this case, there is a violation of both muscle activity and blood circulation, which leads to numbness.
Scalene syndrome . This condition develops when the artery is compressed by muscles. In addition to numbness in this situation, the patient may experience a feeling of mild pain.
Herniated disc . In this case, not only small vessels and arteries are compressed, but also nerve endings.
Pre-stroke condition . Paresthesia of the right arm may indicate the occurrence of circulatory disorders in the brain before a stroke.
Increased blood cholesterol levels . If a person does not monitor cholesterol levels, then the resulting plaques begin to be deposited on the walls of blood vessels, causing poor circulation and causing a feeling of numbness.
Raynaud's syndrome . This is a genetically determined disease, which is accompanied by poor circulation in the extremities.

Treatment of chronic numbness

Unlike temporary Chronic numbness is just a symptom indicating serious violations.

Treatment in this case is prescribed by a specialist after a thorough diagnosis and identification of the root cause.

Cases when you need to see a doctor urgently

If paresthesia of the right hand is accompanied by additional symptoms, you should urgently seek medical help. Such situations include:

numbness accompanied by severe pain;
the occurrence of loss of coordination due to paresthesia;
numbness of the right hand with shortness of breath or difficulty speaking;
decreased sensitivity of the hand, for example, to the effects of temperature.

Left hand goes numb

Numbness of the left hand is no less dangerous than the right. As in the situation described above, paresthesia of the left arm can be caused by temporary and medical reasons.

Temporary causes of numbness in the left hand

When there is pressure on the tissue from foreign objects . Very often, paresthesia occurs when wearing a backpack or even a sling.
During a bad sleeping position .
As a result of professional activity . Risk groups include professional pianists, programmers and seamstresses.

These symptoms are eliminated in the same way as for the right hand.

Medical causes of paresthesia of the left arm

Lack of vitamins of a certain group . As a result, the nerve endings are damaged and the person begins to experience goosebumps and slight numbness.
Formation of plaques and blood clots in the arteries . In this case, blood flow is disrupted and the muscles of the arm cease to receive the necessary supply of oxygen and nutrients, for this reason long-term numbness develops, which can sometimes be accompanied by slight pain.
Pre-infarction state . If numbness in the left arm is accompanied by pain in the heart area, then most likely this symptom indicates an approaching heart attack.

Treatment of paresthesia of the left hand

Treatment of paresthesia depends on the identified underlying cause. In any case, if the problem does not go away for a long time, you will need medical attention and a full diagnosis.

Numb hands at night: causes

Typically, the causes of numbness in the hands at night are associated with poor blood circulation in the muscles. The following provoking factors can be identified:

uncomfortable pillow . In this case, the vessels in the neck become clamped, which affects the blood supply to the extremities;
uncomfortable sleeping position, for example, when a person sleeps on his arm;
bad habits. Alcohol and smoking before bedtime can cause stagnation of blood in the extremities;
tunnel syndrome. This disease is associated with constant tension in the hands during the day, for example, it is typical for loaders and professional drivers.

In order to To get rid of paresthesia at night, you need to:

choose an orthopedic pillow and mattress;
sleep in a comfortable position;
do special hand exercises during the day and before bed, which will help “disperse” the blood and increase the flow of oxygen to the tissues.

Numbness of hands during pregnancy

Paresthesia during pregnancy is a fairly common phenomenon, which can be caused by a variety of reasons. In order to identify them, it is necessary to take tests and undergo an examination. Most often, the root causes include:

lack of vitamins and microelements such as magnesium and potassium;
development of diabetes mellitus;
osteochondrosis;
kidney problems (if, in addition to numbness, swelling of the limbs occurs).

It is important to understand that during pregnancy any self-medication is absolutely not allowed.. Even if the numbness is temporary and passes quickly, it is necessary to inform your doctor about this and undergo certain tests to make sure that nothing threatens the child’s health.

What does it mean if your hands go numb?

Usually, the causes of numbness in the hands are no different from the causes that cause paresthesia of the hands completely. However, there are diseases characterized specifically by numbness of the wrist. For example, these include carpal tunnel syndrome. In this case, numbness in the hands occurs due to compression of the nerve in the wrist area. Common injuries can contribute to this phenomenon. In addition, the following possible reasons can be identified:

arthritis;
lack of vitamins;
Raynaud's syndrome;
osteochondrosis;
diseases of the cardiovascular system.

In any of the above cases, diagnostics are required to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment of paresthesia

Treatment of paresthesia should be based on diagnosis and established diagnosis. Self-medication in this case can lead to serious complications!

