Author: Meow a meow
Source: Neurology Channel of the Medical Community
I went to see my grandmother last weekend, and during the meal, the old man accidentally said, "I haven't slept well recently, and I don't know what's going on with numb hands, and then I woke up." ”
I listened to the excitement and quickly asked, "How long has it lasted?" ”
"It's been about a week." Grandma was watching TV while tapping her left arm with her right hand.
"Don't knock." I got anxious and raised my voice, "Why don't you go to the doctor for a week in a row?" What's the use of burning incense and worshiping Buddha every day! ”
“…… There was no one to accompany me to see it. Also, I thought it was because I didn't have a good sleeping position, which was compressing my nerves, and I wanted to observe it again. "Grandma was visibly frightened by me.
"You're going to have a stroke!!"
I didn't realize my attitude and tone at all, thinking of my grandmother's decades-long history of heart disease, and the worst was already spinning around in my head.
The old man snorted, and after a while, the babbling began, "Oh, what then?" The stroke is miserable, and I become a vegetative person, and I am paralyzed in bed to be served, and then I will wait for death......"
"Don't worry, don't worry." I finally realized that I was going too far, "Let's go for a check-up and see." ”
Without further ado, the two went straight to the hospital after eating a good meal. Fortunately, according to the results of the MRI, the doctor diagnosed a "transient ischemic attack", and the current blockage of the blood vessels is not serious, and he was prescribed medicine and went home.
Through this incident, I deeply feel that although we are studying medicine, we still need to be vigilant against some minor symptoms of our loved ones.
So speaking of which, what are the causes of numbness in the hands during sleep? What conditions might be indicative? Let's take a look –
First of all, poor posture is indeed a big cause. Putting pressure on the nerves of the limbs for a long time through a certain posture can cause postural paresthesia, but this numbness disappears when the position is changed, and it is important to pay attention to this phenomenon if it occurs for a long time.
carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is common, especially in women between the ages of 30 and 50, and is caused by compression of the median nerve, which is mainly on the volar side of the wrist, which is where the wrist is located. Presents with numbness, tingling, and pain in the radial volar skin of the thumb, display, and middle fingers. Sometimes the whole hand is affected. Sometimes, there is also a burning and stinging sensation in the arm.
Some occupations that require repetitive stretching exercises with the wrist, such as screwdrivers, increase the risk. Another potential causative factor is the incorrect posture when using the computer keyboard, especially for white-collar workers who have been in the office for a long time, in order to avoid strain, the wrist should be kept in a neutral position, the keyboard can be placed in a relatively low position, so that the hand is lower than the elbow joint, and a cushion can be placed under the wrist joint to support.
Cervical radiculopathy
It is a disease that is more common among middle-aged and elderly people, and in recent years there has been a trend towards younger people. Due to long-term sedentary inactivity, abnormal neck posture, especially the use of computers and mobile phones for too long, the cervical intervertebral disc and bone spurs protrude to the back and outside of the cervical spine, irritating or compressing the corresponding spinal nerve roots, especially in the lower cervical spine, that is, the 4th to 7th cervical vertebrae.
Pain is the main symptom and can be drilled or cut-like in nature, or it can be a persistent dull ache or ache that radiates to different parts. In some patients, numbness occurs at the fingertips of the affected fingers, and symptoms worsen at night. It may also cause muscle atrophy and weakness of the upper limbs due to motor nerve damage, poor hand movement, weak holding and easy to fall off.
Transient ischemic attack
Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a disorder of brain function caused by a temporary interruption of blood to the brain, usually with complete recovery within 1 hour. Most TIAs are caused by the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque in the wall of the heart or arteries (usually in the neck) that causes a blood clot (thrombus) or fatty material (hardening of the arteries or plaque) to enter the bloodstream, become an embolus, and remain in the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
Common symptoms include amaurosis fugax, hemiplegia, aphasia, hemisensory impairment (numbness), dizziness, ataxia, and, rarely, loss of consciousness. If the above symptoms appear, you should go to the hospital in time to comprehensively screen for risk factors of cerebrovascular disease, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, atrial fibrillation, etc., and give active prevention and treatment. Once the duration of neurological symptoms is greater than 24 hours, it is a cerebrovascular accident, which is often referred to as a stroke.
Diabetic neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus, which is caused by long-term elevated blood sugar and nerve and tissue damage, including peripheral symmetrical neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, etc.
Manifested in the hands, tingling, pain, and numbness in the fingers and hands may occur. A small number of patients may also have muscle weakness and atrophy. Neuropathy can also occur in other parts of the body, such as the fundus of the eyes and feet, and in severe cases, amputation is required. The complications of diabetes are progressive, so after suffering from diabetes, it is important to carry out regular and reasonable treatment to control blood sugar to the normal range.
In addition, there are a number of other pathological causes of hand numbness, including:
- autoimmune diseases;
- bone marrow disease;
- infections, including Lyme disease and HIV;
- tumors that compress certain nerves;
- multiple sclerosis;
- vitamin B deficiency;
From the above, it can be found that there are many diseases that can explain hand numbness, and it cannot be brushed aside by simply poor sleeping posture, and if this condition is found for a long time, the root problem can only be solved by finding the real cause.
Finally, I would like to share with you that as a medical worker, I have to face a large number of patients with a smile every day, but I neglect my lover, friends, and even call my elders once a month. Tiredness and hard work are not excuses, rather than regretting it at that time, it is better to care more about and warm your dearest people now!