Why do my hands go numb at night?
Nerves in the arm can be squeezed at the wrist, the elbow or the neck. During sleep we stay in one position for hours, with wrists and elbows bent, so a squeezed nerve complains.
You wake with tingling, shake your hands, and the feeling returns. It is a common reason to see a physiotherapist.
Which fingers are affected?
The pattern of numbness gives a clue. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
| Where it is numb | Nerve that may be involved |
|---|---|
| Thumb, index, middle and half the ring finger | Median nerve at the wrist (carpal tunnel) |
| Little finger and half the ring finger | Ulnar nerve at the elbow |
| Pattern follows a line down the arm, with neck pain | Nerve root in the neck |
| Both hands and feet, like gloves and socks | A general nerve problem, such as with diabetes |
Tell the clinician exactly which fingers, and when. It saves time.
What in Ipoh daily life brings it on?
Think about what your hands and wrists do in a day.
- Scrolling a phone in bed with your wrist bent.
- Hours of chopping, wok work or ladling at a hawker stall or kitchen.
- Factory work with repeated gripping.
- Riding a motorcycle with the wrists bent on the handlebars.
- Sleeping with an arm under the pillow, or with elbows tightly bent.
Read about carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain in factory work. If you look down at a phone a lot, see smartphone neck.
What can I try tonight?
Small changes can make a big difference.
- Keep your wrists straight when you sleep. Do not curl them under the pillow.
- Avoid sleeping with elbows tightly bent. A soft towel wrapped loosely around the elbow reminds you to keep it straighter.
- Stop scrolling the phone in bed, or prop it so your wrists stay neutral.
- Shake out and stretch your hands gently during the day.
- Break up long repetitive tasks every half hour.
If the numbness continues after a couple of weeks, have it checked. Do not wait for months, since a nerve under pressure for long can be harder to settle.
When is numbness an emergency?
Go to the emergency department, such as Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, or call for help at once if numbness comes with sudden face droop, slurred speech, arm weakness, severe headache or confusion. These are stroke signs. Read stroke warning signs.
See a doctor soon if the hands are weak, you drop things, numbness is in both hands and feet, or you have diabetes and the numbness is growing. These need a closer look.
How can physiotherapy help?
A physiotherapist examines the neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist to find where the nerve is under pressure. We then advise on positions, splints if suitable, nerve gliding movements, and changes to work and sleep.
Our home physiotherapy lets us look at your bed, pillow and working posture. Read about neuropathy if both hands and feet are affected. Our Canning Garden centre is opening soon.