Numb Hands - Causes and Treatment

Although carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition associated with numb hands, it is not the only cause. Other potential causes are listed below.

How effective is acupuncture for treating carpal tunnel?

Acupuncture can provide some degree of pain relief in some cases. It is not effective at treating the underlying problem which is nerve compression or entrapment.

In many cases, avoidance of prolonged wrist flexión or repetitive flexión/extension (up/down motion) can improve and relieve symptoms along with various physical therapy techniques.

In cases that are unresponsive to “conservative” manacement, and where symptoms of pain and numbness and weakness are progressive, surgery done by an experienced surgeon is typically simple and highly effective with limited downtime and risk. hands go numb when sleeping

If there is a nail in your tire and it leaks air, how effective is putting air back in it?

Not, is the answer. You have to fix the problem. The nail is the problem and loss of air is the symptom. hands numb when cold

In most cases, the cause of MEDIAN NERVE ENTRAPMENT is you are moving incorrectly. Even if you had surgery, you only be treating the symptom, not the problem.

So, learn to move correctly and skip all the official and unofficial nostrums.

Acupuncture and TDP can help CTS. Results from this treatment have been very good. I have been able to fully cure some patients.

How long does it take to recover from carpal tunnel surgery? Can you go back to normal tasks quickly afterwards?

I did, and my tunnel syndrome was definitely severe.

My surgery was a local anaesthetic, took less than 30 minutes and 12 stitches (at least that's the # of scars I can still count 25 years later) and I was back at work the next day. The surgeon had a sort of one-way conversation with me, as i was uncomfortable through the procedure. He told me what he was doing and offered me to watch (I declined). He also shared that I had a very tight and cramped tunnel but that it would be good to go. He was correct. hands go numb when holding phone

I worked in health care / hospitals for another 11 years and whenever we'd wheel a carpal tunnel patient into general surgery / anaesthesia and an expected time off work thereafter i always thought it ludicrous, given my experience was so straight forward. hands go numb when raised above heart

There really isn’t much of a recovery period. Since the operation is the opposite of the usual orthopedic procedure-a release rather than a plasty, there are no stitches to remove, no re-approximated tissue to heal (besides the incision). The incision is made, the ligament is sliced, the incision is closed. That’s it. The surgeon will probably tell the patient to avoid strenuous workouts that could stress the incision, for a week or so.

Keep one thing in mind. There is no permanent fix for Carpal Tunnel. It comes back even after Surgery for over 90% of patients, so explore the other methods Doctors have developed before you take that risk. Good Luck! I hope this helps you with your decisions.

CAUSES

COMPRESSION NEUROPATHY

In addition to numbness, compression neuropathy can cause weak or twitchy muscles. Compression neuropathy is pressure on a nerve (Figure 1). The pressure may come from an injury, thickened muscles, enlarged blood vessels, ganglion cysts, etc. Types include:

• Ulnar nerve compression at the wrist: This causes numbness and tingling of the little finger, part of the ring finger, and in the palm on the little finger side.
• Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow: This causes not only the numbness noted above but also numbness on the back of the hand on the pinky side.
• Pressure on the radial nerve in the forearm or above the wrist: This can cause numbness over the back of the thumb, the index finger, and the web between these two fingers.
• Median nerve compression at the elbow: This can cause numbness not only in the same area as in carpal tunnel syndrome but also in the palm at the base of the thumb.
• Pressure on nerves in the neck (Figures 2-3): This can be caused by arthritis, diseases, infections, tumors, blood vessel abnormalities and other conditions of the spinal cord. In addition to numbness, symptoms include weak muscles and decreased reflexes in the arm and forearm, and even the legs.

Sometimes, a nerve may suffer from pressure at more than one area. This is called “double crush.” Pressure on a nerve may require surgery to get relief.
 

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

With this condition, there may or may not be pain, and the numbness is often constant and very general in location. Diabetes, alcoholism, and old age are common known causes of neuropathy. Poisoning from metals and industrial compounds are also possible causes.
 

FIBROMYALGIA

Millions of Americans suffer from this condition, which can last for years or indefinitely. People with fibromyalgia have been shown to be more likely than others to develop carpal tunnel syndrome and may seek surgical treatment, which can only help carpal tunnel syndrome if it exists with fibromyalgia.

People with this condition have persistent pain, frequently in many areas throughout the body, as well as fatigue, headaches, bowel problems, depression, sleep problems and other generalized symptoms.
 

MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME

This is another condition known to cause numbness in the hand. It has some symptoms similar to fibromyalgia, specifically numb hands and numb forearms, often with aches and pain.  Although the symptoms may be felt in the hands, the muscles causing the problems are usually those in the neck and shoulder region. The symptoms are usually stiffness and may be associated with frequent headaches.

There is no hand surgery to correct or improve symptoms with this condition.
 

MEDICATIONS

Certain medications, such as cancer treatment drugs, are known to cause numbness and tingling in the hands. Some of these cause temporary numbness that goes away after completion of the chemotherapy treatment. Others may cause permanent numbness. 
 

OTHER CAUSES

Other causes of numb hands may include:

• Nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B1 deficiency
• Multiple sclerosis
• Stroke
• Disorders of the brain and spinal cord

TREATMENT

The pattern and distribution of symptoms can help determine if the cause is pressure on a nerve, a disease, medications, nutritional or another condition. Depending on the suspected cause, further tests such as an x-ray, an MRI, nerve tests (such as EMG), blood tests, or a spinal tap may be used to help confirm a diagnosis. Specific treatment recommendations can then be made by your specialist. You may also be referred to other specialists such as a neurologist, rheumatologist, pain management specialist, or other.