Numbness of fingers and toes. Which doctor should I contact if I have numbness in my limbs?

Numbness is a loss of sensation in any part of the body.
Numbness may be accompanied by a tingling sensation, goosebumps, burning, tightness of the skin, as well as a feeling of cold in the numb part of the body. The most common complaints are numbness of the extremities - hands (sometimes they talk about numbness of the fingers) or legs. We perceive numbness as a loss of signal: nerve impulses from the numb area do not reach the brain. In most cases, the cause is local in nature and consists of damage to peripheral nerves or a violation of local circulation, as a result of which the nerves are deprived of the necessary nutrition. However, sometimes numbness is a symptom of a central nervous system disorder.

Physiological causes of numbness

Numbness occurs with prolonged immobility. Whatever position we are in, some vessels become pinched, and we risk that the nerve endings, which do not receive proper nutrition, will lose sensitivity. Our body must move, changing the areas that have been subjected to compression, and then we will not be in danger of numbness. This usually happens during the day. But during deep sleep, we can lie in the same position for quite a long time without changing posture. And then, when we wake up, we notice that we have rested some part of our body, for example, a hand placed under our head.

Numbness is caused by exposure to cold. When in contact with cold air, the skin loses sensitivity. Local blood circulation is disrupted, and we cease to feel the nerve endings. If this situation lasts longer, frostbite is possible, but in most cases it is enough to rub the area of skin that has lost sensitivity or return to warmth, blood circulation will be restored and the numbness will go away.

If numbness occurs without an obvious connection with a specific situation, then it probably has a pathological cause.

Treatment

Managing symptoms

The main thing in the fight is to restore the full functionality of the fingers without surgical manipulation. You can do this by identifying the main cause of the violation. It has already been said that in order to diagnose the cause of loss of sensitivity, you need to undergo diagnostics, consult a therapist, and perform a number of measures.

For example, lymphatic drainage massage helps pregnant women normalize the circulatory system and improve lymph flow. This relieves swelling and compression of nerve endings.

If the index finger suffers from osteochondrosis, then an integrated approach is needed to solve the problem - traction traction, drug treatment, exercise therapy, massage, osteopathy and acupuncture.

Drug treatment

In case of manifestation of carpal tunnel syndrome , NSAIDs are prescribed - Diclofenac, Ortofen, Ibuprofen and other similar drugs. They reduce inflammation. To ease the load on the joints, you need to use orthopedic structures.
Corticosteroid injections will help against pain - Prednisolone, Diprospan, for example. In parallel, the drugs Trental, Vazonit, etc. are prescribed to normalize blood microcirculation.
Chondroprotectors with a base of hyaluron and chondroitin will help restore cartilage tissue . They replenish the lack of synovial fluid. Available in the form of ointment, gel, cream or injection. These can be drugs - Chondroflex, Dona, Hyaluronic acid, Piaskledin, Chondroinit sulfate.

Massage and therapeutic exercises

As soon as unpleasant sensations appear in your fingers, you should immediately resort to a set of exercises.

It's very light.

Two arms need to be stretched along the body, first clench one hand into a fist, then the other. And so 7 times for each brush.
Lie on your back, raise your sore hand up and squeeze your fingers 30 times. Do the same with the second limb.
Turn your face to the wall, raise your arms up and stand on your toes. Remain in this position for 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.
In a standing position, try to clasp your hands behind your back and raise them a little. Repeat 3-4 times.

A relaxing massage of the cervical spine is very effective. When performing a massage, the fingertips should not cause pain or discomfort. The muscles need to be relaxed with these movements. You should definitely check with your doctor whether exercise therapy and massage can be performed, as there are contraindications.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers many recipes. Most Popular:

Take fresh milk - 2 liters, honey - 50 grams, water - 1 liter and salt - 600 grams. Everything is mixed and brought to a boil. As soon as the solution has cooled, compresses and hand baths are made. You can be treated this way for 10 days. Patients note a significant improvement in their well-being;
you will need dried wild rosemary and apple cider vinegar
. Ledum is crushed and filled with vinegar 1:3, and then infused for a whole week. After this, the medicine is rubbed into the sore spot three times a day;
improve blood circulation with 100 grams of ground black pepper and 1 liter of vegetable oil. The ingredients are mixed, placed on low heat and cooked until a thick cream forms. This takes from 30 to 45 minutes. As soon as the product has cooled, you can use it;
in case of loss of sensitivity on both hands , you can make a tincture of two finely chopped cloves of garlic and 500 grams of vodka. The liquid is placed in a dark place for 2 weeks. Every day it shakes up. When ready, you can take from 3 to 5 drops of tincture, diluted in a tablespoon of water three times a day for 1 month.

