Many people periodically experience numbness in their thumbs - this may be associated with the development of the disease or be a consequence of the negative effects of compression or low temperature conditions. If the thumbs on one hand go numb, this may be caused by compression of the radicular nerve in the cervical spine. If discomfort is localized on the left side, differential diagnosis should be made with coronary heart disease and manifestations of unstable angina.
It is very difficult to independently detect a potential cause, since you need to know exactly how the innervation of the hand is structured, which nerves are responsible for it and where they pass. In short, the radial branch of the median nerve is responsible for the innervation of the thumb. It passes from the 6-7 root nerves of the cervical spine through the brachial plexus, forearm and carpal valve. With the development of carpal valve tunnel syndrome, numbness and pain most often occur in the index and middle fingers. This is due to the isolated location of the radial branch of the median nerve. And, on the contrary, with its lesions of a traumatic, compression, ischemic or inflammatory nature, the remaining fingers can retain their full sensitivity.
The median nerve, like all others responsible for the innervation of the soft tissues of the hand, carries motor (motor) and sensitive (sensory) axons. The first type of nerve fiber is responsible for transmitting motor impulses. The second type is for the transmission of sensitive (tactile) sensations to the structures of the brain. A feeling of numbness occurs if exclusively sensory types of axons are damaged. If mobility is still impaired and the finger does not move, then we can talk about complete damage to the radial branch of the median nerve. Most often this happens after traumatic exposure or prolonged compression of the finger.
In this material we will analyze the most common causes of numbness of the thumbs - potential diseases, methods of differential diagnosis and treatment methods that can quickly and safely eliminate the existing problem.
If your thumb is numb, immediately consult a neurologist. You will not be able to cope with this problem on your own, since damaged nerve fiber is very difficult to restore without special treatment. No pharmacological drugs will allow this to be done fully.
In Moscow, you can make a free appointment with a neurologist at our manual therapy clinic. Already during the initial consultation, the doctor will conduct an examination and make a preliminary diagnosis. Based on the results of the examination, he will make recommendations regarding further examination. After making an accurate diagnosis, an individual plan for effective and safe treatment will be developed.
Reasons why thumbs go numb
The reasons why the thumb on the right hand goes numb may be similar to those that cause similar sensations in the left limb. But you should always remember that any discomfort on the left side can be triggered by an attack of angina due to ischemia of the heart muscle. This is a life-threatening condition. Therefore, if you do not know why the thumb on your left hand is numb and you have no pain in the neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist joints, immediately contact an ambulance. It is likely that this is how a developing heart attack manifests itself. You cannot eliminate this possibility on your own.
Another dangerous situation in which the thumb on the left hand goes numb is the development of cerebral circulation disorders in the right hemisphere. Usually a stroke happens suddenly. It may be preceded by headache, dizziness, and a feeling of aching in the back of the head. But in most cases, patients do not feel any warning signs. Against the background of apparent well-being, characteristic signs begin to appear:
- the thumb on the right hand (or on the left, depending on which hemisphere the vascular accident occurred) goes numb;
- then numbness spreads to the entire hand and forearm;
- there is a deviation of the protruding tongue to the left or right side;
- the pupil of the eye on the affected side dilates;
- confusion of speech occurs;
- Loss of consciousness or temporary impairment may occur.
If such symptoms appear, you should immediately stop any physical activity, lie down in bed with the head of the bed raised, and call an emergency medical team.
There are several potential reasons why the thumbs go numb - all of them can be divided into groups:
- compression in the area where the nerve fiber passes (compression can be caused by a tumor, edema, improperly fused bones, joint deformation, tight clothing);
- inflammation (infectious or aseptic in the cervical spine, brachial plexus or the radial branch of the median nerve);
- trauma (deep cuts, wounds, sprains of the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding the median nerve, fractures of the radius);
- trophic disorders (diabetic angiopathy, Raynaud's disease, nutritional deficiency of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, anemia, etc.).
In young people, the main reasons for numbness in the thumbs are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, leading a sedentary lifestyle and spending a long time at the computer lead to the fact that the trophism of the soft tissues of the body is disrupted, diffuse nutrition of the musculoskeletal system suffers, and the tunnels through which large and medium-sized nerves pass begin to collapse and deform.
