# Fingers falling asleep?



## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

I keep having trouble with my fingers and sometimes my whole hand falling asleep, its worse at night and is a real pain when the alarm clock goes off and I have to fumble around cause I don't have any feeling in my finger tips to turn the damn thing off. 

Anyone know what i can do about it.


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## I Are Baboon (Feb 12, 2003)

Are you sleeping in some kind of weird position where your hand might be elevated or you might be sleeping on it?


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## P-funk (Feb 12, 2003)

I get that when I sleep sometimes also.  I think it is becuase you have been sleeping on your arm and have cut off circulation, giving it that dead feeling.

I say don't do anything about it.   I think it is kind of a cool feeling!


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

Sometimes yes, but it seems to have gotten worse, just now the two first fingers on my left hand fell asleep (no feeling), it goes away if I just shake my hand. 
I'm wondering if heavy lifting is doing something and I'm gonna pay big when I get to be like 70.


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## irontime (Feb 12, 2003)

Wow, you must have a really hard time playing with yourself when that happens.


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## Arnold (Feb 12, 2003)

is it just one hand or both, and does it also happen to your toes?


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## Dero (Feb 12, 2003)

Yeah...That happens to me also...
When I sleep on my side with my head resting on my  extended arm...
Totally numb...MY ARM!!!!!!(before somebody jumps on that one)
Cutting the blood circulation to the hand,I guess...
 


So what I'm saying is,that you pro'lly can eliminate heavy lifting being the cause,I just don't do heavy wifting...


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Prince *_
> is it just one hand or both, and does it also happen to your toes?



I happens in both, never had it happen in the toes. 
I've never had a physical so I don't know if I have low blood pressure, don't think so though. 

Sounds like it may be normal but I had it happen last night and it was painful enough to wake me up.


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## w8lifter (Feb 12, 2003)

Does it happen while awake or just when you're sleeping?

IF awake....are you sitting or standing when it tingles?


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

It just happened 20 min ago while I was standing and typing at the computer, the first two fingers on my left hand. 

Most of the time its at night while sleeping.


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## w8lifter (Feb 12, 2003)

If it's happening in the middle of the day I'd say it might be a pinched nerve and something to see your Dr. about. At night you could be just sleeping on it...but this doesn't sound like it.


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## Monolith (Feb 12, 2003)

Does it _feel_ like lost circulation?

It could be some minor nerve damage.  My right wrist got messed up a while back, and in certain positions, the nerve would always get pinched... which made the right hand side of my hand go numb for a few days.  You should be able to tell if its nerve related or not, the sensation is slightly different from regular circulation problems.


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## Dero (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Dero *_
> Yeah...That happens to me also...
> When I sleep on my side with my head resting on my  extended arm...
> Totally numb...MY ARM!!!!!!(before somebody jumps on that one)
> ...



... and then again.


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## Rusty (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Dero *_
> ... and then again.



Don't flatter yourself.


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

Could be nerve, its been happening more often durring the day.


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## Arnold (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> It just happened 20 min ago while I was standing and typing at the computer, the first two fingers on my left hand.



like others said, if it's happening during the day that sounds more nerve related.


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## DaMayor (Feb 12, 2003)

I used  to have the same problem while working with/holding  materials, etc. over my head. And ocassionally when I'm driving. Usually when I have to hold my hand or arm in a fixed position for an extended period. Its probably a slight nerve pinch or temporary lack of circulation. Then again....it could be AIDS.


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## Tboy (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> Could be nerve, its been happening more often durring the day.



I have the exact same problems.  There are a couple of things that can cause it.  

A mild form of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Your Ulnar nerve

Also sleeping on your side.

The carpal tunnel can be caused, of course, by repitive motion.  If you type alot, going to an ergo keyboard and mouse will ease the tingling.  I had my work "ergo" person come assess me and what I was doing right or wrond and after fixing a few things its easing up.

It became really intense while I was building my house.  Using a nailgun and paint sprayer would make both of my arms go to sleep.

The Ulnar nerve, as you may already know, runs all the way down your arm to your hand.  I have serious problems with my hands falling asleep if I ride my bike more than an hour or so.

