I am also 34 years old, female and I have been waking up every morning with numb arms/hands/fingers for over 3 years now. It is so annoying. Doc said I don't have carpal, don't have diabetes. Don't know what else it could be...I hear things about pinched nerves and ulnar nerve entrapment. Guess maybe we all need MRI's?

If you work long hours at a desk, go to a therapist FIRST. I partially learned the hard way. After my last post about seeing several doctors, I happened to be talking to an old friend from my hometown about my problems and how I suspected Thorasic Outlet Syndrome, but that I never had a doctor who was able to confirm it. She made a note and mentioned to her boyfriend who is a therapist, about my problems, and before she could even finish, he predicted it could be TOS. I promptly made an appointment to see him and it turns out I have a combination of two conditions. One is obviously TOS and the other has to do with stiffened scelene muscles. It turns out I have been sitting at a desk for way too long, and over time my upper spine and shoulders have started to hunch over. When my right wrist started hurting, I got scared and made corrections to my posture. I ended up over-correcting. Because my spine has "almost" permantly changed it curvature(because of bad posture) and my scalene muscles, which are under the pectoral muscles, have tightened up. whenever I pull my shoulders back or sleep lying flat on my back. my pecs stretch but my scalene muscles don't thus pinching all the nerves and blood that flow through the shoulder(or thorasic outlet). After a few exercises and massages, I can already feel a HUGE difference. My hands don't tingle anymore when I roll my shoulders which was my first real confirmation that something good was happening! Unfortunately, I still need to find a local therapist to continue my treatment, but I'm so relieved that this can be corrected without medication or surgery. The moral of this story is to really talk to an occupational or physical therapist at least right after your first visit to a doctor, when your hands start going numb. Ask for a doctors referall if they are willing, so you don't waste alot of time going through a process of elimination. I would have never had to get xrays, medication, blood tests, etc. if I had gone to one earlier.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I only used to get numb arms after drinking.. But recently I have been getting it most nights - esp right arm. I play a lot of tennis and sport and was hoping it might be to do with that, and not something more scary. does anyone know if coffee can be a factor as i drink a lot of that..

I have just read all these complaints about numbness and pain in arms and hands. Its 3:00 am and I cant sleep because of the pain and numbness in my left hand. Its so bad it brings me to tears. Several months ago this happened to me and i went to the doctor and she prescribed a pack of steroids, to my surprise i noticed a difference the first night i went to bed after just one day of taking them, now for the past week it has started up again but only in my left hand and arm. She had told me if it continues i will have to see a neurologist. I cant sleep at all tonight and I cant find a comfortable position at all. Has anyone had it so bad you could not even sit on a chair at night.? I am a 35 year old woman desperate for any advice.

This has been going on since June of 2007, and getting worse..... Doctors cant figure it out, neurologists just medicate to mask it (Which it has worked, the last two nights i have not hand the numbness) But, I still have some of the other symptoms.......
Basically I noticed my pinky nad ring finger in my left hand go numb one night, and brushed it off that I was sleeping on it ..... then it went ot my whole left hand..... for about four weeks this woke me up 3 -4 times a night..... then it went to my right hand..... this is when I finally called the doctor....... who said you must have carpal tunnel....... Wrong, I knew i did not, and the nerve induction tests confirmed it...... anyways this whole summer has S#&KED and I am getting desperate. I have had MRI's on my cervical spine and brain...... the neurologist says I look perfect, and because I am 6' 2" 235 lbs and very athletic and normally very stong (have had noticable weakness or fatigue as a side symptom) When they try to push my hands down, or say squeeze my fingers, and I can accomplish this, they seem to think i am ok......... But it is driving me crazy and I do not want to take all these drugs that scare the heck out of me.. Anyone out there that has input, i would really appreciate your help.... PS I have seen a chiropractor twice, but no miracles with him yet....

I just did a search for "numb hands after sleep" and found this post first.

Most of what is explained here is what I am experiencing. My Chiropractor has been seeing me every other day for about 2 weeks and is becoming "conserned" about the fact that his treatments are not helping long term. I feel 80% better after his visit but deteriorate back to tingling and pain when trying to grasp things.

All though the longer I am up right and mobile the less I have numbness. And the pain started in my Right hand/arm and since the Dr. ahs been manipulating my spine it has moved to the left, and now is in both. Today it's more in the right, but it has been more in the left.

As I sit here my right hand is tingling. The part that is the most scary is in the morning my hands feel like they have 13 pairs of snow gloves on and it hurts to try and manipulate clothing. shoe laces, forget it. I am 36 and overweight by about 40 to 80 lbs. (depends on who's gauge you are using for standard weight.)

