Tingling & numbness of fingers

[Guest guest]

Hi All, & Rick,

 

> A patient of my have tingling and numbness of his fingers (fingers 4

> and 5)) ... Rick

 

If unilateral, cause may be peripheral, such as ulnar nerve irritation /

entrapment by repetitive stress injury (RSI). It also could be due to nerve

entrapment by pressure, muscle spasm / trigger points in arm, shoulder-

girdle or neck.

 

If bilateral, cause may be metabolic (as in diabetic neuropathy), cervical or

central (as in a brain-mass).

 

Unilateral tingling in fingers 4-5 is common in prople who spend too much

time on keyboard and/or have the office chair / desk set at wrong relative

heights, etc. See " A Patient's Guide to Cubital Tunnel Syndrome " :

http://tinyurl.com/2763as

 

It can arise also in musicians (guitarists & wind-instrument players) who

spend 4-8 hours/day holding their instrument with the elbow bent.

 

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is due to pressure on the ulnar nerve & tissues

at/distal distal to the elbow for hours every day. Also, such people often rest

the point of their elbow on the worktop between typing actions. [i have had

this in left fingers 4-5 for years].

 

In such cases, search for sensitive / trigger points near medial epicondyle of

humerus, also near SI08 and distal to elbow along SI/TH Channels.

 

Buying a good office chair & desk + a good wrist-forearm rest between

keyboard and operator helps. AP at sensitive points +/- self-massage with

Tiger Balm or MOOV rubs also helps but the condition will not resolve

unless the primary cause (RSI) is removed. Bottom line: (1) take pressure

off the ulnar nerve and (b) do not keep the elbow bent so much.

 

Though less common than Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, ulnar nerve

entrapment can arise also at the wrist/carpus. See: http://tinyurl.com/2hs225

 

A different syndrome - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (median nerve entrapment)

- occasionally involves tingling/numbness of finger 4 but rarely finger 5.