Sometimes doctors may prescribe the following to a patient: drugs:

Finlepsin- the product helps to cope with numbness in neuroses, neuralgia and epilepsy;
Vitamin complexes- necessary to eliminate paresthesia caused by a deficiency of vitamins and microelements;
Trental- the presented drug improves blood supply to tissues;
Aktovegin- an antioxidant that normalizes blood flow.

Sometimes folk advice can help cope with numbness. The most popular of them are the following:

milk baths . To prepare, you will need 2 liters of milk, a liter of water and a pack of salt. It is necessary to mix the ingredients and heat to a temperature of 60 degrees. After this, the numb limbs are lowered into the mixture one by one. The procedure is best done before bedtime, a course consisting of 12 baths. The duration of one procedure is approximately 10-15 minutes;
bath procedures . To speed up the blood and improve the flow of oxygen to tissues, it is recommended to steam numb parts of the body in a bathhouse. It is better to use birch or oak brooms;
contrast shower. A contrast shower relieves numbness well. The duration of the procedure can vary from 15 minutes until the numbness is relieved;
honey compress . For numbness in the hands and arms at night, use honey compresses. To do this, the required amount of liquid honey is heated and applied in an even layer to the limb. After this, the honey is covered with a light cloth and wrapped in cling film. In the morning, the compress is removed and the honey is washed off with warm water. It is better to repeat the procedure over a course of 7-10 days.
pumpkin compresses . Pumpkin compresses can be used both for prevention and when numbness occurs. To do this, the pumpkin is ground in a blender or minced through a meat grinder. Then remove excess juice and heat the pulp in a water bath. The prepared mixture is distributed in an even layer over the limb and tied with a woolen scarf for 30-60 minutes.

What diseases cause the left hand to go numb?

If you feel numbness in your left limb, you need to pay attention to the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

The following pathologies may be observed on the part of the heart and blood vessels:

Myocardial infarction is accompanied by acute, pronounced pain sensations radiating under the shoulder blade, the arm goes numb and this condition cannot be relieved by taking nitroglycerin;
Unlike a heart attack, with angina pectoris, numbness in the left arm appears after physical activity and quickly disappears after taking nitroglycerin. The upper part of the arm—the shoulder and forearm from the elbow—goes numb;
A stroke in the right hemisphere of the brain causes not only numbness in the left arm and leg, but also disturbances in vision, hearing, and speech;
Atherosclerosis leads to narrowing of blood vessels and poor circulation. If we are talking about the pathology of the vessels supplying blood to the left hand, then when loading or raising the hand, weakness, numbness, and tingling appear;
If the hand and fingers of the left hand go numb, then there is probably cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis, accompanied by impaired blood supply and innervation of the hand. The arm may hurt from the shoulder to the hand, and weakness appears in the arms.

Why do the fingers of my left hand go numb?

Numbness of hands - reasons:

Numbness of the thumb is associated with pathological processes in the joint, circulatory or innervation disorders. Problems with blood vessels lead to swelling, changes in skin color (redness, cyanosis), and a feeling of cold. Numbness may be accompanied by pain radiating to the arm.
Numbness of the index finger can be associated with high physical activity, as well as with fungal infection of the nail.
Loss of sensation in the ring finger is most common and is associated with cervical osteochondrosis (protrusion, intervertebral hernia, bony vertebral outgrowths).
Very often, numbness of the ring finger is complemented by similar sensations in the little finger area. It is innervated by the ulnar nerve and pinching of the latter in the cervical spine leads to numbness of the finger. In addition, scalene and pectoralis minor syndrome may occur.

Why do my fingertips go numb?

Numbness in the fingertips may be associated with endocrine disorders, such as diabetes. If an unpleasant symptom appears, you must undergo an examination.

Why does my left hand go numb during sleep?

As a rule, hand numbness during sleep occurs due to an uncomfortable posture. In common parlance, this condition is called “resting your hand.”

Under the weight of one’s own body and during joint sleep (when the partner sleeps on the man’s shoulder, the child on the mother’s chest), the arm becomes numb and blood circulation in it is impaired.

To get rid of numbness, it is enough to intensively rub the limb, do exercises, and take a contrast shower.

However, if the situation becomes normal and is not associated with an uncomfortable position, consult a doctor. Perhaps we are talking about cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis.

Why does my hand go numb while working at the computer?

Computers have become so firmly established in everyday life that it is impossible to imagine the average workplace of an engineer, technologist, office worker, teacher or accountant without them.

People who spend a long time at the computer often complain of pain and numbness in their hands, and this is more true for gamers.

Unpleasant symptoms are associated with the static position of the hand throughout the day. This phenomenon is called "carpal tunnel syndrome." It occurs due to compression of the median nerve passing through the carpal tunnel.

