Sleep Disorders Forum - Numb Arms When Sleeping

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Q: Numb Arms When Sleeping

asked by: nashvols on January 12th, 2007

New User

I am a 39 year old male who has been experiencing extreme numbness in both arms when sleeping. I have been to a neurologist and have had test for carpel tunnel, a mri brain scan, a mri scan of the arteries of the heart and the arteries of the brain. All came back normal.

The numbess gradually goes away after I get up. I can minimize the problem if a sleep with my head elevated on 3 thick pillows. Otherwise, it doesn't seem to matter if I sleep on my back, stomach, or side. Both arms still get numb.

Due to a history of heart disease in the family I have also had a nucmed stress test in the last year along with a chest xray and heart ultrasound. All of those were normal as well.

The other 2 issue I have been having lately are trouble urinating and lightheadedness. I have a urologist appointment scheduled the week after next. Not sure if this could be related or not.

The lightheadedness was the original symptom I had and what first prompted my primary care physician to refer me to a neurologist. The lightheadedness is not dizziness or vertigo but rather a feeling of floating outside my body.

I do sit most of the day in my job as a programmer. I try to walk a couple of miles every day so I do get a little excercise. I would probably be considered 10-20 pounds overweight. (5'11" 190-195)

i am trying to make a follow-up appointment with the neurologist for next week. In the meantime, does anybody have any thoughts on what this could be? It has become very frustrating not to be able to sleep well.

Replies(15)

Earthmaiden

replied on February 14th, 2007

New User

You've had a lot of tests done but, have you been to see the chiropractor? Since you are a programmer it is possible that the numbness is caused from the position you sit in all day putting pressure on the neck and spine and in turn causing pinched nerves. I've experience this myself and chiropractic care has been successful in eliminating it for me.

tigerblood

replied on June 27th, 2008

New User

numbness in arm

I too have had numbness in particularly my right arm while sleeping. It wakes me up about two or three every morning and I have to walk around until it gets back to normal. I'm interested in what some have said about a pinched nerve in the neck being the cause. I've never been yo a chiropractor and am wondering if anyone can advise??

jessicalilly

replied on March 1st, 2009

New User

i also have been experiencing numbness in both arms and sometimes my feet too while asleep also elevating my head helps and the numbness doent go away untill i stant up even if i raise my arms in the air it still dont go away i thought maybee it is low blood pressure because i smoke alot this scares me due to the fact that i have no health insurence whatsoever and havent had a doctors visit in over 10 years i am 21 now

artistsworkshop

replied on March 20th, 2009

New User

numb arms

I'm overweight, don't have a heart problem, because I just went through a battery of test.
But my arms are keeping awake at night.
I do have high blood pressure.

bemagee

replied on April 12th, 2009

New User

Numb arms while sleeping

I too get woke up at night and one or both arms are asleep. Scares me....

I wonder if any of you take medications? I am on a statin for cholesterol issues. I take Simvistatin 40mg.

seouless

replied on July 28th, 2009

New User

Im 25, and have been expierencing the same issues of going to sleep only to be woken up by the painful numbness in both my hands and arm, i also suffer from constant back pain. today i went to talk to my doctor about this problem and the doctor was most unhelpful and told me i was a liar, and if i had numbness it would be in my feet for a pinched nevre, or i would have swelling in myh wrists if there was something wrong with the nerves there. i know im not crazy, thank god someone else is expierenced the same arm-sleepy-numbness crap that i have been suffering for the past few months. to make things even worse, my doc decides to lie to me and perscribe my anti-depressents but told me it would decrease the numbness. funny huh?

mindsong

replied on July 28th, 2009

New User

I wake at night with one or the other arm numb below the elbow and hand numb on pinky side. Once I stretch my arm out and work it some, the numbness goes away after a few minutes. Dr advised that this is pressure on nerve in elbow due to a cocked arm, fairly common, nothing to worry about. I have no experience with numbness in both arms or other than described above.

numby

replied on July 30th, 2009

New User

i have the same problem, which i believe in my case is caused by TMJ and problems with my bite. I have an open-bite which causes strain and pain in my jaw and this apparently affects the nerves in your arms and hands while you sleep. do any of you have bite problems?

