Tingling in arm and hand right side

There are many different treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome, but not all of them will work for everyone.

Not all cases of the condition will cause long-term problems in the hand, and some people may find it improves without any medical treatment. If there’s a particular cause for your problem, such as an underactive thyroid gland or arthritis, then your symptoms may improve by treating that.

Your doctor will talk to you about the different treatments available and help you decide which would be best for you. If the condition is severe and you’re experiencing weakness in your hand muscles, then it’s important to get treatment quickly, and you’ll normally be advised to have surgery.

Splints

A resting splint for your wrist will often help – particularly if your symptoms are worse at night. A working splint to support your wrist that pushes the palm back slightly may be helpful if certain activities bring your symptoms on.

An occupational therapist or physiotherapist will be able to tell you about the different types of splint. Some therapists may recommend exercises of the wrist that might help prevent the median nerve becoming stuck to nearby tendons.

Drugs

A steroid injection will be helpful in most cases, although the effect may wear off after weeks or months. A small amount of steroid is injected into the carpal tunnel, which helps to reduce any swelling.

A steroid injection into the wrist joint itself may help if you have arthritis in your wrist. The injection might feel uncomfortable at the time, but it can be very helpful in treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

If the steroid injection is helpful but your symptoms return later, your doctor might repeat the injection. But repeated injections can become less effective or cause skin changes so they might not always be given.

Surgery

You may need surgery if there’s severe compression of median nerve or if the numbness and pain don’t improve with other treatments. The surgery, known as carpal tunnel release or decompression surgery relieves pain by reducing the pressure on median nerve.

Surgery usually takes place as a day case. The operation is normally carried out under a local anaesthetic and may be done by conventional open surgery or by keyhole surgery. Your surgeon will be able to tell you which is most suitable for you.

Following the operation, you might need to wear a bandage on your hand and wrist for a few days. It’s important that you keep moving your fingers and arm to reduce stiffness and swelling, and to prevent the nerve and tendons getting caught up in the scar tissue that can form after the operation. You may be able to start gentle exercises on the same day as your operation.

Your stitches will usually be taken out between 10 and 14 days after the operation, though some surgeons use dissolving stitches instead which don’t need to be removed.

You should recover from the surgery in less than a month, although it may take longer to get all the feeling back in your hand, especially if you’ve had the condition for a long time.

Sometimes, the operation may not bring a complete recovery, especially if you have muscle wasting or loss of sensation in your hand but it should greatly reduce your pain. If you feel there has been no improvement in your symptoms in the first six weeks after your operation, you should speak to your surgeon.

During the first few weeks after surgery you should avoid heavy tasks, but you should start to use your hand for lighter activities, as long as it’s not too uncomfortable. You shouldn’t drive until you are able to comfortably make a fist with your hand.

For most people surgery is very successful. But as with all operations, there is a small risk of complications, which may include infection, nerve damage or scarring. On rare occasions, the pain may continue, or it may return some time after the operation, even if it had seemed successful at first.

Numbness and tingling in your left arm or right arm isn’t always caused by poor body mechanics. Read on to learn what medical conditions might be behind it and when you should see a doctor.

Have you ever woken up with a pins and needles sensation on the arm you were sleeping on? Or, maybe, you were leaning back on your arm, and it went numb? These odd tingles are caused by pressure on a nerve, and luckily, they go away, when the pressure is taken off.

But, when bad posture isn’t to blame for arm numbness and tingling, it could be a sign of a medical condition. Here are a few possible causes.

1. Cervical spine issues

While it may not be the first thing that comes to your mind, the source of your arm tingling may actually be your neck. When the discs between the vertebrae in your neck bulge or slide out of place, arm tingling can be a clue that it’s happening. “Arm tingling is a common symptom of cervical spine issues,” says Jeffrey C. Wang, MD, codirector of the USC Spine Center at Keck Medicine of USC and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “The nerves originate from the spinal cord in the neck and travel down from the spine into the arm and hands. When there is a problem in the neck, such as an irritated or pinched nerve, this can cause symptoms like tingling or numbness that travels into the arm.”

Other clues that your arm tingling is related to your neck include neck pain and stiffness. This is especially true, if your symptoms start in your neck and travel down into your arm, he adds.

If you’re experiencing tingling, numbness or pain in your arm, Wang advises seeing a doctor. “There are tests and imaging studies that can be helpful in making the proper diagnosis,” he explains.

2. Type 2 diabetes

Numbness or tingling in the arms will not likely be the first sign of type 2 diabetes, but if you already know you have the disease, you should be on the lookout for this symptom, as it could signal a type of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. About half of people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy, which is caused by high blood sugar over time. Other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include numbness, pain or weakness in your arms, feet, legs or hands.

If you think your symptoms might be peripheral neuropathy, talk to your doctor. Treatment options include medications for nerve pain and physical therapy.

3. Stroke

Strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blood clot or a broken blood vessel, and symptoms can include numbness in the arm, face or leg — often on one side of the body. Other telltale stroke symptoms include severe headache, trouble speaking or walking, dizziness and confusion.

Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke is critical to preventing death or permanent damage. The symptoms usually come on quickly, and when they do, it’s imperative to get medical attention immediately.

4. Multiple sclerosis

Numbness or tingling can sometimes be a sign of multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the body mistakenly attacks the nerve coating, called myelin, in the central nervous system. Other common symptoms of multiple sclerosis include vision problems, such as blurriness and double vision, as well as fatigue, muscle weakness and loss of balance and coordination.

If you are experiencing any of these issues, it’s a good idea to see your doctor to be evaluated.

5. Seizure

Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, and one type of seizure, called a partial or focal seizure, can be associated with abnormal sensations such as numbness or tingling of the skin. Partial seizures are the most common type of seizure.

Partial seizures can manifest in different ways, with a wide array of symptoms that range from abnormal muscle contraction or eye movements to sweating or hallucinations.

Seek medical attention, if you think you have experienced a seizure.

Topics

arm numbness and tingling

Dr. Jeffrey C. Wang

multiple sclerosis

peripheral neuropathy

seizure

spine health

stroke

type 2 diabetes

Tina Donvito is a freelance writer covering health, culture, travel and parenting.

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