Seeing this site has given me hope that I am not the only one. My DC has suggested an MRI might be in the future, however since the first $7000 comes out of my pocket (deductable) and I am barely over the poverty line, that is not going to happen soon. I have been off my vitamins lately and exercise?!?!, I do 1 sit-up a day, the first half when I get up in the moring the last half when I lay down.

I might try push ups but there is no way I can do that in the morning, the pain is way to severe, but I might try push ups b4 goign to bed.

Hot showers seem to make things feel better too.

You should probably see a chiropractor. A doctor can not really do anything for you - they would be the only ones that can help. I have had the same problem. When my chiro took x-rays of my spine, it was apparent why my arms were going numb. My spine was crooked and it was pinching my nerve. This is normal movement of the spine from bad posture, sitting and looking down at a computer all day and/or bad pillows -can be some causes. More importantly, not getting your neck back in alignment will eventually lead to bone spurs in your neck, fusion of your spine which will eventually lead you to be somewhat hunchbacked in later life - which will lead to lower back, hip and knee problems. I have been going to my chiro for 2 weeks and my arms are no longer going numb at night and if they do - only minimally. I used to wake up 4 to 5 times a night with my arms numb and now maybe once I week I wake up with tingling in one hand, but not much more. Your symptoms will not go away without addressing the root cause of why your arms are going numb and only a chiropractor can do that.

Thanks for the advice, but I think you missed my first line. I have quoted it for you above.

Update: I have seen a few days of improvement, but today is really bad for my left arm. My hand is almost constantly numb. I have a Chiropractor appt tomorrow. (he's closed today) Last night I slept w/o a pillow just to see if that would help. I think it did the oposite.

My mum had told me about her similar experience. Doctor said she had carpel tunnel, high blood pressure, weak heart. At that time, i did not know how serious that was. She later got a stroke that left her paralysed till her death last year. Later I did a degree course on Holistic Nutrition where i then understand how serious her condition was before her stroke. But then it was too late.

Symptom as described is indication of poor blood circulation due to lack of exercise, nutrition/mineral imbalance in the body, emotionally stressed, etc. if not looked into will lead to stroke. Go for a complete check up, see a nutritionist cum iridologist to give you a complete analysis. And you may liketo consider a change of diet and lifestyle, and attitudes about life.

Well I'll give you all an update.

I saw a Physical Therapist who belives I have TOS (Thorasic Outlet Syndrome) she gave me a few exersises to do and after the first day things got MUCH better. I still struggle with numbness but it is less severe. In a week or so I see a new Dr and will get a complete physical and include an MRI for this problem. Want to rule out a bone spur or something pushing on a nerve.

For those struggling with these sypmtoms, don't rely just on this forum, you need to see professionals. This forum does give you an outlet to talk with others that have similar symptoms and gives you hope that there is treatment and such but it's not to be a substitute for seeing a professional Doctor. (Chiropractor or General Medicine.)

I have been having similar symptons while slleeping . I wake up and 1 or both hands are numb and tingling. Recently i woke up and my right hand was numb and couldent move it so i moved my finger with my other hand it it to started to go numb and that kinda freaked me out. I asked my DR. about this about 6 mos. ago he just i was sleeping on my a nerve bundle in my neck area and i needed to change my sleep position and lose weight.

Well I am still having the problem. Some exersises a Physical Therapist friend gave me has helped a bit, but I is still tingly or numb sometimes. Today is a really good day as compaired the the past.

Just lost my job, so MRI is out (no $ for the scan) COBRA is really expensive. so we will see.

Wow...I'm sure encouraged reading these posts. I was really thinking it was only me. I'm so surprised to see so many folks who experience this same annoying problem. For me. I generally sleep on my side and experience the hand numbness and pain down my arm in the morning. Sometimes my neck also hurts which generally gives me a migraine headache on top of the numbness. Sometimes it takes hours before I have gained full strength in my hands...particularly the ring fingers. It's very annoying and my doctor told me that it's because I'm pressing on a nerve while sleeping. I would hate to think there isn't anything that can be done for this other than changing my sleeping positions which after years is extremely hard to do.

