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Hands Get Numb While Sleeping. Have Stiff Neck, Tingling And Numbness In Toes. How To Get Relief?

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Posted on Wed, 7 Nov 2012
Question: My hands get numb while sleeping unless i sleep on my back with my arms out straight,when I roll over while sleeping I will wake up with numbness usually in my panky and ring fingers.This happens most every night on both right and left arms up mostly on the left. I workout 4-5 times a week and sometimes I will have tingling and numbness in my toes ,when this happenes I stop that particular exercise and the tingling and numbness goes away within a few mins.
I also have a stiff neck from time to time and am not sure if this is realeted to my condition. I have seen several Doctors and had xrays,mri,nerve test,and physical therpy. I need relief from this condition
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (44 minutes later)
Hi

The description is suggestive of irritation of the NERVES of the neck - which exit from the spinal cord at neck level. If tingling of toes also is also to be accounted for, it could point to the spinal CORD at neck level.
MRI of the cord and neck should have shed some light. If as you say all such investigations are negative - muscle spasm from posture is most likely. Metabolic causes like vitamin deficiency may be responsible.
There may be rare causes, which could only be worked out in super speciality institutions - if we diagnose a rare disease, we are rarely correct!
In the absence of correct diagnosis, management could only be symptomatic. The guiding principle must be - 'Think wild and act mild.' B vitamins are the mainstay. Muscle relaxants may help. Drugs like gabapentin, which elevate the threshold of sensation may help.
You need to be followed up by a qualified neurologist in a tertiary care multi-speciality hospital.

Wishing you speedy recovery
Good luck

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Anantharamakrishnan

Cardiologist

Practicing since :1966

Answered : 4505 Questions

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Hands Get Numb While Sleeping. Have Stiff Neck, Tingling And Numbness In Toes. How To Get Relief?

Hi

The description is suggestive of irritation of the NERVES of the neck - which exit from the spinal cord at neck level. If tingling of toes also is also to be accounted for, it could point to the spinal CORD at neck level.
MRI of the cord and neck should have shed some light. If as you say all such investigations are negative - muscle spasm from posture is most likely. Metabolic causes like vitamin deficiency may be responsible.
There may be rare causes, which could only be worked out in super speciality institutions - if we diagnose a rare disease, we are rarely correct!
In the absence of correct diagnosis, management could only be symptomatic. The guiding principle must be - 'Think wild and act mild.' B vitamins are the mainstay. Muscle relaxants may help. Drugs like gabapentin, which elevate the threshold of sensation may help.
You need to be followed up by a qualified neurologist in a tertiary care multi-speciality hospital.

Wishing you speedy recovery
Good luck