The index finger of the right hand goes numb: reasons. What to do and what does it mean? Treatment + Photo

Why do my fingertips always go numb?

The reasons that most often lead to paresthesia (numbness):

1. Wrong lifestyle: bad habits and unbalanced diet. So, if you eat spicy food at night, drink alcohol, strong tea or coffee, pain may occur in the abdomen or head, which forces a person to choose a position during sleep in which the pain disappears. However, these poses are not always comfortable, as a result of which numbness of the limbs may occur, which disappears a few minutes after waking up.
2. An uncomfortable pillow can also be the reason why a person’s fingers go numb while sleeping. The use of a dense high pillow leads to a strong deflection of the cervical spine, due to which blood circulation in the nerve endings of the intervertebral discs, which are responsible for the sensitivity of the hands, deteriorates. A special orthopedic pillow will help solve the problem.
3. Carpal tunnel syndrome is paresthesia and pain in some fingers or the entire hand. The reason lies in the narrowing of the carpal tunnel and pinching of the median nerve. Most often, this disorder occurs in people who regularly perform monotonous movements of their hands during work, for example, seamstresses, musicians, programmers, drivers. Women suffer from it more often than men due to the smaller width of the carpal tunnel. If the disease is not diagnosed in a timely manner, the patient may lose the ability to perform basic manipulations, for example, holding a toothbrush or cutlery.
4. Spinal diseases. Due to compression of the nerve endings in the vertebrae, blood circulation is impaired. In addition to dizziness and pain in the head, a sign of spinal pathologies is numbness of the hands at night
5. Vegetovascular dystonia is a circulatory disorder in the autonomic nervous system. Poor functioning of blood vessels is often the reason why fingertips go numb
6. Diabetes. With this disease, there is an increase in glucose levels, which causes numbness in the upper extremities.

Other pathologies that can lead to paresthesia:

• diseases of the nervous system;
• cardiovascular pathologies (hypertension, multiple atherosclerosis, Raynaud's disease and others);
• joint diseases, such as arthritis and arthrosis;
• lack of nutrients in the body.

Causes of numbness in fingers

Numbness is sometimes called paresthesia. In medicine, this term refers to a violation of the sensitivity of certain parts of the body, including fingers, manifested by numbness, burning, and tingling.

The main cause of numbness in the fingers is compression of blood vessels, as a result of which blood circulation and normal transmission of impulses along nerve fibers are disrupted. The physiological causes of this condition are considered:

• Uncomfortable position during sleep, that is, prolonged pressure on the hand;
• Hypothermia, both local and general;
• Forced position of the fingers in a certain position, for example when doing work at the computer, embroidery, knitting;
• Recovery period after bruises, fractures, dislocations;
• Alcohol poisoning.

After the causative factor ceases to affect the body, the signs of paresthesia gradually disappear, that is, normal sensitivity of the fingers is restored.

Pathological causes of numbness that need to be eliminated with medication or surgery include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome is a pinched nerve in the carpal tunnel. This pathology is especially common among those who constantly use a computer mouse;
• Endocrine pathologies, including diabetes mellitus;
• Progressive diseases of the nervous system – osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic regions, cerebrovascular accident;
• Raynaud's disease;
• Anemia;
• Scleroderma;
• Heart pathologies;
• Injuries of the hand, forearm, shoulder;
• Severe poisoning with drugs, heavy metal compounds;
• Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail plate.

Numbness of the fingers of one hand, spreading to the entire hand and higher, in combination with other neurological disorders, most often indicates a developing stroke. With this disease, help should be provided in the first 3 hours, only in this case the NS tissues are restored almost completely. Therefore, paresthesia should not be ignored.

Does it make a difference on which hand the fingers go numb?

Pathologies of the cardiovascular system may be indicated by impaired sensitivity in the fingers of the left hand. It is dangerous to ignore this symptom: it is often one of the indicators of a pre-infarction condition or an impending stroke. The fingers of the right hand often go numb with the development of arthritis, osteochondrosis or carpal tunnel syndrome. This may also be due to an uncomfortable position of the torso during sleep.