Numbness as a symptom

Numbness can be caused by:

pinched nerve. A pinched nerve can occur at the point where it exits the spinal canal ( radicular syndrome
).
Therefore, numbness is a typical symptom of osteochondrosis and other spinal diseases. The nerve can also be pinched in other areas. Pinching of a nerve in its natural canal (tunnel) is defined as tunnel syndrome
.
The most common is carpal tunnel syndrome
(a pinched nerve in the wrist).
In this case, the fingers go numb. Office work (using a keyboard and mouse) contributes to the development of the disease. Also quite common is ulnar nerve neuropathy
, the development of which is facilitated by the need for prolonged support with the elbow (typical of working at a computer).
Wearing a belt, pressing the thigh against the edge of the table, or inconvenient objects in pockets can lead to pinching of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh ( Roth disease
) - the most common foot tunnel syndrome;
injury. Trauma can disrupt the integrity of nerve fibers, resulting in loss of sensation in the area supplied by the damaged nerve;
problems of peripheral circulation. For example, the development of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities leads to disruption of the blood supply to the legs (primarily the feet). A lack of fresh blood flow manifests itself as pale skin, a local decrease in body temperature, and numbness. Numbness may also accompany a violation of the venous outflow of blood (chronic venous insufficiency);
anemia (decreased hemoglobin in the blood). The reasons may be problems with the intake or absorption of iron, vitamins (B12, folic acid);
polyneuropathy - multiple lesions of peripheral nerves. Polyneuropathy can be a consequence of diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, poisoning, long-term use of certain medications, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders and other systemic pathologies;
diseases of the central nervous system - such as brain tumors, cerebrovascular accidents, multiple sclerosis.

Does it make a difference on which hand the fingers go numb?

Pathologies of the cardiovascular system may be indicated by impaired sensitivity in the fingers of the left hand. It is dangerous to ignore this symptom: it is often one of the indicators of a pre-infarction condition or an impending stroke. The fingers of the right hand often go numb with the development of arthritis, osteochondrosis or carpal tunnel syndrome. This may also be due to an uncomfortable position of the torso during sleep.

In what cases should you consult a doctor if you have numbness?

If the numbness has a physiological cause, that is, caused by a temporary disruption of the local blood supply, then it is enough to change the position and rub the numb area, and sensitivity will be restored. If the numbness does not go away, then the cause is more serious and you should consult a doctor.

It is necessary to get emergency medical help if numbness is accompanied by symptoms of damage to the central nervous system:

headache, dizziness, attacks of weakness, double vision, loss of coordination;
unexpected bowel movements or sudden urination;
speech problems.

These symptoms may occur after a head, neck, or back injury.

You should also consult a doctor if:

numbness occurs periodically and without an obvious reason;
thermal perception is impaired (for example, the ability to distinguish between warm and cold water is impaired);
Numbness is preceded by pain and loss of range of motion in one of the joints.

Which doctor should I contact for numbness?

Numbness is a neurological symptom, so if you complain of numbness, you should consult a neurologist.
You must be prepared for the fact that a medical examination is only the first stage in solving the problem. Further instrumental studies will be required: MRI (for radicular syndrome), electroneurography, ultrasound (shows a picture of blood flow in the area under study), EEG (performed if diseases of the central nervous system are suspected). There may also be a need for laboratory tests (complete blood count, blood test for hormones, test for vitamins, etc.). Treatment for numbness is aimed, first of all, at eliminating the cause that caused it, that is, the disease whose symptom is numbness is subject to treatment. In some cases this may require considerable time.

If you are concerned about numbness in your fingers, arms or legs in general, or any other area of the body, contact the nearest clinic of JSC “Family Doctor”. Our neurologists will determine the cause of the numbness and prescribe adequate treatment. Therapeutic activities may include physiotherapy, physical therapy, massage, reflexology, manual therapy - this entire range of services is provided in the Family Doctor JSC network. Surgical treatment is carried out in the company's high-tech Hospital Center.

Complications and consequences

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Cold fingers and toes can lead to certain consequences and complications. As a result of prolonged numbness and the progression of this condition, the muscles may atrophy, and the sensitivity of the tissues in the hands may be impaired. If these signs are ignored and the disease is not treated, then with constant numbness in the hands there may be irreversible consequences, chronic pain in the hands, and lack of sensitivity in them. Therefore, it is extremely important to consult a doctor in time to diagnose and treat the disease.