Dimplz66

replied on August 19th, 2009

New User

The doctors don't want you to go to the chiropractor because you might get the healing your needing with out all of those drugs he could put you on to keep you hooked and in more pain later down the road because the acid in the pills was never meant to be in your system. Acid is killing our bodies from the inside out.
Get your back looked at by the good guys and you will be fine.
I am reading this because I too am suffering with the same numbness and remember that when I was using the invertaline(hanging upside down machine) my arms were fine and that machine affect the back.
hope your searching is blessed with useful answers.
Debbie from California....

pichele

replied on September 10th, 2009

New User

Any one who sugested a Chiroprasctor is absolutly on the right track. Chiros have saved me and my family more than once. I am now discovering the benefits of cranial sacral manipulation. I have TMJ and this has helped me. In my opinion most of the time doctors just want you unhealthy physically and mentally so you keep coming back. Look back over these posts, like the girl whpo got antidepressants why........to keep coming back.....how could anti depressants help numb arms.

1dirtroadgirl

replied on October 13th, 2009

New User

numbness

Well this is my problem....I just started on antidepressants again(i have been on them off and on for 10 years) and I have noticed that every time I take antidepressants my hands start going numb mainly at night but sometimes during the day it is about to drive me really crazy ....

NumbMornings

replied on October 15th, 2009

New User

Numb Arms in the Morning

Same symptoms for the last few YEARS now, and after many types of tests (MRIs, CAT scans, nerve tests (your arms and legs fly off the table) blood work, X-Rays, heart tests,(slight heart murmur/ mitral valve prolapse), etc. etc.) they think it could be a pinched nerve, or maybe thorasic outlet syndrome?! Three months of physical therapy, and yes they wanted me to take Cymbalta...or other anti-depressents... some Chiro. treatments, and raising the head up onto several pillows helps a bit.... numb arms and slightly numb legs in the morning still but learning to live with the numbness that does wear off... oh started Folic Acid about six months ago because I was low on this.. low blood pressure- 98 over 62... usually.

mikhailalaISnumb

replied on November 5th, 2009

New User

iv had terrible sleeps for about the past 6 YEARS and am constantly wriggling in my sleep waking up constantly to turn sides. i thought it would just go away but its still here, and feels like its getting worse. Im getting used to living with it though, which is so bad. A few years ago i asked around for a masseur who knew the anatomy... none of this relaxation stuff. He really got into the nerves in my shoulders, the hinge of the shoulder, not the back or the front but on the side view. it will probably hurt you like crazy but you just have to breath-personally, i love it! but anyway 1 hour of massage pain is better that awfull sleeps for years. he also gave me some POWDER magnesium to take. I definatly think it was the combo of the massage and the magnesium. it stopped the numbness for a few months, and i would have kept going but then he moved away Sad

chinese market masseur's are also lovely. pointy little fingers.

Im 26, my blood pressure is fine. 12 years ago i fractured 3 vertabre's and both feet at the same time. i think in my case its caused from the accident and my body not alligning properly in the healing process. i also have really tight tense shoulders. i think this also adds to the numbness............

KingPumilio

replied on November 11th, 2009

New User

I've been having the exact same things as mindsong, with a numbness in one of my arms with usually my pinky being completely numb and the numbness seems to radiate from it to the rest of my hand and up my arm almost to the elbow. I haven't been to the doctor about it, because I have so many other symptoms. I've just been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, with some features of fibromyalgia so I don't know if it is related to that.

Oh and to Debbie who said "...because the acid in the pills was never meant to be in your system. Acid is killing our bodies from the inside out."
What are you talking about?? Tablets generally don't have anything acidic in them whatsoever, although often the drug is often present as a hydrochloride salt form, this isn't the same as hydrochloric acid. You obviously don't have a clue what your talking about or are just plain misinformed. Moreover your point is completely ridiculous, because you seem to forget that our stomachs produce acid that is so acidic it's around pH 1-2. Have you ever had orange juice or had fish with lemon juice on it? These foods are full of this deadly 'acid' your talking about, but I don't see it doing harm to anyone. Please get your facts straight before spreading misinformation around the internet.

rootus

replied on November 12th, 2009

New User

I have been experiencing the numbness and pain in my elbows so bad that I have to reach over with my other hand to bend my right arm up and on to my chest, now it has progressed to both arms, I am going to the doctor as soon as I can get in and if I learn anything I will post it. I dont think anti depress meds will do a thing for it and if u think there is acid in any pill form u r just paranoid, unless u r talking hallucinagen, like the king said, get a clue, there is enough acid in my stomach to digest that big t-bone of beef I just wolfed down. it will be a while, but after I get run around by my doc I will post it.

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