A full rest and a good sleep is what every person needs every day. It is during these periods that both intellectual and physical forces are restored. However, not every person has a peaceful night's sleep. Many people experience various kinds of problems during their holidays. As a result, awakening is more difficult, and the degree of performance during the day remains minimal. One such problem is numbness of the hands at night. The causes of this condition are very diverse. The most likely ones are described below.
Inconvenient pillow
The quality of night rest directly depends on the characteristics of this product. Fundamental parameters are its density and size. Sleeping on a high and stiff pillow is the most common cause of numbness at night. This is due to the fact that in the cervical spine there is a deflection that is not physiological. A prolonged sleep on such a pillow leads to a disruption of the blood circulation in the roots of the spinal cord. It is they who are responsible for the mobility and sensitivity of the limbs.
If the cause of numbness at night is an uncomfortable pillow, there is no need to seek medical help. It is enough to replace the product with a lower and softer one. The ideal solution is to purchase an orthopedic pillow. It differs from the standard product in shape. It has an additional roller supporting the neck, and behind it is a recess for the head.
An orthopedic pillow allows a person to take physiological positions during sleep. Due to this, there is no circulatory disturbance, the fluid connective tissue enters all organs and tissues in sufficient quantities.
Incorrect body position
This is the main cause of numbness at night for both arms and legs. Any unnatural posture leads to disruption of the blood circulation process, which is due to the slowed down work of the cardiovascular system, which cannot provide the limbs with enough fluid connective tissue.
Another reason for numbness in the hands at night is the joint sleep of the mother with the newborn. In most cases, a woman takes a position lying on her side with an elongated limb. Numbness of the upper limbs also occurs when the head of one of the spouses lies on the shoulder of the other.
The difficulty is that controlling your position in a dream is extremely difficult. In such situations, doctors recommend immediately after morning awakening to pay attention to the pose in which the person is lying. In the evening, before a night's rest, it is advisable to place yourself so that it was difficult to occupy it. Over time, the body adapts.
It is important to pay attention to home clothes. If it is tight, with tight cuffs, has stiff seams, then the blood vessels will also be squeezed slightly, causing a slight numbness.
The fact of the use of alcohol-containing drinks and strong coffee also affects the position of the body during sleep. However, in this case, numbness of the limbs is not the greatest danger. Against the background of excessive consumption of coffee and alcohol, various pathologies often develop.
Tunnel syndrome
Currently, an increasing number of patients are turning to the doctor with complaints of numbness of the hands at night. The cause of this condition may be tunnel syndrome. This disease is a consequence of regular overstrain of joints and hands of the upper limbs. In most cases, it is diagnosed in women older than 40 years.
Concomitant symptoms:
- Pain in the hands.
- Itching of the skin.
- Tingling sensation in fingers.
These signs appear at the end of the working day and do not recede throughout the night.
The risk group includes persons who, by the nature of their professional activity, are:
- musicians;
- painters;
- tailors;
- machinists;
- Drivers
- hairdressers;
- by office workers.
The mechanism of the development of the disease is pinching and subsequent edema of the nerve, which is responsible for the motor activity of the fingers and the sensitivity of the palm. As a result, a person constantly suffers from numbness of his hands at night. How to get rid of the pathology should tell the doctor, based on the history and diagnostic results.
The general treatment regimen for tunnel syndrome involves taking vitamins, performing a special set of exercises, and physiotherapy. In some cases, it is supplemented by taking medication and the need to change the type of activity.
Regardless of the causes of numbness of the fingers at night, delaying treatment is unacceptable. This is due to the fact that ignoring the problem can lead to the death of the affected nerve. As a result, a person will not be able to capture even the simplest household items with his hand.
Pathology of the spine
Their presence can be suspected if, along with numbness of the hands, marked headaches and even fainting are noted.
As a rule, the cause of discomfort is osteochondrosis. This term combines several pathologies associated with metabolic disorders in bone and cartilage.
The main cause of diseases is a sedentary lifestyle. If a person stays in a sitting position for a long time every day, the process of spinal deformity starts, due to which a spasm of the surrounding muscle tissue occurs. Separately, it is worth highlighting arthritis, which results in the destruction of joints.
