Why do hands fall asleep?

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Your hands have probably fallen asleep on some occasion. Most of the time this sensation disappears as soon as you change your posture or activate circulation. Here we tell you what other causes may be causing it.

Sometimes we may feel like our hands are going numb. That is to say, we have a sensation of tingling, prickling or numbness in this part of the body. The technical name for this is paresthesia.

A paresthesia is a non-painful sensation that usually occurs when something puts pressure on a nerve sensible. Thus, when that pressure disappears, it is normal to feel your hands again without paresthetic symptoms.

Although numbness alone is not worrying, If it becomes chronic, occurring repeatedly and closely over time, it could be indicating a problem with clinical entity.

How is it produced?

a paresthesia It is caused by a pinched nerve. These sensitive nerves are throughout our body. Thanks to them we can control the extremities or receive information from the senses.

That’s when, Due to poor posture or having weight on an area, that nerve becomes “paralyzed” and stops sending and receiving information.. Therefore, that feeling of numbness appears and even of not feeling your hands.

At first, a tingling or tickling sensation occurs, which may even be pleasant. After about ten minutes, you enter a phase of mild drowsiness, which will be maintained for as long as blood flow remains paralyzed. Finally, once the pressure is released, the sensation will gradually disappear, returning to the normal state.

Reasons why our hands fall asleep

As explained above, it occurs due to the pinching or pressure on a nerve. However, there are other reasons, not directly related to the sensory nerves, that can cause this to occur.

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Migraine

About 13% of migraine sufferers have reported feeling like their hands are falling asleep. Sometimes this sensation is so strong that they may be perceived as painful. and reach a lack of sensitivity in an entire half of the body.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

This syndrome is main cause of chronic paresthesias in the hands. It usually occurs more frequently in women and in people between 30 and 60 years old.

In the hand, we have a nerve that passes through an area called the carpal tunnel. So, In people who usually work or play sports with their hands, excessive pressure occurs on that nerve. In this case, it is common for the thumb area to fall asleep, but it can extend through the palm of the hand to the ring finger.

Poor blood circulation

Inadequate blood flow can cause blood to not circulate well in certain areas. In this way, if the area involved includes a sensory nerve, it can cause it to not act properly and cause paresthesia.

stroke

In this case, numbness of the hand or entire arm may be indicating a serious health problemfor which you should immediately go to a doctor.

In a cerebrovascular accident (stroke, cerebral infarction, stroke…) it is caused by a sudden decrease or obstruction of blood flow to the brain, or due to a rupture of a cerebral vessel. Its appearance can lead to death or, in other cases, leave really serious consequences for patients.

Neuropathy

Paraesthesias are common in peripheral neuropathies, a disorder that is produced by a damage to the peripheral nervous system.

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The peripheral nervous system includes all the sensory nerves in the body, so if there is a malfunction in this system, it will cause tingling sensations in the affected areas.

Cervical problems

Both poor posture, muscle problems and more serious problems such as osteochondrosis (malformation of bones and cartilage) can cause numbness in the hands.

That Unsuitable condition of the cervical spine can put pressure on nerves that run through the arm. and cause paresthesia in the hand. Depending on the origin of the problem, muscle and posture correction treatments can help solve it.

Lack of vitamin B12

This vitamin, generally found in foods of animal origin, is fundamental for the production of proteins involved in the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of the nervous system central.

A lack of B12 can lead to blood deficiencies that produce, in addition to paresthesias, anemia, loss of appetite, fatigue, depression or cognitive problems.

Others

In addition to the causes mentioned above, hands also fall asleep for other reasons such as brachial plexus neuralgia, multiple sclerosis, tennis elbow, shingles, HIV, substance abuse, toxins, radiotherapy, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc.

So that, If your hands fall asleep constantly or it does not disappear when you release the area, it is best to consult a professional. and see why it may be happening and what the best solution is.