If the reasons why the thumb on the left hand or right limb goes numb are not eliminated in a timely manner, then the pathology will only worsen and develop over time. Gradually, numbness will cover more and more large areas of the upper limb.
Other reasons why the thumb on the right hand (or left) goes numb:
- diabetes mellitus, in which sensory diabetic angiopathy and peripheral neuropathy quickly develop (first the tips of the fingers and toes are involved, then the phalanges and entire fingers);
- Raynaud's disease (inflammation of the vascular wall of the autoimmune type, as a result of which the capillary blood supply is disrupted and the death of small nerve endings of the sensory type occurs, since they are close to the surface of the skin);
- iron deficiency anemia (there are few red blood cells in the blood that carry oxygen molecules, it practically does not reach distant parts of the body and gradual atrophy of nerve endings begins);
- systemic lupus erythematosus - provokes inflammation, which, through swelling, compresses the nerve endings and provokes numbness;
- scleroderma is a severe systemic disease in which the vascular wall becomes sclerotic and distant areas of the body stop receiving blood supply;
- drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking - significantly changes the rheological properties of the blood, thickens it, reduces fluidity, and provokes blockage of small blood vessels;
- cervical osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome, complicated by protrusion or intervertebral hernia;
- brachial plexus plexitis;
- tunnel syndromes of the carpal and ulnar tunnel, carpal valve;
- deficiency of B vitamins, iron, calcium in the diet;
- deforming osteoarthritis of the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints;
- inflammation of the ligaments, muscles and tendons located near joints and the passage of major nerves.
It is unlikely that you will be able to exclude all potential causes on your own. Most negative impact factors can only be identified by an experienced doctor. Remember that numbness is not a disease. This is only a symptom of a developing disease. Therefore, for successful treatment it is always important to correctly diagnose and develop an individual course of treatment in such a way that the negative influence factor is excluded.
Effective treatment
Numbness in the fingers can only be treated after consulting a doctor. You need to do an MRI of the spine and go to a vertebrologist.
General therapy includes:
- Therapeutic exercises for the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms;
- Back and neck massage;
- Taking general strengthening medications.
During treatment, doctors advise:
- Take vitamins B, C, calcium, give injections;
- In cases of inflammation, take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesics;
- Apply creams and ointments to improve nerve conduction;
- Eat more vegetables, herbs, fruits rich in healthy amino acids and vitamins;
- Avoid alcohol and smoking, which are bad for your fingers;
- Do not overwork, do not exercise excessively;
- Make contrast baths for your hands, rub your fingers with olive oil and black pepper.
Depending on the disease, sometimes doctors prescribe antibiotics.
The tips of the thumbs go numb
Diseases in which the tips of the thumbs go numb are mainly associated with impaired capillary bed patency. This may be a consequence of a violation of the innervation of the vascular wall. But more often, angiopathy develops against the background of long-term negative effects of a toxic substance.
In the vast majority of cases, if a young person has numbness in the tip of the thumb on his right hand (or left), then during the collection of anamnesis it turns out that he has been smoking for several years. Tobacco smoke contains many toxic substances that spasm blood vessels. If they are large in lumen, then this has little effect at first. But this has a detrimental effect on small capillaries. First, the vascular wall collapses. Then it sticks together and the vessel becomes sclerotic. There is a complete lack of blood supply to the distal (remote) parts of the body. Typically, the tips of the fingers and toes are the first to be affected. If this process is not stopped, then over the next 5 to 7 years a person will develop obliterating endarteritis, which will entail the need for amputation of the affected limb.
If the tip of the thumb on your left hand becomes numb, then you need to exclude cardiac pathology and check the conduction of the nerve impulse along the median nerve. This may be a sign of developing carpal valve syndrome.
What should I do?
If your hands no longer obey you, do not experiment with folk remedies, but go for a diagnosis. The orthopedist will prescribe an instrumental examination and confirm or refute the diagnosis. If arthrosis is confirmed, treatment of osteoarthritis will be complex.
