Numbness in the hands: when to worry and see a doctor

Numbness of the hands is a phenomenon familiar to many of us. Sometimes it appears after an uncomfortable sleeping position, prolonged work at the computer or physical activity. Most often, it goes away on its own and does not cause concern. However, in some cases, it can be a symptom of serious diseases that require immediate medical intervention. To understand in which situations you need to seek medical help, we talked to Yuri Koryukalov, a neurophysiologist and candidate of biological sciences. He told us about the possible causes of numbness of the hands, the risks associated with it, and in which cases you should be wary and take action.

Possible causes of numbness in the hands

Yuri Koryukalov explains that numbness in the hands can be caused by many factors:

1. Pinched nerves. This can happen with an uncomfortable posture, prolonged repetitive movement, or professional activities associated with overloading the wrist muscles (for example, working on a computer, sewing, driving a car).
2. Diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Neuropathies can lead to numbness in the hands.
3. Circulatory disorders. Reduced blood flow to the extremities can cause numbness.
4. Stress and fatigue. These factors can also cause temporary numbness.

In addition, numbness in the hands can be an early symptom of serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, or intervertebral disc injury. Numbness in the hands can also accompany carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated discs, brain or spinal cord tumors.

When to see a doctor

Numbness in the hands does not always require immediate medical attention. However, there are cases when you need to see a doctor immediately:

1. Sharp and sudden numbness. Especially if it is accompanied by weakness or impaired movement in the hand. This may be a sign of a stroke, which requires immediate medical attention.
2. Accompanying symptoms. If numbness in the hands is accompanied by pain in the area under the shoulder blade, difficulty breathing, heaviness in the chest - these may be signs of angina. Severe pain, swelling or redness of the limb also require immediate medical attention.
3. Other alarming symptoms. Tingling, burning, weakness or "shooting" pain in the hands, as well as dizziness, speech, vision or coordination impairment are reasons to immediately contact a specialist.

Prevention and self-help

To prevent hand numbness associated with professional or everyday habits, it is important to follow simple rules:

• Regular breaks from work. Especially if your activity is associated with long-term repetitive movements.
• Correct sleeping position. Try to avoid a position in which the hand is under the head or is subject to prolonged pressure.
• Hand exercises. A simple exercise - "wrist traction" - can help relax the wrist area. Grasp the wrist of the problem hand, squeeze the thumb and middle finger so that the hand protrudes slightly upward. This will stretch and relax the soft ligaments.

Episodes of short-term numbness of the hands, lasting a few minutes, as a rule, do not require immediate medical attention. However, if numbness persists for more than a few hours or recurs regularly, you should consult a specialist to determine the cause and prescribe treatment. If numbness in your hands occurs almost every day, does not go away after waking up, is accompanied by discomfort and affects your daily tasks, you should immediately consult a neurologist for diagnosis and treatment.

Be attentive to your health and do not ignore the signals your body gives you.