Numb fingers and toes - physiological and pathological reasons, what can be done to help

Numb fingers and toes - physiological and pathological reasons, what can be done to help

Causes of finger numbness in sleep and during the day

Complete and partial numbness of the fingers and toes can be short-term or long-term and occur during sleep or during the day. Regardless of the causes of numbness of the fingers during sleep and during the day, their regularity requires qualified medical assistance. A condition that arose as a result of physical factors does not require medical assistance. In the case of the development of pathology, the symptom of which is numbness of the fingers, it will be necessary to undergo a course of drug therapy.

Reasons

Why do fingers go numb at night? Most often, this is related to physical factors: a person sleeps in an uncomfortable position or puts his hand under his head. Blood vessels are squeezed and the hand "swells". When changing the posture and rubbing the fingers, the numbness gradually changes to tingling and disappears.

If the middle finger on the right or left hand is numb, it may be related to a person's professional activity. This is typical for those who work for a long time at a computer (type or actively move the "mouse") or perform monotonous work in production.

Why are the fingertips numb and tingling? This can be in the case of advanced osteochondrosis, hypertension and insufficient blood circulation. With regularly recurring numbness of the fingertips, which is accompanied by neck pain, headache and light dizziness, a consultation with a therapist is necessary. The listed reasons can become dangerous not only for health, but also for human life. For example, persistently high blood pressure can trigger a hypertensive crisis or a hemorrhagic stroke.

In case of spine injuries or displacement of intervertebral discs, accompanied by pinching of nerve endings, unpleasant sensations will be in some specific part of the upper limb. What to do when the arm is numb from the elbow to the fingers? Straighten your back, rub your neck on the side of numbness and the limb itself. For the appearance of pain in the numb part of the hand, you can use a cold compress or a heating pad with ice. The listed measures are considered emergency and do not eliminate the need for an urgent examination by a doctor.

This phenomenon can occur not only during sleep, but also in the middle of the working day. For example:

  • little finger and ring finger are numb - there is a pathological process in the muscular system of the spine or problems with the heart;
  • the middle phalanx of any finger is numb due to a tear, strain or dislocation of the ulnar or radial joint;
  • numbness of the thumb means the presence of pathological changes in the structure of the tissues surrounding the carpal or elbow joint;
  • the index fingers are numb - arthritis or arthrosis of the elbow joint is progressing, the process is accompanied by a pain syndrome.

Numbness of the fingers can also occur against the background of diabetes, venous blood stasis, and chronic pancreatitis. In any case, if numbness appears regularly, a consultation with a therapist is necessary, who will refer the patient for additional examination to specialized specialists (cardiologist, endocrinologist). Our site Dobrobut.com has enough information to understand: numb and painful fingers - what does it mean, which doctor to contact for help, what can be done at home.

Why are big toes numb

Numbness of the fingers of the lower extremities can be caused by physiological and pathological reasons. Many people feel numbness when wearing tight shoes, with an uncomfortable sitting position (for example, the leg is bent under the buttocks). Such numbness is not pathological and disappears immediately after the restoration of blood supply to the numb part. Regular numbness of the big toes in a dream or in a comfortable position (sitting, lying down) indicates a violation of venous blood flow. This condition is often a symptom of varicose veins of the lower extremities, which must be treated with medication and physiotherapy under the supervision of a specialist. Why are my toes numb at night? The reason is a violation of the blood supply of small vessels. This condition can be corrected, so with the help of drug therapy, it is possible to quickly get rid of the problem.

In addition, numbness of the fingers of the lower extremities can be triggered by problems in the work of the heart, which can lead to serious consequences, such as heart failure and death.

How to treat numbness of the fingers

There is no single course of therapy. To begin with, the doctor examines the patient, finds out the cause, and after that can make some therapeutic appointments.

Treatment of numbness of fingers and toes is always long-term. The course consists of treating the root cause (main disease) and then restoring the blood supply to the fingers and limbs.

The feeling of numbness in the fingers of the lower and upper extremities can be a physiological norm and a symptom of the disease. If such a condition occurred once and does not recur, no specific treatment is required. Regular numbness of the fingers is a reason for an immediate visit to the doctor and a complete examination.

Related services:
Consultation of a neurologist
Cardiology Check-up< /strong>

Updated: 03.04.2025
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Doctors who advise on this issue:
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