If you suspect the presence of the above pathologies, you should consult a doctor. He will find out the exact causes of numbness of the hands at night and prescribe treatment in accordance with the diagnostic results. Significant improvements can be achieved through massage and exercise therapy.
Cardiovascular disorders
This is the most serious cause of numbness in the hands at night. Treatment should be carried out immediately, since often uncomfortable sensations are precursors of ischemic stroke. You should consult a doctor as soon as possible if the following warning signs are additionally noted:
- dizziness;
- confusion of consciousness;
- high blood pressure.
The problems with the work of the cardiovascular system are also indicated by severe numbness of only the left limb. If, against the background of this condition, a person feels pain and swelling of the fingers, it is urgent to contact a medical institution and undergo treatment. Causes of numbness of the left arm at night can be very dangerous.
If the discomfort is caused by a micro stroke, the patient is hospitalized in a hospital. In a hospital, a person is thoroughly examined, a treatment plan is made and recommendations will be given regarding the prevention of the disease.
If the cause of numbness of the left arm at night is a pre-infarction condition, the patient is also shown urgent hospitalization. In a medical institution, doctors will take all necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of a dangerous condition, prescribe a course of treatment and give recommendations regarding the prevention of the disease.
Polyneuropathy
This pathology can cause numbness of the fingers at night. The disease is characterized by damage to nerve fibers. With polyneuropathy, a person feels not only numbness. Hands and fingers seem to be pulling, and tingling is noted on the skin.
The frequency of episodes of uncomfortable sensations directly depends on the degree of damage to nerve fibers. They can appear both daily and several times a week.
After confirming this cause of numbness of the fingers at night, treatment begins immediately. This is due to the fact that polyneuropathy always develops against the background of serious pathologies (for example, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, iron deficiency anemia). Less often, its cause is a deficiency in the body of vitamins and minerals.
The treatment regimen is drawn up after the identification of the underlying disease. As soon as you can get rid of it, unpleasant symptoms will disappear in an independent way.
Thrombosis of the upper extremities
The formation of a blood clot in the vessels is one of the causes of numbness at night in the right arm or left. The formation of a blood clot never occurs on its own, this process is always affected by one or more of the following provoking factors:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Diabetes.
- Increased blood coagulation.
- Trauma to the walls of blood vessels obtained in the process of medical manipulation.
- Overweight.
- Prolonged presence of the body in the same position.
- Varicose veins.
In addition to numbness, the following conditions are specific symptoms of thrombosis: redness of the skin, pain, protruding veins.
A doctor should be consulted if there are disturbing signs, especially for people suffering from varicose veins. The specialist will prescribe an examination and find out the exact cause of numbness at night in the right arm or left upper limb. When confirming thrombophlebitis, the question of the advisability of surgical intervention is resolved.
The drug treatment regimen includes the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants. Also, the patient must comply with strict bed rest, while it is desirable that the arms are always slightly raised.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome
This term refers to a dangerous neurological disease of an autoimmune nature. As a rule, the symptoms of pathology are ascending. In other words, the lower limbs go numb first, and then the upper limbs.
Currently, the causes of the development of the disease are not exactly established. Doctors believe that the start of the autoimmune process occurs under the influence of the following provoking factors:
- Brain neoplasms.
- Bacterial and viral infections.
- Traumatic brain injuries.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Vaccination.
- Conducted surgical interventions.
- Allergic reaction.
- Chemotherapy.
In addition to numbness of the limbs, patients note the following conditions:
- Joint aches.
- Nausea.
- Elevated body temperature.
- Muscle weakness.
- Painful sensations.
- Excessive perspiration.
At the same time, the feeling of tingling and numbness of the hands is so intense that the patient, waking up at night, is not able to take any object. Less commonly, muscle weakness is noted on the face. In such cases, it is difficult for a person to swallow saliva and say a few words.
Information on how to eliminate numbness of the hands at night with this disease should be provided by the doctor. This is due to the fact that improper treatment or its absence at all can lead to the development of life-threatening conditions: pneumonia, sepsis, thromboembolism and cardiac arrest.
