Arm numbness?

[bon]

Anyone else have problems with arms going numb, sometimes until it turns into pain? From what I've researched on the 'net, it may be thoracic outlet syndrome, but I have no medical insurance, so I haven't been to a doctor.

[JamieAnn]

Hi there,

I haven't had any pain, but I do have numbness and some sort of twitch in 2 fingers.

My doctor did say, however, that if any of my limbs had numbness to let him know. So once you have insurance I would go see a doctor (or maybe just call one?)..

Jamie

[sweetness514]

I have been experiencing some numbness in my hands and arms ever since I had this last surgery in December and it's usually when I have pain in my screws in my thoracic region. Some numbness in one of my toes a bit at times too.

If it continues, I will tell my ortho and maybe seek some PT help. It has gotten better since the pain has decreased some in the last few months.

[CurvySAT05]

I think that the nerves to the arms originate in the Cervical spine. If you are having numbness in the hands/arms I would look to the neck for the cause.

[expatient]

I think that the nerves to the arms originate in the Cervical spine. If you are having numbness in the hands/arms I would look to the neck for the cause.
You are correct. All the nerves come from spine, except cranial nerves. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, finger numbness or tennis elbow they all come from the same reason: nerve is pinced at your thorax/neck/shoulder area causing nerve to swallow and pain to radiate down. Just like ischias nerve does in your leg...

[green m&m]

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, finger numbness or tennis elbow they all come from the same reason: nerve is pinced at your thorax/neck/shoulder area causing nerve to swallow and pain to radiate down. Just like ischias nerve does in your leg...

Um...no. CTS is caused by compression of the median nerve at your wrist due to variety of reasons such as tightening of the transverse ligament.

Tennis elbow is a tendon injury due to repetitive motion.

Niether of those two are caused by nerve pinching at the cervical spine level. A pinched cervical spine nerve could mimic CTS, but there'd would be distinct differences between the two.

[expatient]

Um...no. CTS is caused by compression of the median nerve at your wrist due to variety of reasons such as tightening of the transverse ligament.
Compression comes when nerve swells. Nerve swells because it is pinched...


Tennis elbow is a tendon injury due to repetitive motion.
Usually it is not. It is caused by pinched nerve. So it can easily be cured...


"A pinched nerve can occur when your vertebrae are misaligned and pressure is placed on what are called nerve roots - the first part of the nerve as it exits from the spine. One problem that can occur from this condition is that the involved nerve swells and tries to occupy space that is already to small for it to pass through. The irritated nerve swells and inflames thus becoming the dreaded “hot nerve”. Imagine having your finger stuck in a vise for long period of time. Even if you removed the pressure it would take a while for the associated pain and swelling to go down."
http://wellnesschiro.com/images/July%202001%20eNewsletter.pdf

"The nerve and each of the tendons are each nearly as wide as a pencil. The tunnel is only a little over an inch wide - just big enough to hold the nerve and tendons. When the tendons are irritated, the lining around the tendons (synovium) swells up and puts pressure on the nerve. This pressure cuts off the blood supply to the nerve. Tendon swelling (tendonitis) results from a person’s own tendency to collect fluid around their tendons and joints."
http://www.peoplesrc.org/Services/Computer/Computer_Training/carpaltunnel.doc

"Commonly, nerves that supply the neck/upper limbs or the low back/lower limbs are compressed/irritated inside the spine by a bulging or herniated disc, an arthritic bone spur, scar tissue or a combination of these factors. This causes the nerve to become irritated, inflamed and swollen;"
http://www.aaomed.org/page.asp?id=86&name=Diagnostic%20and%20Therapeutic%20Injections%2 0for%20the%20Spine%20and%20Limbs

"One of the most common repetitive stress injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome. This injury affects the hands, fingers and wrists, and develops when repeated motion causes nerves to swell."
http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/news/dquarterly/winter02/ask_our_doctors.htm

[Theresa]

Green M&M,

I just had an EMG done for Carpal Tunnel. I was told the exact same thing. I was also tested for the nerves coming from the neck, there was no problem there. On me, it's all at the wrist.

