numb hands when waking

[tashbarnes87]

Hi all, for the past few nights on both hands i have been waking up with a completey numb pinky & 4th finger, at least 3 times a night. I wiggle it and it comes back almost instantly. i a convinced i have MS & after googling i am now terrified by this :weep:

its all started since i gave birth 4 weeks ago which i know is common in ms :weep:

according to google its not carpel tunnel as that doesnt effect the pinky :weep: x

[skin]

Hey - I also experience exactly the same thing.
I had a job that required me to sit at a coputer all day, elbows bent and on the table. Went to the doctors, desperate it is MS :D, and found out that it is not carpel tunnel - it's most likely "cubital tunnel" (or Ulnar nerve entrapment).
The ulnar nerve gives sensation to the little finger and to half of the ring finger on both the palm and back side of the hand. ( http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00069 check out this link and you will see your symptoms ).

The doc didn't want to do surgery or any other invasive procedures on me as I am yound (23) and he suggested to put a cushin-like thing where my hands meet the desk, so the continuous damage to the nerve will be diminished. It helped alot, but didn't stop it - it actually stopped a couple of months after I quit that job :). The nerves have the capacity of regenerating themselves if the damage is not severe.

The doctor also told me that it might not be damage to the nerves but to the spine, because sitting in the "computer" position all day damages exactly the parts of the spine that is linked to those nerves (this seemed as a better explanaition because both hand were affected - though my right <mouse> hand was worse and got numb when waking up more often than the left one).

Ofc, if you are trully distressed and you mind-chatter about it all day it would be best to check it out with your MD, just to put your mind at ease.


PS: Though MS is an insidous disease, it does not come on with just one neurological symptom. My sister who's a doc is here with me and she sais that if MS would of damaged the area that involves those nerves (the ulnar one), you would feel it righ up to the shoulder and other nerves would be involved too.

[suzy-sue]

Hi tash this is caused by the positions in which you sleep .Its often to do with the nerves in the arm or Cervical spine near to the shoulder .Its sometimes helped by reducing or adding an exra pillow .its not MS ..sue x

[blueangel]

I have trapped ulnar nerves as well, worse in the right arm but I can get it in the left arm as well sometimes. I very frequently wake up with these fingers numb. My GP said that unless it gets really troublesome, it's probably not worth hgaving it correctly surgically as you can get loads of post-op pain with it. I've left it well alone because of that advice!

[countrygirl]

I have same thing but it affects the carpel tunnel nerves as in thum and first two fingers and have had it for past 4 yrs - some nights only wake up once with it but others especially if I am hot it wakes me up loads. I had nerve tests 4 yrs ago and they said carpel tunnel nerve was not restricted and it could be from my neck as I have arthritis and hernaited disc in neck.
It does seem to alter depending sleep position and as I say def how hot I am.