The presence of Guillain-Barré syndrome, both acute and chronic, is an indication for hospitalization. All medical measures should be performed exclusively in a hospital setting. With the ineffectiveness of conservative methods of therapy, the question of the appropriateness of surgical intervention is resolved.
How to deal with hand numbness at night
All factors leading to uncomfortable sensations during sleep can be divided into serious and non-hazardous. In any case, if numbness occurs at night regularly, besides this is accompanied by other disturbing symptoms, you must consult a doctor. First of all, it is important to make an appointment with the therapist. The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination, on the basis of the results of which he can send for consultation to specialists of a narrow profile (rheumatologist, neurologist, surgeon, etc.).
There are several methods to combat hand numbness at night. It is important to understand that their use does not eliminate the need to seek qualified medical help. This is due to the fact that at home it is possible to reduce the severity of symptoms, but not to eliminate their root cause (if we are not talking, for example, about an uncomfortable pillow).
If a person wakes up from numbness in his hands, it is enough to perform a few simple gymnastic exercises:
- Do not get out of bed, lie on your back. Then you need to lift up both limbs. Then the fingers need to be squeezed and unclenched. The number of repetitions is 80-100.
- Without changing the position of the body, lower your hands on the bed and stretch them along the body. Then again you need to unclench and squeeze your fingers. The number of repetitions is 80-100.
- Take a vertical position, then stand facing the wall. In this position, raise on your toes and raise your hands up. Stay in this position for 1 minute. After that, you need to stand on the whole foot. Then you need to join your hands behind your back to the castle. After this, you must try to raise the limb as high as possible.
Then it is recommended to go to bed again and massage the affected areas. During the day, it is advisable to roll balls of various sizes between the palms.
There are several effective recipes for traditional medicine, the use of which will relieve numbness at night or reduce the severity of discomfort:
- Take a small or medium sized potato and wash it thoroughly. Then the root crop must be put into the palm of your hand and fixed. To do this, you can put a loose glove or sock on your hand. Leave it all night. In the center of the palm there is a biological point responsible for the work of the cervical and shoulder channels. Potato presses on the desired area, thereby improving blood circulation. The natural result is the absence of numbness and tingling sensations at night.
- Take 150 g of garlic and chop it. The resulting product pour 0.5 liters of vodka. Then the container must be removed in a dark place for 2 weeks. After the specified time, you need to take tincture three times a day, 5 drops, previously diluted with clean still water. The course of treatment is 1 month.
- Before going to bed, you can mix camphor and ammonia in a ratio of 1: 5. Then they need to be diluted with 1 liter of water. Put a container next to the bed. When waking up due to numbness, it is recommended to massage the affected limbs with this tool.
- If unpleasant sensations arise exclusively in the hands, you can use the following recipe: mix 100 g of vegetable oil with 100 g of sugar, mix thoroughly. Massage the affected area with spiral movements. Then in 1 liter of warm water you need to dilute 2 tbsp. l salt. Dip your hands in the resulting liquid for 45 minutes.
For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to take multivitamin complexes twice a year. In addition, to normalize blood circulation, it is necessary to constantly expose the body to moderate physical activity. It is important to understand that people whose professional activities are inextricably linked with low mobility are most often susceptible to the development of various pathologies. Each person is recommended to perform morning exercises daily and train all body muscles at least 2 times a week.
To prevent numbness at night, it is not recommended to have a tight dinner immediately before bedtime. Otherwise, the body will need more effort to digest food. At the same time, the resources of the limbs are quickly reduced.
Finally
Numbness of the hands at night is a condition that does not always indicate the development of a pathological process in the body. First of all, you need to pay attention to the position of the body during sleep and the quality of the pillow. The latter is recommended to be replaced by orthopedic. If numbness of the upper extremities occurs at night regularly, you must consult a doctor. The specialist will refer the patient to a comprehensive examination, based on the results of which he will establish the cause. It is unacceptable to postpone the treatment of numbness of hands, fingers or the entire limb at night. This is due to the high risk of developing all kinds of complications.