Manifestations of finger paresthesia

With paresthesia, numbness, slight tightness of the fingers, and sometimes tingling are felt. Impaired sensitivity prevents you from grasping small objects or performing precise work with your fingers. Based on these signs, it is difficult to make a preliminary diagnosis, however, numbness in some diseases affects only certain fingers:

• Numbness in the little finger of the left hand, as well as the appearance of similar changes in the ring and middle fingers, can be caused by pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. Paresthesia is more pronounced at night;
• Numbness of the fingers of one hand that spreads to the hand occurs during a stroke. In the acute phase of cerebrovascular accident, coordination of movements is also impaired, consciousness becomes confused, and there may be paralysis of one side of the face;
• Numbness of the thumb, index and middle fingers on one of the hands or on both at once is one of the symptoms of compression of the nerves in the spine with osteochondrosis of the neck;
• Paresthesia of the thumb and index finger is a characteristic sign of carpal tunnel syndrome;
• Simultaneous numbness of the fingers on the lower and upper extremities often worries patients with diabetes.

If you complain about numbness, you can initially contact your GP. After examination and clarification of other symptoms of deterioration in well-being, the doctor refers you for examination to specialized specialists - a neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, surgeon.

Determining the causes of paresthesia

If such a symptom occurs, consultation with a therapist or neurologist is necessary. In the future, you may also need the help of an angiologist, vascular surgeon and cardiologist. Diagnostic measures will help determine the reason why your fingers are constantly numb and prescribe effective treatment. If, in addition to numbness, something else bothers you, during the examination, list to the doctor all the accompanying disorders: tingling, soreness, coldness in the hands. Based on your medical history, you will be given a preliminary diagnosis and additional diagnostics will be prescribed:

• X-ray, MRI or CT;
• electroencephalography;
• angiography;
• lab tests;
• and other studies.

How is the treatment carried out?

Experienced doctors do not treat paresthesia syndrome with the same methods; the therapeutic protocol is selected individually for each patient. A set of medications, physiotherapy and diet recommendations have a direct connection with why the fingers on the right hand go numb.

Medications for painful numbness:

• painkillers;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• anti-edema medications;
• B vitamins to nourish nerve fibers;
• vaso-strengthening;
• specialized medications for the underlying disease.

Physiotherapy:

• magnetic therapy;
• laser treatment;
• exercise therapy;
• massage courses.

Prevention of paresthesia:

• healthy lifestyle;
• rational diet (limit the consumption of salty, fatty, fried and smoked foods);
• regular feasible physical exercise;
• strengthening the back muscles;
• blood pressure control.

Timely contact with specialists will help to avoid negative consequences, irreversible complications and return you to an active and comfortable life.

Treatment and prevention of paresthesia

If you are unable to see a doctor soon, try the following self-help techniques:

• periodically warm up your arms;
• make hand baths from warm water with herbal decoctions or essential oils.

Proper nutrition and taking vitamins also help normalize hand sensitivity. However, for final recovery, diagnosis of the causes of numbness and proper treatment are required. If paresthesia is caused by a violation of local circulation, then, as a rule, massage and therapeutic exercises are recommended. For diseases of the spine, the problem is solved by taking medications (anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, chondroprotectors and others), physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy. For vascular pathologies, surgical treatment is used in case of blockage of a vessel. For conservative treatment, medications (vasodilators, drugs to reduce blood viscosity and improve microcirculation) and physiotherapy can be used. No one is immune from paresthesia and inflammation of the finger, but you can reduce the risk of their occurrence by adhering to the following recommendations:

• avoid bad habits;
• exercise regularly to strengthen the spinal muscles;
• control blood pressure;
• eat right, do not get carried away with consuming fried, smoked and salty foods;
• If any kind of ailment occurs, promptly contact medical specialists.

All these measures will help you avoid problems with finger sensitivity and maintain healthy hands into old age.

Treatment

Managing symptoms

The main thing in the fight is to restore the full functionality of the fingers without surgical manipulation. You can do this by identifying the main cause of the violation. It has already been said that in order to diagnose the cause of loss of sensitivity, you need to undergo diagnostics, consult a therapist, and perform a number of measures.

For example, lymphatic drainage massage helps pregnant women normalize the circulatory system and improve lymph flow. This relieves swelling and compression of nerve endings.

If the index finger suffers from osteochondrosis, then an integrated approach is needed to solve the problem - traction traction, drug treatment, exercise therapy, massage, osteopathy and acupuncture.

Drug treatment

• In case of manifestation of carpal tunnel syndrome , NSAIDs are prescribed - Diclofenac, Ortofen, Ibuprofen and other similar drugs. They reduce inflammation. To ease the load on the joints, you need to use orthopedic structures.
• Corticosteroid injections will help against pain - Prednisolone, Diprospan, for example. In parallel, the drugs Trental, Vazonit, etc. are prescribed to normalize blood microcirculation.
• Chondroprotectors with a base of hyaluron and chondroitin will help restore cartilage tissue . They replenish the lack of synovial fluid. Available in the form of ointment, gel, cream or injection. These can be drugs - Chondroflex, Dona, Hyaluronic acid, Piaskledin, Chondroinit sulfate.

