Question 1

do i have nerve damage because my hand feels numb? im a 45 year old male of average height and weight. a week ago, i fell a sleep with my right hand behind the back of my head. i woke up in the middle of the night and my arm was numb with no feeling. wit

Accepted Answer

Nerves : Nerves can get pinched by sleeping in funny positions, and this can result in temporary (and sometimes longer-lasting) numbness and weakness.  A google search for the term "saturday night palsy" will reveal a "textbook example" of a not-so-common, but very well-recognized, nerve compression syndrome (in this case, of the radial nerve).  Also, one of the contributing factors of carpal tunnel syndrome (pinching of the median nerve) may be hand position during sleep.

Other things can also cause numbness of the hands.  Determining the cause involves a careful physical examination (which most doctors should be able to perform, but many cannot or do not), and sometimes requires special tests (including electrodiagnostic testing -- see my health guide at the link below) which probably get done more often than necessary.

Left undiagnosed and untreated, hand numbness can get worse, can become associated with weakness, and eventually cause inability to use the hands.

Indications that a doctor is qualified to diagnose the causes of hand numbness include board certification (such as by the american board of psychiatry and neurology and the american board of electrodiagnostic medicine).  It is also a good idea to ensure that the board certified physician is the one who actually performs the examination, rather than a physician extender (pa or other) who is merely supervised by the physician.  A thorough examination for hand numbness includes checking the strength of the major movements at each joint in the affected limb (fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, in this case), checking sensation in the entire affected limb up to and including the neck, checking reflexes at several points (forearms and both sides of the elbows at least), and checking coordination.  This should be in addition to a general examination of the other limbs and major organs.

For more information, check:

http://patients.Aan.Com/disorders/

http://www.Aanem.Org/education/patient-resources/common-disorders.Aspx.

Question 2

38f healthy.  hands fall asleep while i sleep at night.  happens mostly when arm is at full flexion.  do i have some sort of peripheral nerve damage?

Accepted Answer

Impingement: This appears to be a very positional symptom where full flexion of your arms results in impingement of nerves entering your hands and extension of arms relieves the impingement. Another possibility is a carpal tunnel syndrome, but I would expect hand tingling or numbness on other occasions as well. A hand surgeon or neurologist can evaluate and advise you if you still have concerns.

Question 3

if i sleep with my elbow down semi dangling off the bed for 6 hours can it cause permanent nerve damage? my elbow was resting on bed and the rest of arm was dangling. i woke up with my neck and arm sore & arm hurting a bit?

Accepted Answer

: If you do not have numbness or tingling in the arm on waking up, no nerve is being compromised by your sleeping position.
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Question 4

why do my arms, hands and feet always fall asleep.i know i have nerve damage?

Accepted Answer

Possible nerve injur: You may have some early carpal tunnel syndrome
when you sleep sometimes the nerve gets
pinched and causes some numbness and
tingling in your fingers.
The foot numbness may be another story.

Question 5

i have auffered from radial nerve neuropathy with wrist drop for 3 months after sleeping on a bent elbow. how much can i expect treatment to cost?

Accepted Answer

Hard to say: If you do not have insurance,talk to the doctor &amp; find out rough amount.If it is very high you may research to go to other countries to get it done cheaper.-eg India- people come from all over the world to get things done for reasonable amount.Most of the doctors are trained in USA or UK.

You have to ask the doctor how much of wrist drop is reversible.

Question 6

as a massage therapist i get many who sleep upon their hands and arms who also have neuropathy. none of their doctors have asked them about it, why?

Accepted Answer

It can happen: Certainly one can get transient paresthesia from such an action but frank neuropathy would seem odd.  When you sleep on your hand you are causing a decreased blood flow to the area.  In an extreme case this can cause damage and possible neuropathy.  I can't say as I have ever had a patient have neuropathy without extensive damage being done to the muscles or skin.

Question 7

bad habit of sleeping on arm. causing shoulder pain, arm numbness, upper chest / collar bone tenderness. neuropathy? what to do during sleep? also pt?

Accepted Answer

Sleeping on your arm: Puts a great deal of pressure on your rotator cuff and drives the cuff up into your shoulder blade and collarbone. It is akin to someone clamping you thigh for eight hours it is going to hurt. Furthermore your ac joint also can become inflamed. Finally the nerves in you arm get stretched and irritated.  Try sleeping in a recliner, wear a shoulder immobilizer, or sleep with your back supported.

Question 8

how do i heal nerve damage under my arms from crutches?

Accepted Answer

Visit a doctor: There is a whole nerve plexus called the brachial plexus under the arm in the armpit region. You need to see a doctor for this(orthopeist or neurologist) you can develp some serious problems for this if not professionally managed.

Question 9

can tingling and numbness in the cheeks be caused by nerve damage in the arm?

Accepted Answer

No: Although inflammation in the hand can cause shoulder pain at times (hand-shoulder syndrome), the face is not neurally connected to the arm.

Question 10

if symptoms in arm still persist after anterior distectomy with fusion and plates c7 t1  does it mean that there is irreversible nerve damage ?

Accepted Answer

Don't despair: The surgery may well have prevented further damage, but reversal of pre-existing problems may take time.  Nerve damage may reverse, if optimal, at a speed of 0.1mm daily or speed of fingernail growth.  Physical therapy has some potential, and exercise may restore part of this.  An EMG test can tell if there is re-innervation and peripheral nerve sprouting.

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Doctor answers about:

Sleeping on arm nerve damage

A member asked:

Do i have nerve damage because my hand feels numb? im a 45 year old male of average height and weight. a week ago, i fell a sleep with my right hand behind the back of my head. i woke up in the middle of the night and my arm was numb with no feeling. wit

A member asked:

38f healthy. hands fall asleep while i sleep at night. happens mostly when arm is at full flexion. do i have some sort of peripheral nerve damage?

A member asked:

If i sleep with my elbow down semi dangling off the bed for 6 hours can it cause permanent nerve damage? my elbow was resting on bed and the rest of arm was dangling. i woke up with my neck and arm sore & arm hurting a bit?

A member asked:

Why do my arms, hands and feet always fall asleep.i know i have nerve damage?

A member asked:

I have auffered from radial nerve neuropathy with wrist drop for 3 months after sleeping on a bent elbow. how much can i expect treatment to cost?

A member asked:

As a massage therapist i get many who sleep upon their hands and arms who also have neuropathy. none of their doctors have asked them about it, why?

A member asked:

Bad habit of sleeping on arm. causing shoulder pain, arm numbness, upper chest / collar bone tenderness. neuropathy? what to do during sleep? also pt?

A member asked:

How do i heal nerve damage under my arms from crutches?

A member asked:

Can tingling and numbness in the cheeks be caused by nerve damage in the arm?

A member asked:

If symptoms in arm still persist after anterior distectomy with fusion and plates c7 t1 does it mean that there is irreversible nerve damage ?

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