Every person at least once in his life has encountered the problem of numbness of his fingers. If this happened only once, then you don’t need to worry much, but if this happens regularly, then you should take a closer look at the situation. Short-term, occasional numbness of the fingers is dangerous to health, and long-term indicate a serious illness. Why does the little finger and ring finger go numb?
Most common causes
Numbness, lasting a short period of time, are not dangerous. Particular attention should be paid to long-lasting symptoms, including headache, dizziness and sudden loss of consciousness.
Numb fingers - little finger and nameless? The reasons may be the following:
- hernia;
- Raynaud's disease;
- osteochondrosis of the lower cervical spine;
- diabetes;
- bearing a child;
- damage to the head, upper arm or cervical spine;
- menopausal condition;
- carpal tunnel syndrome;
- multiple sclerosis;
- atherosclerosis.
It is important to remember that in the fingers of the hands there are many small nerve endings that very quickly give a reaction to any external influence. Systematic numbness of the fingers is a significant reason for contacting a treating specialist, as the loss of time in the presence of dangerous diseases can lead to serious consequences.
Pinched nerve in the neck
Doctors call the numbness of the little finger carpal tunnel syndrome or compression of the nerve in the elbow. The nerve fibers, which provide the fingers with sensitivity, originate in the spinal region. Eight pairs of cervical roots of nerve fibers extend from the spinal cord, and then go to the intervertebral foramen. It is the eighth spinal nerve that is responsible for the susceptibility of surrounding objects from the beginning of the forearm to the little finger. Excessive stress on this nerve can lead to numbness.
A hernia of the spinal disc, as well as arthritis, are the most common causes of pinched nerves in the cervical region. The vertebrae are separated by special discs, which can move, changing the normal position, and form a hernia. A hernia formed below the seventh cervical vertebra significantly increases the load on the eighth spinal nerve, which as a result leads to a decrease in the overall sensitivity of the little finger.
Over time, the free space between adjacent vertebrae begins to decrease. Arthritis provokes an inflammatory process in the intervertebral joints, reducing the gaps through which the nerve roots go. Arthritis between the seventh vertebra and the first thoracic increases the load on the eighth cervical root, resulting in the fingers becoming numb - the little finger and the ring finger.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Spinal roots branch into a large number of nerves, which give sensitivity to the muscles of the hands. The ulnar nerve originates in the eighth cervical and first thoracic nerve roots. It passes between the muscles along the inside of the elbow and provides sensitivity to the forearm, little finger and ring finger. With physical influence from the side (for example, a blow against something solid), the structure of nerve fibers is disturbed, which leads to a feeling of numbness. In this case, two fingers go numb at once: the little finger and the ring finger. At the same time, a person feels like an electric shock.
Some muscle action can lead to increased pressure on the nerve of the elbow. Most often this happens when exposed to muscles and tunnel structures that compress the nerve, resulting in the numb little finger and ring finger of the left hand. The condition of the ulnar nerve may deteriorate when an elbow is injured or if it is subjected to a prolonged load (for example, if you lean on the surface of the arm for a long time).
Nerve injury
The ulnar nerve fibers go along the inner forearm, and then pass through the tunnel, which is also called the Guillon channel. It is through the little finger that the nerve enters the hand. When the nerve is pinched in the ulnar region or when a tunnel syndrome occurs, the sensitivity of the little finger deteriorates greatly. Blood vessel diseases, tumor processes, arthritis and cystitis can lead to increased stress on the nerve in the Guillon tunnel. All this leads to the fact that the fingers on the hand go numb : the little finger and the nameless.
Microtrauma
Short nerve endings (up to three millimeters in diameter) in the network entangle fingers. Physical exposure to any of these nerves from the side can result in numbness of the little finger in the area where the injury was received.
Microtraumas most often occur with injuries or traumatic effects. In these cases, most often it is necessary to carry out an operation to restore damaged nerves and former sensitivity.
Additional reasons
Fingers numb - little finger and nameless? The reasons may be the following:
- Serious illness. Violation of the sensitivity of the little finger may indicate the presence of the disease. For example, diabetes can damage nerve endings. This process is called diabetic neuropathy. This violation, as a rule, occurs with prolonged maintenance of high blood sugar or with poor circulation.
- The result of a stroke. With numbness of the hands and partial paralysis, the chance of getting a stroke is high. Such a diagnosis is considered very difficult, therefore, it requires urgent medical attention. The little finger may lose its previous sensitivity due to a stroke. Blood clots or damaged blood vessels disturb the normal blood circulation. A sudden loss of sensation or burning sensation in the fingers, especially only in the right or left hand, may indicate a stroke. In the presence of such symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible for a diagnosis.
- Carpal, ulnar neuropathy. The little finger and ring finger of the right hand are numb most often due to neuropathy. Most people are right-handed, therefore it is on their right hand that they have the greatest load, which leads to injury to the ulnar nerve and numbness of the fingers.
- Raynaud's disease, in which the hands become cold and turn blue, has not been fully studied. Multiple trauma to the hand can lead to such a disease. Numbness in most cases is localized at the ends of the fingers in cold weather due to a sudden spasm of blood vessels.
