Almost everyone knows the feeling of numb hands. Most of the time, numbness in the hands is a sign that nerve pathways are pinched off or that nerves are undersupplied due to the pinching off of blood vessels. Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the cause. Should you see a doctor if your hands keep falling asleep?
An incorrect sleeping position at night can lead to blood circulation being temporarily interrupted or nerves being compressed. The result is tingling in the fingers or a numb hand or arm. The reason for this is that the nerve endings in the skin send a signal to the brain via the nerve pathways, which cannot be clearly assigned from there.
If your hands occasionally fall asleep at night, this is usually a sign of a hypersensitivity reaction caused by an incorrect sleeping position. As long as such discomfort only occurs occasionally, it is usually harmless. However, caution is advised if hands or arms regularly fall asleep at night or if tingling in the fingers or pain in the hands and arms occurs frequently and regularly.
Hands fall asleep: reason to see a doctor?
Tingling in the hands, numb fingertips, severe pain extending to the elbow are typical symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression syndrome of the median nerve of the hand in the area of the carpal canal, i.e. in the carpal canal, in which paresthesia of the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers as well as fine motor limitations are common consequences.
So if your hands keep falling asleep, if your fingertips regularly tingle, or if you have pain in your arms and hands, then you should take action. Doctors warn that carpal tunnel syndrome is often not treated early enough. This can result in serious impairments. So if your arm or hand feels numb or weak or even paralyzed, or if you constantly feel like ants are crawling over your hand or arm, it’s high time to see a doctor .
However, a visit to the doctor is also advisable if numb hands are a nightly experience, if you are regularly woken up at night by pain in your hand or arm, or if you have the impression that the strength in your hands and especially in your thumb is decreasing. These discomforts are typical signs of carpal tunnel syndrome.
“My hands are falling asleep”
These problems usually occur between the ages of 40 and 70, initially mainly at night: you wake up because your hand and upper arm hurt or because your hand has fallen asleep again.
About one in ten Germans is familiar with the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Experts estimate that women are affected about five times more often than men. If the symptoms occur regularly, you should definitely see a doctor. If carpal tunnel syndrome is not treated in time, it can result in serious impairments.
Find out more about curpal – the focus.online experience report.