In the past, I have had many clients complaining about numbness in their hands. At times, they wake up with numb fingers. Some are on the thumb, index and middle fingers and half of the ring finger, some are on the pinky and ring fingers, and some are just in the middle of their palms. It is not a pleasant thing to have in the morning. But what is the cause of this numbness? What should we do about it?
Today I will talk about the numbness in fingers from the perspective of an RMT.
Normally when numbness occurs it probably has something to do with our nerve. Our nervous system is like a well-built network that reaches every part of our body, from the top of our scalp to the tip of pinky fingers, and down to the bottom of our soles. Just think about when you get pinched on one of your forearms, you feel the sense of pain. That is your nervous system sending the note to tell your brain that "hey we got pinched at the forearm, give that poor arm some attention!" This signal travels through the nerve branch located at your forearm towards your deltoid area all the way up to the neck and then the scalp.
So what is the nervous system trying to tell us through the sensation of numbness? It is that the nerve associated with the numbness is “dizzy”. It could be being pressured by tensed and stiff muscles or swelling (such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). Or, it could be that the poor local blood flow can not supply enough energy the nerve needs, etc. The poor blood flow might be a result of external force that physically blocks the blood to go through, might be pinched nerve, or a result of some medical conditions. Conditions that are associated with numbness can be peripheral neuropathy, stroke, cold exposure, cervical (neck) spinal stenosis, median nerve injury, ulnar nerve injury, diabetic neuropathy, etc [1][2]. You may want to consult a doctor to find out the original cause of the numbness.
Median Nerve and Ulnar Nerve [3]
Numbness on Fingers as Experienced in CTS [4]
The numbness caused by compression can be relieved by an RMT. Numbness on pinky and ring fingers for example, could start from the ulnar nerve inside of the inner forearm or wrist. By stretching and releasing the tensed muscle and ligaments around that area can be very helpful to ease the numbness. In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the pressure the tendons and ligaments of wrist put on the median nerve can cause pain, tingling and numbness. Massaging and stretching these tendons and ligaments aid recovery by relieving the pressure. Massage also helps relieve CTS symptoms by breaking down scar tissue and adhesions in the muscles of the wrist and forearm that are caused by trauma or overuse. Restoring the affecting muscles to full elasticity allows the wrist to move more freely, and eases friction on the inflamed areas[5]. However, our body is complicated. In a more difficult case a surgeon and/or a physio-therapist are needed. If you think the compression might be your case feel free to book a session with one of our RMTs.
Another similar example is, that the tightened-up piriformis muscle sitting in the middle of gluteus can press on the sciatic nerve and cause sciatic pain even you don't have sciatica. I am sure now you can see how all body parts work together, and how the whole wellness of our body is so important for everyday routine. If you find my article inspiring, please share to your family and friends.
References:
[1] http://www.medicinenet.com/numbness_fingers/symptoms.htm
[2] http://symptomchecker.webmd.com/multiple-symptoms?symptoms=numbness-or-tingling%7Cswelling%7Cunable-to-grip-(hands)&symptomids=164%7C5%7C348&locations=49%7C49%7C49
[3] www.howtorelief.com
[4] https://www.slideshare.net/jithinmampatta/median-nerve-25316412
[5] https://dreamclinic.com/massage-therapy/massage-as-treatment-for-carpal-tunnel-syndrome