- Multiple sclerosis, which appears due to a violation of the integrity of the myelin sheath of neurons, also leads to numbness of the limbs. But in this case, the patient has a peculiar gait.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome has the following symptoms: numbness of the hands, swelling of the tissues, loss of sensation, feeling of pain. Such a syndrome occurs most often in people who, due to their specialization, must make the same movements throughout the day. If timely treatment is not started, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to atrophy of the thumb.
- During the climacteric state, as well as when the child is bearing, the fingers begin to go numb due to swelling of the tissues, which often leads to compression of the nerve bundle in the wrist area. If symptoms often occur, it is important to carefully examine the cardiovascular system.
Diagnostics
When visiting the attending physician, it is important to describe in detail all the symptoms and signs of malaise in the hand. A detailed description of numbness will help to conduct a correct examination and make an accurate diagnosis.
If the right little finger and ring finger are numb, it is best to pay increased attention to the functioning of the heart muscle. In the morning, the patient has tingling on one side. The main symptomatology manifests itself later: at night the little finger and ring finger are numb.
- A feeling of numbness in the middle finger reports a lack of certain vitamins in the body. In this case, experts advise to completely change the diet, and if possible go to an appointment with an endocrinologist.
- When the index finger of the left hand is numb, it is important to pay attention to a possible narrowing of the vessels or the presence of diseases in the cervical spine.
- The little finger and the ring finger of the left hand are numb? The cause may be osteochondrosis. To determine the exact diagnosis, it is important to consult a doctor. In the presence of osteochondrosis, treatment should be started immediately, as the condition can rapidly worsen.
- The ring finger on the right hand may lose susceptibility due to excessive fatigue. In this case, it is best to just relax. This often happens in women who engage in any kind of needlework.
- Numbness of the middle finger of the right hand requires the help of an orthopedist. In most cases, this symptom indicates damage to the elbow joint.
- Numbness of the thumb on the right hand indicates the presence of tunnel syndrome.
- When the little fingers on both hands are numb, it is immediately important to pay increased attention to the work of internal organs and systems.
- Two thumbs lose sensitivity in the presence of any of the described problems. If, against the background of numbness, the patient has a violation of fine motor skills, shaky gait, weakness, then it will be best to undergo research in the neurological department.
- If the little finger and ring finger on two hands go numb, this indicates a complication of cervical osteochondrosis. It is important to consult a specialist in a timely manner.
Diagnostic procedures
The main purpose of diagnostic measures is to establish the causes of numbness, as well as the possibility of pathological changes in the body. First, the patient must donate blood for a laboratory test, which will help to detect the presence of toxins. This analysis is especially important for those who work in enterprises with increased harmfulness to the body.
From hardware research apply:
- X-ray of the cervical spine;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- Dopplerography of arterial vessels of the neck and spine;
- computed tomography;
- echoencephalography.
Each of these methods helps to obtain additional information about the patient's condition, which makes it possible to make an accurate diagnosis, as well as to make an effective treatment.
Using a special X-ray, you can conduct a series of images that will help determine in which places the damage to nerve roots and blood vessels is common. Dopplerography of arteries is important for assessing the general condition of blood vessels. With it, ultrasonic radiation is used, which does not cause the patient any unpleasant sensations.
With the help of MRI and CT, the spinal column and brain are carefully examined. Echoencephalography, in which ultrasound is used, helps to accurately determine the size of the pathological process that takes place in the parts of the brain. The sensors installed next to the skull give ultrasonic waves of a certain frequency and perceive an echo. Now such a study is used only in hospitals that do not have computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
Electroencephalography helps to detect even minimal changes in the brain. The electrodes attached to the head are connected to a device that detects all changes in the electrical activity of the waves and gives indications on the monitor in the form of a broken line.
The results of diagnostic procedures and an accurate study of all the symptoms of malaise in the patient help the doctor correctly determine the cause of numbness in the fingers and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Which doctor will help
Due to the fact that there are a large number of reasons for the loss of sensitivity of the fingers, it is important to seek help from several specialists at once who could accurately determine the source of the lesion: surgeon, neurologist, cardiologist. All of them must conduct a full-fledged study, as a result of which it will be possible to prescribe the correct and effective treatment.
Most often, therapy comes down to medical gymnastics, taking medications and using external ointments.
Therapeutic measures
In each individual case, individual treatment is required. With osteochondrosis and tunnel syndrome, collar massage and physiotherapy exercises help to cope with the problem. Special physical exercises are used to develop atrophied muscles after a hand injury.
In each case, taking medications will be well combined with manual therapy, the use of a vitamin complex, as well as physiotherapy. Treatment with ultrasound, laser and magnetotherapy helps to improve the blood circulation process and has a positive effect on all regeneration processes.
Non-traditional methods are also widespread during therapy: vacuum procedures, hirudotherapy, acupuncture.
In order not to earn numbness of the fingers, it is important to follow some preventive measures:
- Avoid long wearing heavy things;
- walk more;
- introduce as many foods as possible with vitamins B12 in the diet;
- during monotonous work it is important to take a break for physical activity;
- avoid severe stress;
- get rid of bad habits (stop drinking alcohol and smoking);
- dress warmly when it's cold outside.
All the recommendations described will help to significantly reduce the chance of losing the sensitivity of the fingers, reduce the risk of vascular disease and damage to nerve fibers.