Sleeping on your side can pinch the Ulnar nerve also and cause what you are describing.  Get a softer matress or one with a "pillow top".  I did this and it's helped a whole lot.


this is getting long I know...

I have gone to several docs and a couple of sports doctors and a bone and joint specialists for what you are going through.  Making several adjustments in how I do things in life helps a lot, but I still get it every now and then.


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## Tboy (Feb 12, 2003)

I have more info if you are interested...


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## david (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> I keep having trouble with my fingers and sometimes my whole hand falling asleep........
> Anyone know what i can do about it.



Quit tying yourself up?  

Sado masochism was never  healthy in the first place!


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Tboy *_
> I have more info if you are interested...



Thanks Tboy, I am. 

It sounds just like what you have, I get the same thing riding bike. 
Using a hammer for an extended period of time does it, washing a car at the car wash does it, mopping the floor at the store does it. The list goes on. 

Thanks for any info you can pass along.


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

*Re: Re: Fingers falling asleep?*



> _*Originally posted by david *_
> Quit tying yourself up?
> 
> Sado masochism was never  healthy in the first place!



Bad habbits die hard.


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## Tboy (Feb 12, 2003)

In short, the docs tell you to stop doing what you are doing to make it hurt or go numb.  If you ease up on your activites that cause it to happen it can get better with time.

Myself, I have a mild form of carpal tunnel.  They say sometimes it goes away if you take care of yourself.  They gave me a brace to wear (that I never wear). 

I sleep on my sides at night and I would wake up with my hands, fingers (first 2 or 3) and sometimes my arms (all the way up to my shoulders) asleep.  Not the kind of sleep that when you touch the arm or hand, its cold.  But asleep in certain area's inside the arm.  Hard to explain...  Anyway I since have gotten a better matress and I mostly sleep on my back now.

I had gotten to the point were driving and just holding the steering wheel for more than a short trip, my fingers would stat to tingle.  All the changes I have made have made a huge differance in my situation.

If you type alot get an ergo keyboard. I can tell the differance using mine.  I also got a trackball explorer.

You still need to go have yourself checked out by a doc that's familliar with this sort of thing.


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Tboy *_
> You still need to go have yourself checked out by a doc that's familliar with this sort of thing.



Do they have some sort of test for it or is it just a series of questions where they basicly guess? 

Should I go in and tell them I think I have Carpo?


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## Monolith (Feb 12, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> Do they have some sort of test for it or is it just a series of questions where they basicly guess?
> 
> Should I go in and tell them I think I have Carpo?



leave the diagnosis to the doctor 

just go in and see a GP, they can usual diagnose the common stuff like carpal tunnel or if its that nerve.  if its just something minor, they'll probably send you on your way telling you what not to do.  if its anything worse than that theyll refer you to a specialist.  if youve got insurance, theres no reason to not get it checked out.


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## Scotty the Body (Feb 12, 2003)

Luckily I'm in Canada so insurance isn't the problem but with all the health care cut backs, you practically have to demand to be tested, thus my question on what I should be asking about.


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## Dero (Feb 12, 2003)

Hmmmm,lets see...
-Rabbies...


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## Tboy (Feb 13, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> Do they have some sort of test for it or is it just a series of questions where they basicly guess?
> 
> Should I go in and tell them I think I have Carpo?



I would go in and just tell them the symptoms.  If you give them the idea of whats wrong they could be closed minded about it being anything else (not likely, but still a chance).  

If they come back with some off the wall diagnosis, then I would question them...  but a good doc will know what you have.

the sooner you go the sooner you can be on the road to recovery.

Let me know what they find/suggest.  Maybe It'll help me also.


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## Tboy (Feb 13, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Scotty the Body *_
> Do they have some sort of test for it or is it just a series of questions where they basicly guess?



forgot to answer this one.

They poke and pinch, just like any other problems.   If its the ulnar nerve they'll push around and you'll be able to feel it.  If you feel/push around the bottom of your tri where it goes to the elbow (when it's bothering you), you may be able to feel it run down to your fingers.

Depending on what they think, they can do an MRI on your wrist to see if you have any thing major wrong, which is my next step if it continues to bother me...


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