Numb fingers (right hand) - TIA/Stroke?

[katniss]

Hello,

Long story short. I woke up at 4 am to use the bathroom. While washing my hands I noticed my right hand becoming numb. It freaked me out I started waving it around to get relief. I didn’t get relief til 10 minutes!! That’s a loooonf time! Usually it just lasts 30 seconds or so. Anyway, woke up this morning and my right pinky and ring finger are slightly numb. I can still touch and grip okay. But what happened? I am obviously afraid of it being a TIA or stroke symptom. Do strokes affect hands and not arms? Is that possible? I have always heard of strokes affecting the whole arm not just the hand. A little panicky right now. Please help :(

Female, 31 YO

[Worrywort80]

4am in the morning. Most likely you just slept on it. I’ve actually woken up several times and had my whole arm completely dead from the same thing. Numb as anything. I had to literally hold my arm up with my other arm and wave it around for ages before the feeling came back, which included lots of pain, pins and needles and warmth. It was really freaky experience! After that it was numb feelings and sore for a long while. Quite normal to happen. Did you have your hand under your pillow/head?


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[RadioGaGa]

Ok I wouldn't think you slept on it - because then you would have woken up with the numbness.

It started when you were washing your hands - was the water cold? Do you have Raynaud's? I do, and if I'm exposed to any sort of cold (even briefly) my hands turn all sorts of colours and go numb. Waving them around wouldn't do anything for me.

Another option could be you just didn't notice it until you started washing your hands.

Another possibility would be a migraine aura (without subsequent migraine).

I have woken up with my leg numb from the knee down several times over the years from sleeping on it - not pleasant at all (and quite alarming at the time!)

I wouldn't worry about this one off incident, which I know is easy for me to say, but if it recurs see your GP for reassurance

[katniss]

I do sleep quite scrunched up because I love to keep the room cold. And, my son recently traded pillows with me so the pillow I’m sleeping on is quite thin. So I do sleep with my hand under the pillow. I also remember waking up from my right side when going to the bathroom. As far as Raynauds - I’m pretty sure I don’t have it. The water also wasn’t cold. Unless if I had already slept on that area and didn’t notice the numbness. I don’t know. It’s so strange! And now my right pinky finger and ring finger are slightly numb. But I really don’t feel it much during the day, only while holding the cell or anything that has to do with me bending the elbow. Can I rule out a stroke or TIA? I really don’t want to go to the ER again :(

[nomorepanic]

Yes you can - it is more likely a trapped nerve or RSI or something like that.

Maybe some physio is needed along with new pillows.

[katniss]

Sorry, what do you mean by “yes you can”? Yes you can have be having a stroke with these symptoms? :(

[katniss]

Oh just understood what you meant! Sorry started panicking. Gosh this anxiety makes me so weak and desperate, I hate the way it makes me feel. Glad I have this forum with people I can relate with.

[nomorepanic]

Yes I mean you don't need to go to ER.