numbness in hand, fear of stroke

[neon_skyline]

for the past few months i have been getting numbness in my right hand, mainly in the two smallest fingers and the hand directly underneath them. it seems like i have only felt this way since i had a really funny turn a few months ago which my doctor thinks was a panic attack but it was the worst one i've had. i went pale, had cold sweats, my chest was extremely tight and i was lightheaded. my hands were also numb and tingly. i couldn't distract myself by going for a walk (this usually calms me down) and it seemed to come out of nowhere.

i don't know if since then i have noticed the numbness more just because the experience was so scary, but it was my only panic attack which seemed to come completely out of nowhere. does this happen to anyone else?

i guess the fear started because someone i know had a stroke and now she's recovered the only symptoms she has is slight numbness in her hand in the same place.

i have no problem gripping things with my right hand and it's worse when i bend my arm, making me think it's perhaps a trapped nerve or something? neither my doctor or my counsellor seem concerned about it, so i was wondering if anyone else has numbness like this? it seems to be there even when i'm not anxious which worries me so much!

any help would be appreciated.

sally xxx

[nomorepanic]

Sally

Did the docs talk to you about RSI or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as it could be that as well?

[neon_skyline]

no they didn't and i don't know anything about it! can this cause this?

[nomorepanic]

Sally

I have CTS in my left hand and it is worse at night so I keep waking up cos it goes numb.

I got a wrist splint that I wear at night for it.

RSI can cause similar problems I believe.

May be worth asking about those both.

[breeze25]

agree it coule be capel tunnel, I had it and it was easily sorted.

i still get numb hands a lot of the time now when I an anxious and of course when I think about it, I notice it more.

[anxious]

Hi Sally,

i have numbness in my little & ring finger and all the way up to my elbow. I also wake in the night with a numb arm. I think its a trapped nerve in either my elbow or shoulder. It also happens when im on the computor too long,


anx xx

[Pen]

Hi

I have been getting numbness in some of my fingers and sometimes my whole hand for over a year now. It usually wakes me up during the night. The wierd thing it changes from hand to hand. After a very long time of much worrying that I had something awful I have put it down to tension as it happens more frequently when I am very anxious. It's a vicious circle though, the more it happens the more you feel anxious. I also get pain and cramp in my left calf (and sometimes my right).

I have found that a back massage helps to relieve tension and I have also been having reflexology.

Take care

Pen :)