Causes
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of the median nerve in the hand area, where the median nerve runs in an anatomically narrow place along with the tendons and is covered by the retinaculum ligament.
How does it manifest?
The hands begin to go numb at night, the person is forced to wake up from this numbness and shake his hands. Gradually, this condition becomes more frequent, then the fingers begin to go numb during the day during any movements with the hands. In advanced stages, weakness in the hand appears and the person cannot hold various objects. Most often, carpal tunnel syndrome develops in people who constantly work with their hands: office workers, massage therapists, workers.
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Cubital tunnel syndrome is compression of the ulnar nerve in the area of the elbow, where we feel pain and shooting along the nerve when we hit the elbow (inside), which everyone has experienced at some point.
How does it manifest?
The first symptom is the little finger going numb. Then weakness appears in the fingers (ring, little finger), and it becomes difficult to hold objects. Hand atrophy may occur. Numbness most often occurs during the day, while working with your hands or when lifting your hands. Men get sick more often than women.
Anterior scalene syndrome
Anterior scalene syndrome is compression of the brachial plexus in the interscalene space in the neck (between the anterior and middle scalene muscles).
How does it manifest?
The symptoms are the same: numbness in the little finger and ring finger, then weakness in the hand. Occupational complication: for example, occurs in musicians who play the violin for a long time for several hours. Or at hairdressers during a long haircut in a static neck position.
Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy is compression of the spinal roots. The cause, as a rule, lies in a herniated disc. There are 3 roots going to the fingers: C6, C7, C8. Radiculopathy of the C6 root is more common.
How does it manifest?
The first symptoms are numbness in the thumb and index finger. Radiculopathy is usually accompanied by pain in the neck and radiating to the arm. Numbness in the fingers intensifies with any movements in the neck.
Which doctor should I contact?
It is difficult for the patient to determine why his fingers are going numb. Accordingly, choosing a specialist in this situation is not easy. Therefore, the best option is to consult a therapist. He will examine the patient and refer him for laboratory diagnostics. And if necessary, he will guide you in choosing a specialist.
Treatment for hand numbness at the doctor
Treatment can be either conservative (drug therapy) or surgical (or complex) - much depends on what disease caused the numbness in the fingers. The following will help you relieve this unpleasant symptom:
- Massage and manual therapy . Such events can relieve the patient of unpleasant sensations and improve his quality of life.
- Physiotherapy . Ultrasound and magnetic therapy and laser treatment show high effectiveness. These procedures accelerate tissue regeneration.
- Physiotherapy . Indispensable for normalizing blood circulation.
The patient’s personal initiative will also be beneficial - he can also help his body by changing his lifestyle:
- Eat properly and balanced . This is especially true for vitamin deficiencies, anemia, and metabolic disorders.
- To refuse from bad habits . Fingers often go numb in people who are addicted to smoking or abuse alcohol.
- Pay attention to physical activity . This will improve blood circulation, and it is precisely its violation that is often the “root of evil.”
It should be remembered that numbness in the fingers can occur not only due to lack of physical activity, but also due to overload of the hands. Everything is good in moderation! If you are forced to constantly load your arms with monotonous activities, try to do several simple exercises every hour to help relax your muscles. You can raise and lower your arms, clench and unclench your fists, and swing.
Stay healthy and remember to give your arms both rest and moderate exercise.
How to determine the true cause?
Initially, a patient with numbness of the finger is examined by a neurologist and, based on the clinical picture, determines the necessary list of examinations.
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The Clinic of Professor Kinzersky has an extensive diagnostic base in all possible areas to quickly and accurately determine a patient’s diagnosis.
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The gold standard for most carpal tunnel syndromes is electromyography (EMG). Based on the results of the study, the doctor determines how much the function of a particular nerve is reduced.
Ultrasound of peripheral nerves is used to assess structural changes in nerves .
elastometry technology on the AIXPLORER V6 ultrasound device made it possible to measure the pressure in the tunnel area (it is significantly increased compared to the norm) and control it during treatment.
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.
How to treat?
For numbness of the hands, there is a universal drug treatment (venotonics, B vitamins, vascular drugs), but in most cases it is not very effective.
The most effective is local (local) treatment:
- shock wave therapy - stimulates blood flow in the area of nerve compression;
- injection of an anti-inflammatory drug (Diprospan, Flosteron) into the area of nerve compression;
- electromyostimulation - with the development of muscle weakness.
All these types of treatment are actively used in the Clinic.
In rare cases, when the course is prolonged and conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical treatment is used.
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Advantages of treatment at the Professor Kinzersky Clinic
- Specialized care: we are one of the few clinics in the country that specializes in this problem, offering a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment program.
- Application in diagnostics of electromyography: this is a complex diagnostic technique that requires highly specialized education for a neurologist.
- Application of ultrasound of peripheral nerves in diagnostics: we are the first clinic in the Chelyabinsk region that performs these techniques; such a study can only be obtained at CITO (Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics) in Moscow)
- Highly qualified doctors : three of our doctors studied at the specialized world congress on ultrasound of peripheral nerves IPSNI (International Society of Peripheral Neurophysiological Imaging)
- Unique capabilities of ultrasound navigation in treatment: Ultrasound navigation allows you to deliver anti-inflammatory drugs to the site of nerve compression as accurately as possible.
The course of treatment can be completed at a convenient time, without interruption from work.
The article was checked by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Alexander Yuryevich Kinzersky
Diagnostics
A neurologist will determine the cause of tingling in the hands. During the initial examination, the patient is asked to perform simple tests (clench the hand into a fist, rotate the thumbs), during which it is easy to detect motor problems and innervation disorders. If neuropathy of the radial or median nerve is suspected, Tinnel's sign is checked. For further examination, the following instrumental methods are used:
- Electroneuromyography.
A comprehensive study of neuromuscular transmission is necessary to identify problems with peripheral nerves and to know the location of the lesion. ENMG helps determine the severity and extent of the process. The technique is effective for the differential diagnosis of neuromuscular and vascular pathologies. - Radiography.
X-ray imaging of the bones of the shoulder, forearm, and hand makes it easier to identify the location of nerve damage. In the pictures you can see bone deformations, degenerative changes or narrowing of bone canals, which could cause tingling and paresthesia in the hands. - Angiography.
Examination of the peripheral vascular bed using contrast is necessary to verify Raynaud's syndrome. The doctor pays attention to the unevenness of the lumen of the vessels, the absence of collateral branches and a decrease in the number of capillaries. Additionally, capillaroscopy of the nail bed is indicated. - MRI of the spine.
This is the most accurate method that allows neurologists to diagnose herniated discs. MRI shows not only the presence of a hernial protrusion, but also its size and the degree of compression of the spinal cord. The study is informative for excluding tumors, hematomas and other space-occupying neoplasms. - Additional methods
. To clarify the degree of spinal compression in intervertebral hernias, computed tomography with myelography is used. Peripheral microcirculation is assessed using Doppler flowmetry. Gastroscopy, gastric intubation, and blood tests help identify the causes of B12 deficiency.
Electromyography
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.
- 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.
- Lie on your back, raise your sore hand up and squeeze your fingers 30 times. Do the same with the second limb.
- 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.
- 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;
. 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;
you will need dried wild rosemary and apple cider vinegar- 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.