[Karen Ocker]

If you do not have medical insurance I suggest visiting the nearest University Hospital ortho and or neurology clinic. There you can get care based on the ability to pay on a sliding scale. Usually this care is most up-to-date.

There's no sense guessing because the problem cannot be fixed unless you know what the problem is.

[sweetness514]

Well I can only speak from what I have experienced and felt in my case. I used to have severe pain in my thoracic region and had a hook taken out and my arm/hand pain lessened a lot. Now that I have pain in that same region since having more hardware put in, it's the same. I do know that neck problems do give arm and hand pain as well though, and that other problems like Carpal tunnel and repetetive momets are different. Every case is different.

[Karen Ocker]

Bon, have you ever had surgery for scoliosis? How large are your curves. If so I add to my previous suggestion to visit a scoliosis clinic at a university hosp.

Also, have you ever had your neck manipulated during chiro treatments?

My son's father-in-law had chiro neck manipulations recently for low back pain. He ended up with dizziness-had a cat scan to check for stroke and now has constant pain down one arm from his neck for weeks now. Pain meds don't work so he consulted a neurologist and pain management. He does NOT have scoliosis.

[sweetness514]

When I had pain in a nerve in my arm all the way to my little finger it was caused by a pinched nerve in my neck. Acupuncture did wonders for that.

The hand numbness happens only when I have pain in my thoracic screws.

I have had dizziness as well when I had my neck worked on(like pressure points, cracking and osteo treatments), and if I turn to fast, and was told that it was a nerve that was compressed in my neck.

[green m&m]

expatient,

what's the point of your reply post to me?

I wasn't saying that nerve compression/pinching doesn't happen in CTS. What I said was that CTS is caused by compression/pinching of the median nerve it doesn't happen at the cervical spinal root levels.

In fact what I said about the transverse ligment tightening is basically what the quote from the link you posted is saying. Carpal tunnel syndrome is called such because it happenes in the carpal area... wrist... and I did say it was just one of many causes.

Where did you get your information about tennis elbow? because it is a RSI. :rolleyes:

[expatient]

Green M&M,

I just had an EMG done for Carpal Tunnel. I was told the exact same thing. I was also tested for the nerves coming from the neck, there was no problem there. On me, it's all at the wrist.
Yes. Many doctors said to me that nothing is wrong in my back or pelvis and I am just imaging my pains... finally one doc noticed what was wrong and corrected me. No more pain... I have learned not to trust what one doc says. Ask at least 10 other opinions! For me it took over 30 opinions, many X-rays, MRIs, tests and 15 years to find the correct diagnose...

[expatient]

expatient,

what's the point of your reply post to me?

I wasn't saying that nerve compression/pinching doesn't happen in CTS. What I said was that CTS is caused by compression/pinching of the median nerve it doesn't happen at the cervical spinal root levels.

In fact what I said about the transverse ligment tightening is basically what the quote from the link you posted is saying. Carpal tunnel syndrome is called such because it happenes in the carpal area... wrist... and I did say it was just one of many causes.

Where did you get your information about tennis elbow? because it is a RSI. :rolleyes:
Carpal tunnel syndrome is just a name for pain. Pain is not usually there where the problem is. Usually the pressure comes from tense muscles on neck-shoulder area that compress the nerve canal.

It is the same as ischias nerve! When it is pinched in pelvic area the pain can be anywhere down in the leg! I have a lot of experience on that! I had back pains and ischias like over 10 years. Doctors had no clue what was the problem. I had many X-rays and MRIs. Finally after seeing 30 doctors one doc did the right diagnosis without seeing any pictures. Before him many doctors said to me that there is nothig wrong in my pelvis and SIJs. But his diagnosis was: left SIJD, and I mean left SIJ dislocation! 99,9% of the doctors don't even believe such disorder is possible! I was lucky to find that doc. Not only I got the right diagnosis, but he also pushed it back and so corrected it. I think he is the only doc in our country who knows how to do that...

My father got rid of his tennis elbow in the hands of one skilled PT. He had had that pain in his elbow many years. One treatment was enough to cure him. The reason was somewhere in shoulder area...

[green m&m]

Well, if that's what you want to believe, fine by me. I guess I won't get through you at all, but at least my posts will make people think twice before assuming everything is caused by nerve root compression.