My arms are numb

Many people will experience numbness in their hands and feet. If the numbness in your arms or legs is caused by squatting on the toilet for too long, this is a very normal phenomenon. However, if your arms become numb from time to time while you are sleeping or sitting or lying down normally, you must not be careless. Numbness in the arms is usually caused by poor blood circulation. If it is not caused by long-term pressure or not changing posture for a long time, you should be alert to the possibility of disease.

1. Numbness

Numbness is an abnormal sensation of tingling or loss of sensation felt by the patient and is a type of sensory disorder. Numbness can occur anywhere in the body, but is most common in the hands, feet, fingers, and toes.

Numbness is divided into physiological numbness and pathological numbness. Physiological numbness is caused by improper posture, prolonged pressure on a certain part of the body, temporary obstruction of blood circulation, and transient neuromuscular malnutrition. For example, improper positioning of hands and feet, pressure on the arms while sleeping, standing or sitting cross-legged for a long time, long-distance cycling, etc. may cause nerve compression and cause short-term numbness.

This kind of physiological numbness can be relieved and disappear on its own by simply changing posture, relieving pressure, or moving around.

Pathological numbness occurs frequently and exists for a long time. Some chronic numbness of the hands and feet indicates local blood supply deficiency or a certain degree of nerve damage, such as cerebral arteriosclerosis or diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Numbness sometimes occurs alone but is often accompanied by pain, other discomfort, or paralysis with loss of movement

2. Numbness is often a sign of disease

The first type: cervical spondylosis. Due to a series of pathological changes in the cervical spine, the spinal nerve roots are likely to be compressed, pulled and irritated, causing numbness and swelling of the fingers.

The second type: transient ischemic attack. Because of the increased blood viscosity and relatively slow blood flow when sleeping at night, these factors can lead to unilateral numbness of the fingers caused by one-time cerebral ischemia.

The third type: stroke. Stroke patients often experience headaches, dizziness, limb numbness, and tongue swelling. Numbness in the fingers is also one of the symptoms.

The fourth type: diabetes. Diabetes can cause many complications. If peripheral neuropathy occurs, sensations such as numbness in the limbs may occur.

Fifth type: rheumatoid arthritis. Numbness in the fingers is one of the early symptoms, and severe cases may cause joint pain.

Sixth: Carpal tunnel syndrome. The thickening of the transverse carpal ligament is mainly caused by wrist injury, fracture, dislocation, sprain or excessive wrist fatigue. Numbness and weakness in the fingers is one of its symptoms.

Seventh type: mobile phone elbow. This is mainly caused by answering calls on the mobile phone or sleeping with bent arms as a pillow, which compresses the nerves and causes numbness and weakness in the fingers.

The eighth type: peripheral neuritis. Long-term poor absorption and digestion function and malnutrition can lead to vitamin B1 deficiency and cause numbness in fingers, so you should pay attention to the absorption of nutrients in your daily life.

Ninth type: chronic alcoholism. For some people who drink frequently, numbness in the fingers is most likely due to chronic alcohol poisoning.

The tenth type: cardiovascular blockage. This may cause numbness in your fingers due to poor blood circulation.

Numbness may be caused by the above-mentioned diseases, so you must take it seriously and never delay the treatment.

3. Massage methods for numb fingers

One pinch, press, twist and rub the inner and outer Laogong points; two pinches, press the Shixuan points; three pinches, hit the Baxie points; four pinches, press and rub the inner and outer Guan points.