There are many things that can cause numbness and tingling in the hands, but in the last number of years, I have found that these 3 habits always make it worse:
- Texting! Watch your posture. When your head is flexed forward for long periods of time (like when scrolling through social media apps or playing a video game) the spinal cord gets stretched and the nerves in your lower neck are under tension. This is especially the case while doing this in bed, with your head propped forward on a pillow. Not OK! As your mom always said – sit up straight!
- Not taking breaks! The muscles in your forearms fatigue over time when doing activities that use them. Typing at a keyboard, digging holes in the garden, trimming the grass and other activities with your hands will tire out the forearm and wrist, leading to inflammation and pressure on the nerves. So, take breaks. Stretch your forearms, neck, shoulders and hands regularly!
- Get the right pillow. If your pillow is too high, or too low, it creates tension at the base of your neck. The nerves that travel all the way down into your hands get stretched and irritated – not OK! Once irritated, the body creates inflammation, and the numbness cycle can begin. When lying on your side, your pillow should be the right size to keep your neck straight, not tipped down or up. This will limit the stress on the nerves that cause numbness and tingling in the hands.
Dealing with numbness and tingling that disrupts your life is not fun. These three tips will help in your healing. I hope you found them useful.
Here for you,
Dr. Thom