United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I've noticed that more and more when I sleep my hands go numb. Not usually the whole hand but several fingers and maybea portion of the palm. It's not always the same fingers and it happens in both hands. Even though it's numb it hurts (if that is possible). I tends to clear up if I start pressing them and moving them. It's also not like having something fall asleep. I don't get the pin prick feeling afterwards. Could this be related to my OBPI? Does anyone else have this?

Hi Kissy,

That could be my hand you are talking about!!
I know what you mean about numb and painful at the same time..... told my doctor about this and he just looked at me strange!!
It usually happens to me when i have fallen asleep on top of my bad side.
The other thing i notice is that when it happens my hand is claw shaped and stuck in a claw position for ages after, even once the numbness/pain has gone.
This has been happening to me for about six months now, along with intermittent numbness in both hands throughout the day.
I suppose it is just another one of those things that we will have to learn to live with!

Janny

That same things happens to me on and off and I noticed that it happens less when I am using a good orthopedic pillow. (A hard pillow that has a higher area for the neck curve so that my neck stays in a better position during the night.) Maybe this will help you, too?

I have been getting this more and more too. When they did the x-ray, they discovered an impingement. I am thinking it is the cause of my problem. Dr Shenaq wants to go in and take care of it early Fall

That's the same numbness I had in my hands from the spinal cord compression. Part of the palm--but not all of it and not the first finger or thumb.
Press on the top of your head and see if your hand or foot go numb. If yes, get to a Dr.
I had a herniated disc and bone spur at C 4/5 that were tangled up in each other. Pat

The same thing started happening to me.I was tested for carpel tunnel.That wasn't the problem.I than saw a neurosurgeon who had n mri done.I hd a cyst in my pinal chord.I now hjave a shunt.2 yrs later I had surgery to unglue my spinal chord,brain stem and skull.If I hadn't gone to a dr.I would be in a wheelchair.The numbness is still and has spread.It all stems from birth trauma.Please go to a dr.asap.I'll be praying for you.

I get this all the time. I have spinal compression and bone spur 4/5. When I had my mri they were concerned and told me if I had problems with my legs I was to call immediatley.

Just my palm and three fingers on obpi arm. I thought it had someting to do with the odd position I hold my arm in to sleep. My hands go dead not asleep with pins and needles just dead... I hate that it wakes me up and I have to fiddle around till the circulation is back and then find a comfortable position for my arms again.
Kath

kissygoose, it's clear by now you are not the only one.

I have always had pins and needles and dead arm in the night. When it got really bad I got help.

Do you sleep on the arm that is numb? Just curious. In my case I got two numb arms. Do you use computers a lot?

I started to have this at age 22 (though I got it during running in high school.) I also had heart palpitations. I saw a doctor and a specialist at Albany NY, who looked at my x-rays and didn't see any problems. (They said I was one of the lucky ones.) The doctor's view was that my nerves were being "insulted" in multiple points because of my work habits, posture, even sleeping position. In the end I just saw a PT and determined how to change my lifestyle. Splinting was no help.

I followed what I learned from the PT and a book, Repetitive Strain Injury, which deals with symptoms like numbness, tinging and pain due to any soft tissue injuries, not necessarily only tendonitis (though I had that in my "good" hand) or carpal tunnel.

The book is by Emil Pascarelli MD and Deborah Quilter (who I saw at MacWorld once.) It is still in print.

Some basic things I did (and still do) are to fix my posture, my work furniture, my mattress and pillows.

I still have numbness and wrinkling and perspiring in my LOBPI but it is rare these days since I use the left arm more and have done weights training (cable cross/freemotion machine is the best) and swimming. I used a personal trainer who was invaluable (generous Christmas bonus for him!)

Last weekend while slaying 12-foot dogwoods I had a sudden pain in my left shoulder like something in there was being crushed. A reminder that there will always be a limit to what I can gain from exercise.

Strangely, my left arm is stronger and doing more than ever this week, while my right arm still feels used up, numb and worn out after a week. (No more yard work this year for me.)

Look, guys, I was told that a fll ,a jolt etc. could cause quadraplegia. Kath--that is where my sompression was. I have a titanium plate and fusion. Please keep track of it. ress on the top of your head. If your hands and legs go to sleep--see a surgeon--it's nothing to mess with! Pat

Dear Erik,
I am Bumping up your post on "Hands Going Numb" because your advice about doing a Lifestyle change for your OBPI is so much needed to re-visit and is very good advice right now for AMY and all other Young'uns who need to do it NOW!!! if you don't want to end up like Kath and me. Are you listening Amy, Rachel in Mt, Kissygoose,Traci Veggiebug???

Erik, please come back here more often,... and please,may I have an update on the state of your pain level these days since you've made these changes?

Hugs all around,

Carolyn J
LOBPI/70