I like to sleep with my hands UP under my pillow. My hand gets swollen and tingles. Feels like it has no blood going to it. It is a little scary! Advice PLease!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have this issue when i sleep with my hands above my waist aka near my head or folded upward. i had carpal tunnel about 3yrs ago after i took depo shot which made me bloat with water which in return pinched my wrists. my hands would go numb if i didnt move them every 30sec. i got the needle nerve tests done and yeah i had it. after a few months of wearing splints and getting off the depo shot. it went away along with 30lbs.


recently at night my hands have been going numb. i sometimes feel some tightness in my hands during the day. especially if i am driving with my hands on the wheel or holding up a phone call for more then 5mins.

the only thing i used that works was hand splints at night which help relieve pressure and helps during the day.

if not some asprin to thin out the blood for a quick fix if the pain is really annoying. this is not recommended on a daily use. just when you really need it.

have some questions for me? email me

Update: Just letting everyone know that not much has changed. It is much better than when I first posted but still go numb from time to time. (right now as I type from a wierd position in fact.)

Thinking about going to see a nerve specialist, however he costs $200 just for an office visit. That doesn't even include the MRI.

Also looking at getting a job with good benifits so I can go on a group health plan and then go see the dr's I need for this.

That's it for now.

Good luck and I hope you get better!

I once had a similar problem. I used to wake up with numb hands and sometimes would go numb from doing normal activities, but that problem went away on it's own. Later on in my life, my left back shoulder went numb, almost 24/7! (That was extremely annoying and very uncomfortable!) That problem eventually went away by itself, also. I probably had pinched nerves. I didn't go to the doctor for this, but if any other body part starts going numb on me again, I'm definitely going!

Hi.. I have had the same problem on and off now for a while. I have also had tingling in my spine for years. I visited one doctor who pretty much brushed me off -- haven't had much luck with doctors, but maybe haven't found the right one? Just prior to the numbness, which started in the pinkies of one or both hands simultaneously, then progressed to the hands, and up the entire arms (frightening to wake up this way!), I was diagnosed with tendonitis in the shoulders. I don't know if this is related? I also sleep on my back with arms to the sides, but have found that the problem persists when I try sleeping on my side. Wish I could find the magic answer......

btw... I am not overweight, have low blood pressure,and generally very good health. I also work out 4-5 days a week.

I have started to have this strange numb feeling in my left arm and hand. The strange thing it only ever happens at night time after I begin to fall asleep.

It really is scaring me as I think I am about to have a heart attack or my heart is like going to stop and I will die; this makes me jump straight out of bed in fright.

I already went to the hospital and they checked my blood pressure and ran an ECG but found nothing abnormal. They feel it could be a trapped nerve and said it is not heart related and if was my heart then it would be pain I would feel rather than numbness. The Dr who saw me asked me to perform some simple exercises and said my everything looked fine and that my skin colour and everything was normal and healthy. I can feel everything that I touch or hold so there is not a problem in feeling.

This whole issue is really annoying and scaring me as it only ever begins at night and as stated sometimes feels like my heart is going to stop. The other area of concern is that it may be a sign of a stroke and that freaks me out; I would dislike to be left looking like a freak with a facial problem or the inability to perform normally. I’ve seen what happens to people after suffering a stroke and it frightens me.

I’m a 34 year old male and weigh 16.5 stone or 231 pounds in weight and understand I need to loose some of this to be within the healthy weight range. I perform weight lifting and jogging on the treadmill at home to try and build up muscle and fitness and am unsure if this could be a contributory factor to the numbness in my left arm and hand?

I have started to have this strange numb feeling in my left arm and hand. The strange thing it only ever happens at night time after I begin to fall asleep.

It really is scaring me as I think I am about to have a heart attack or my heart is like going to stop and I will die; this makes me jump straight out of bed in fright.

I already went to the hospital and they checked my blood pressure and ran an ECG but found nothing abnormal. They feel it could be a trapped nerve and said it is not heart related and if was my heart then it would be pain I would feel rather than numbness. The Dr who saw me asked me to perform some simple exercises and said my everything looked fine and that my skin colour and everything was normal and healthy. I can feel everything that I touch or hold so there is not a problem in feeling.

This whole issue is really annoying and scaring me as it only ever begins at night and as stated sometimes feels like my heart is going to stop. The other area of concern is that it may be a sign of a stroke and that freaks me out; I would dislike to be left looking like a freak with a facial problem or the inability to perform normally. I’ve seen what happens to people after suffering a stroke and it frightens me.

I’m a 34 year old male and weigh 16.5 stone or 231 pounds in weight and understand I need to loose some of this to be within the healthy weight range. I perform weight lifting and jogging on the treadmill at home to try and build up muscle and fitness and am unsure if this could be a contributory factor to the numbness in my left arm and hand?