Understanding the Causes of Arm Numbness and How to Prevent It

Understanding the Causes of Arm Numbness and

How to Prevent It

In daily life, you may feel a tingling sensation, as if electricity is running through your arm, and arm numbness can occur for various reasons.

This symptom may appear only temporarily, but if it happens repeatedly on one side, you may want to consider a certain condition.

Let’s take a look at what can cause symptoms such as arm numbness, as well as ways to manage and prevent them.

If your arm or hand becomes numb while you are sleeping, the symptom may occur because blood circulation is temporarily not working properly.

If you fall asleep at a desk with your face resting on one arm, or if you have the habit of sleeping on one arm, your arm may become numb, stiff, and weak.

This symptom is also called radial nerve palsy. When the radial nerve is compressed, such as by sleeping on your arm, temporary numbness or paralysis-like symptoms may occur.

If, in addition to arm numbness, your palm also feels numb and achy, and the symptom gets worse while sleeping, you may want to consider carpal tunnel syndrome.

As the tunnel formed in the wrist narrows, the median nerve passing through it becomes compressed, causing symptoms. Numbness, burning, and tingling may appear in the fingers, palm, and arm.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can occur after exercises that move the hands excessively or after activities that require heavy use of the hands.

If you feel a pulling sensation and tingling in the back of the neck and the upper part of the arm, it may be a herniated cervical disc. The cervical nerves extending from the neck to the shoulders, arms, and fingertips can be compressed, causing numbness in various areas.

If the symptom of arm numbness extends all the way to the little finger, you may want to consider cubital tunnel syndrome.

It occurs when the tunnel on the inner side of the elbow narrows and compresses the ulnar nerve passing through it, and numbness mainly appears on the inner side of the arm.

If you have cubital tunnel syndrome, not only may your arm feel numb, but numbness and sensory changes may also occur in the ring finger and little finger, and you may sometimes feel warmth as well.

It mainly occurs in occupations that require frequent use of the fingers, and if you use a computer for long periods with your arm bent, you may be more likely to experience this symptom.

Because arm numbness can occur for many different reasons, it is best to identify the cause and improve and prevent the symptom.

If you use a computer a lot in daily life, it is good to straighten your elbows frequently, and when using a smartphone, you should be careful not to keep your elbows excessively bent.

Also, it is good to be careful not to sleep with your arm under your head, and when doing activities that involve a lot of wrist use, it is helpful to protect the area by using a wrist brace, and so on.

We have looked at the causes of arm numbness and ways to manage and prevent the symptom. Please refer to the above information and try to manage your symptoms.