Massage and therapeutic exercises

As soon as unpleasant sensations appear in your fingers, you should immediately resort to a set of exercises.

It's very light.

1. Two arms need to be stretched along the body, first clench one hand into a fist, then the other. And so 7 times for each brush.
2. Lie on your back, raise your sore hand up and squeeze your fingers 30 times. Do the same with the second limb.
3. Turn your face to the wall, raise your arms up and stand on your toes. Remain in this position for 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.
4. In a standing position, try to clasp your hands behind your back and raise them a little. Repeat 3-4 times.

A relaxing massage of the cervical spine is very effective. When performing a massage, the fingertips should not cause pain or discomfort. The muscles need to be relaxed with these movements. You should definitely check with your doctor whether exercise therapy and massage can be performed, as there are contraindications.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers many recipes. Most Popular:

• Take fresh milk - 2 liters, honey - 50 grams, water - 1 liter and salt - 600 grams. Everything is mixed and brought to a boil. As soon as the solution has cooled, compresses and hand baths are made. You can be treated this way for 10 days. Patients note a significant improvement in their well-being;

• 
  you will need dried wild rosemary and apple cider vinegar

  . Ledum is crushed and filled with vinegar 1:3, and then infused for a whole week. After this, the medicine is rubbed into the sore spot three times a day;
• improve blood circulation with 100 grams of ground black pepper and 1 liter of vegetable oil. The ingredients are mixed, placed on low heat and cooked until a thick cream forms. This takes from 30 to 45 minutes. As soon as the product has cooled, you can use it;
• in case of loss of sensitivity on both hands , you can make a tincture of two finely chopped cloves of garlic and 500 grams of vodka. The liquid is placed in a dark place for 2 weeks. Every day it shakes up. When ready, you can take from 3 to 5 drops of tincture, diluted in a tablespoon of water three times a day for 1 month.

Why do my big toes go numb?

Numbness of the fingers of the lower extremities can be caused by physiological and pathological reasons. Many people experience this sensation when wearing tight shoes or in an uncomfortable sitting position (for example, a leg tucked under the buttocks). Such numbness is not pathological and disappears immediately after restoration of blood supply to the numb part. Regularly numb big toes during sleep or in a comfortable position (sitting, lying down) indicate disturbances in venous blood flow. The condition in question is often a symptom of varicose veins of the deep veins of the lower extremities, which must be treated with medications and physical therapy under the supervision of a specialist. Why do my toes go numb at night? The reason is a violation of the blood supply to small vessels. This condition can be corrected, so with the help of drug therapy it is possible to quickly get rid of the problem.

In addition, numbness in the fingers of the lower extremities can be caused by problems in the functioning of the heart, which is fraught with the most serious consequences, including heart failure and death.

How to treat numbness

First, the doctor must do an examination. It's best to see a therapist. Tests are ordered. Depending on the results, the patient may be referred to one of the following specialists:

1. Neuropathologist.
2. Endocrinologist.
3. Phlebologist.

After this, accurate diagnostics are performed in the form of MRI, electrocardiogram and x-ray.

Treatment also depends on the source of the disease. If the pathology is associated with the musculoskeletal system, massage and therapeutic baths are prescribed. Medicines also prescribed:

• Gel, ointment or cream.
• Painkiller.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs that do not contain steroids.

If the cause of numbness is a lack of vitamins, it is necessary to take a series of vitamins and minerals based on the elements that the body needs.

Note! Some vitamins should only be taken in combination with others.

Traditional therapy can also be effective; it complements the main treatment. For example, for kidney disease and diabetes, a diet is prescribed, and for injuries, immobilization is prescribed.

Numbness during pregnancy

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Women may experience numbness and tingling in their fingers during pregnancy. These phenomena are not associated with pathology. Usually the syndrome bothers you at night only in late stages of pregnancy. In most cases, loss of sensation and pain in the joints is associated with manifestations of carpal tunnel syndrome (occurs due to constant static load on certain tendons and joints). Also, the phalanges of the fingers can become numb due to swelling. If this disorder occurs, you should consult a doctor. While carrying a child, an exacerbation of osteochondrosis and osteoporosis may occur, which provokes a sensitivity disorder.