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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Numbness In Tips Of Fingers And Arms?

Hello I am writing this because I wanted to know why when I hold something to long my finger tips feel like they are going numb, or sometimes I do not have to be doing nothing with my hand and it still gets that feeling sometimes. But the feeling goes and come through out the day. It feels like I am not getting enough blood in that area at that time. My hand just feels like it is going to sleep or feeling numb on and off throughout the day. After I shake my hand or raise it up in the air for a little while it goes away after a while.
Thu, 5 Mar 2020
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General Surgeon 's  Response
Hi,

Those symptoms you describe correspond most likely to a nerve compression. Nerve compression can occur at several sites such as the wrist, the elbow, the shoulder or the neck, so some more precise information on the localization of the tingling sensations might be more helpful (which fingers, palmar or dorsal surface of the hand, inclusion of the forearm or the arm as well, neck pain etc). A common cause which often includes both hands might be carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of the median nerve at the wrist, causing symptoms usually in first 3 fingers, the palm and may include the forearm. Symptoms often more pronounced at night. The next most common cause would be nerve compression in the neck, where symptoms generally are as far up as the neck.

In terms of diagnostic steps, they are the same independently from the affected nerve. A neurological exam is the first step, to identify distribution of symptoms, changes in reflexes, motor strength for individual muscles, information which help localizing the site of damage. Afterwards the next diagnostic step is ENMG (nerve conduction studies and electromyography). If exam suggests source to be in the neck a neck MRI might be needed as well. Management will depend on the affected nerve and the cause.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Iven Romic Rommstein, General Surgeon
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What Causes Numbness In Tips Of Fingers And Arms?

Hi, Those symptoms you describe correspond most likely to a nerve compression. Nerve compression can occur at several sites such as the wrist, the elbow, the shoulder or the neck, so some more precise information on the localization of the tingling sensations might be more helpful (which fingers, palmar or dorsal surface of the hand, inclusion of the forearm or the arm as well, neck pain etc). A common cause which often includes both hands might be carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of the median nerve at the wrist, causing symptoms usually in first 3 fingers, the palm and may include the forearm. Symptoms often more pronounced at night. The next most common cause would be nerve compression in the neck, where symptoms generally are as far up as the neck. In terms of diagnostic steps, they are the same independently from the affected nerve. A neurological exam is the first step, to identify distribution of symptoms, changes in reflexes, motor strength for individual muscles, information which help localizing the site of damage. Afterwards the next diagnostic step is ENMG (nerve conduction studies and electromyography). If exam suggests source to be in the neck a neck MRI might be needed as well. Management will depend on the affected nerve and the cause. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Iven Romic Rommstein, General Surgeon