You will be prescribed medications that will stop the progression of the disease, painkillers, and will also be recommended a set of exercises to restore hand function. In the case of small joints, ointments and creams with anti-inflammatory and anesthetic components help well, but they only work in combination.
Treatment of hand arthrosis should be comprehensive
In the video you will see a simple, short set of exercises for the wrists and fingers. Take action!
My thumb goes numb at night
A number of patients experience numbness in their thumb at night, but this sensation does not appear throughout the day. A similar symptom in almost 100% of cases is associated with cervical osteochondrosis, which in turn is closely related to the place for night rest. If you choose the wrong mattress or pillow, serious deformation of the intervertebral discs occurs during night sleep, when the muscular frame of the neck and collar area is completely relaxed. The vertebral bodies shift and compress the intervertebral discs located between them. As the fibrous ring is destroyed and a protrusion forms, compression of the radicular nerves begins. And the first sign of destruction of the intervertebral disc is often a feeling of numbness in the thumb or little finger on the hand on the affected side.
If you experience numbness in the ball of your right thumb while sleeping at night, consult a neurologist immediately. The doctor will order an x-ray of the cervical spine. If necessary, an MRI examination may be required.
Diet correction
An integral part of treatment is diet therapy.
A patient suffering from numbness in the hands needs a well-balanced diet. Food should be rich in vitamins and proteins. Pay special attention to vegetable protein, the source of which is legumes. Fresh vegetables and herbs should be frequent guests on the table: lettuce, parsley, dill, carrots, cabbage. You will have to abstain from alcohol, coffee and strong tea, replacing them with herbal infusions and green tea.
Meat and fish can be eaten boiled. Steamed dishes are beneficial. The consumption of fried foods and smoked foods should be kept to a minimum. The frequency of eating chicken eggs is no more than 3 times a week. Baked goods are among the forbidden foods.
What to do?
If you don’t know why the thumb on your right hand is numb, then you should first visit a doctor and conduct a full examination. Our manual therapy clinic is attended by a neurologist. The initial consultation is provided completely free of charge for all patients. During the appointment, the doctor conducts a full examination and a series of diagnostic functional tests.
Then additional examination methods (x-ray, MRI, CT, electroneurography, electromyography, etc.) may be recommended. After making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will develop an individual course of treatment.
So, if the unpleasant sensations are associated with damage to the cervical spine, then a traction procedure will first be performed in order to eliminate compression from the radicular nerves. Then a course will be developed to include sessions of massage, osteopathy, kinesiotherapy, therapeutic exercises, acupuncture, etc.
To treat other pathologies, the action of the pathogenic factor is also first eliminated, and then restorative therapy is carried out.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
People who, due to their duties, are forced to spend a lot of time at the computer or playing musical instruments, often encounter the so-called carpal tunnel syndrome. The canal formed by bones and tendons carries nerves and blood vessels to the hand. And if the wrist joint is in a forced atypical position for a long time, and at this time the muscles work, then the tissues surrounding the canal become tense, and the canal may begin to narrow. In turn, it compresses the structures passing through it, especially nerves.
Article on the topic
A significant problem. How extra pounds destroy joints The nerves that provide sensitivity and movement react to compression, so after prolonged work in this position, pain, numbness, and weakness may develop in the hand.
The detrimental effect of such a forced position of the hand is enhanced if the person had a previous injury to the wrist, when, for example, he fell on his hand, and the hand sharply bent. During such falls, the ligaments and muscles that support the wrist joint are suddenly and severely stretched, and the bones that form the joint are displaced from their position. The joint begins to move along the wrong axes. With initially altered joint mechanics, additional load in the form of chronic hyperextension at work produces a more pronounced negative effect.
In order to alleviate the condition and reduce the load on the wrist joint, I advise those who work with a computer mouse to use a gel pad under the wrist. I also recommend purchasing an ergonomic keyboard - when typing on it, you will not put so much strain on your hands. But the use of any kind of fixatives and bandages is strictly contraindicated: this slows down circulation in the joint, promotes swelling and even greater compression of the nerve. You can use dry heat, warm the joint with woolen bandages and scarves, and apply gels and ointments containing plant extracts and chondroitin. The most effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is to restore the correct position of the articular surfaces relative to each other using the hands of an osteopath.
