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What Causes Numbness In The Fingers Of The Left Hand?
Question: I am a truck driver 30 years old I noticed about a week ago the fingers on my left hand would go to sleep when i was holding the stering wheel and when i raise them above my head but when i lower them or at rest they dont i have a little pain in my left shoulder in certain postitons but not all the time and the pain is barley noticeable when i make a fist i have pain at the base of my thumb
Brief Answer:
Ibuprofen and rest and if no improvement you will need a check
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at Healthcaremagic.
There seem to be 2 complaints. One related to fingers feeling "numb" probably and the pain at the shoulder.
Sometimes these 2 can be 2 separate complaints or related. The most likely thing that would related them both is if you are having an issue in the shoulder that also pinches the nerve the innervates those fingers. This would be caused if there is an issue with the spine or spine discs putting pinching the nerve when it goes out of it or from muscular spasms on the shoulder that pinch the nerve when it goes throught them.
In any case it would be helpful to take some ibuprofen full dose 800 mg 3 times a day for a few days and see the effect. This will reduce the inflamation of the nerve from being pinched and might also relax the muscles and might help with the pain also.
Neck exercises are very helpful in this case to help release the nerve and improvement of symptoms. A physiotherapist in this case would be able to evaluate you and find which exercises would be good for you to help with the pain.
Local numbness of the fingers might be caused by what we call carpal tunnel syndrome which might be due to pressing the nerve at the base of the wrist especially by repetitive movements.
Having some ibuprofen and avoiding the movements that might irritate the wrist area as much as possible. Someitmes an injeciton of steroids locally might be needed in these cases.
If you have had any falling episodes or trauma than other causes related to these should be considered for the pains and the numbness you are feeling and you will need to see a doctor.
So to conclude i would say:
1. take some ibuprofen 800 mg, 3 times a day after food for 4-5 days
2. try to identify movements that aggravate it and avoid it as much as you can
3. A physiotherapist might be a good idea to be seen to evaluate you and give you exercises that might help if the nerve is pinched.
4 See your doctor is you are not improving in a few days or earlier if any worsening or if you have had any trauma or falling episode.
I hope this is helpful to you and will answer to your question but please feel free to reply if anymore clarifications are needed on this.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Ibuprofen and rest and if no improvement you will need a check
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at Healthcaremagic.
There seem to be 2 complaints. One related to fingers feeling "numb" probably and the pain at the shoulder.
Sometimes these 2 can be 2 separate complaints or related. The most likely thing that would related them both is if you are having an issue in the shoulder that also pinches the nerve the innervates those fingers. This would be caused if there is an issue with the spine or spine discs putting pinching the nerve when it goes out of it or from muscular spasms on the shoulder that pinch the nerve when it goes throught them.
In any case it would be helpful to take some ibuprofen full dose 800 mg 3 times a day for a few days and see the effect. This will reduce the inflamation of the nerve from being pinched and might also relax the muscles and might help with the pain also.
Neck exercises are very helpful in this case to help release the nerve and improvement of symptoms. A physiotherapist in this case would be able to evaluate you and find which exercises would be good for you to help with the pain.
Local numbness of the fingers might be caused by what we call carpal tunnel syndrome which might be due to pressing the nerve at the base of the wrist especially by repetitive movements.
Having some ibuprofen and avoiding the movements that might irritate the wrist area as much as possible. Someitmes an injeciton of steroids locally might be needed in these cases.
If you have had any falling episodes or trauma than other causes related to these should be considered for the pains and the numbness you are feeling and you will need to see a doctor.
So to conclude i would say:
1. take some ibuprofen 800 mg, 3 times a day after food for 4-5 days
2. try to identify movements that aggravate it and avoid it as much as you can
3. A physiotherapist might be a good idea to be seen to evaluate you and give you exercises that might help if the nerve is pinched.
4 See your doctor is you are not improving in a few days or earlier if any worsening or if you have had any trauma or falling episode.
I hope this is helpful to you and will answer to your question but please feel free to reply if anymore clarifications are needed on this.
Kind regards
Antoneta Zotaj, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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