Similar problems are familiar to musicians - pianists, accordionists.

Causes of numbness in the left hand

The cause can be any pathological process leading to compression, inflammation or damage to nerve fibers and blood vessels. These include:

Inflammation of the nerves of the brachial plexus;
Compression of nerve bundles;
Impaired blood supply as a result of awkward posture, injury, illness;
Long static raising of arms;
Uneven physical load on the shoulders (with a preponderance on the left side);
Tight, uncomfortable clothing;
Physical activity associated with the work of the left hand.

Diagnostics

Numbness of the left hand is a reason to consult a specialist: a cardiologist, a neurologist, a surgeon.

To make a diagnosis, an X-ray examination and electroneuromyography are performed.

What to do if your left hand goes numb

The reason for urgently calling an ambulance is numbness in the left arm, starting from the hand and moving up the arm to the shoulder. This phenomenon is often accompanied by severe acute pain and we are talking about blockage of the artery - thrombosis. Lack of urgent help will result in, at a minimum, amputation of a limb.
Numbness, which is accompanied by pain in the heart area, signals an impending heart attack and requires immediate hospitalization. This condition is life-threatening.
Since numbness is one of the symptoms of a stroke (bleeding in the brain), you should pay attention to the presence of other signs - headache, confusion, speech impairment, oddities with facial expressions (it is difficult for a person to smile). Modern means can prevent the serious consequences of a stroke if help is provided in a timely manner.

In other cases, you need to remove physical activity and give your hand a rest, rub the skin with your hand or a hard towel to increase blood flow.

If the numbness is associated with cervical or thoracic numbness, then treatment does not consist in eliminating the symptoms, one of which is loss of sensitivity, but in normalizing the position of the vertebrae and restoring cartilage tissue.

Preventing hand numbness

To prevent numbness, you need to reconsider your lifestyle:

Pay attention to nutrition, reduce the consumption of simple carbohydrates;
Control blood cholesterol levels to prevent the development of vascular atherosclerosis;
Monitor blood pressure;
Give the body moderate physical and mental stress;
Normalize the work and rest schedule, walk in the fresh air, do physical exercise;
Monitor correct posture;
Maintain optimal body weight;
Quit smoking and alcohol – factors that negatively affect vascular health.

Exercises for numb hands

Exercises for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and for the treatment of the wrist joint.

If numbness appears systematically in the left hand, you need to undergo an examination, determine the cause and discuss treatment with your doctor. Acute pain accompanying loss of sensation in the left hand is a reason to call an ambulance.

Numbness of the left hand - a symptom that can accompany many diseases. Most often this is a problem of a neurological nature, or is associated with heart disease and vessels.

Sometimes patients complain of numbness in the fingertips with a slight tingling sensation. It may manifest itself as numbness in the hand, which is quite common.

Hand goes numb: possible causes

Here it is important to understand whether this is a consequence of prolonged squeezing of the hand (for example, during sleep, when the wife’s head rests on the man’s shoulder or arm).

Or it could be after prolonged exercise, such as working on a computer keyboard for a long time.

Numbness of the hand also occurs with changes occurring in the spine. At osteochondrosis When the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, compression of the nerve roots may occur and, as a result, unpleasant sensations in the hand.

Numbness may be accompanied by general weakness, difficulty turning and tilting the head. If these changes are suspected, the doctor may prescribe manual therapy, which includes diagnosis of the problem and treatment.

For heart diseases and blood vessels (ischemia, thrombosis), the blood supply to the peripheral vessels is impaired. This can cause numbness in the ring and little fingers. Cardiologists advise not to ignore these signs and consult a doctor to exclude the possibility of a heart attack. Also prevent the development of severe angina.

Angina pectoris can cause pain in the left shoulder, arm and shoulder blade. At night, blood circulation in the radial and ulnar arteries is disrupted. If, in addition, a person begins to have a headache, it becomes difficult for him to speak, then these may be signs of a developing stroke. You must call an ambulance immediately.

Prevention of hand numbness

To maintain normal metabolic processes and prevent loss of sensitivity of nerve endings (which is what we feel at the moment of numbness), you need to eat foods that contain large quantities of vitamins A and B.

You should carefully monitor cholesterol levels . Vessels clogged with fatty deposits are not able to fully transport blood. The limbs are especially affected. No one is immune from atherosclerosis. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat right at any age, and after 45 years - without fail. It's also important to know sugar level in the blood, if there are any fluctuations, carry out the necessary examination.

Take care of yourself and the condition of your body. Include vegetables and fiber-rich foods (cereals) in your diet. This will help maintain healthy blood vessels and cleanse the blood of excess cholesterol and toxins.