I am 58 years old and am experiencing something my father experienced at around the same age - a slight numbing of the fingers. It never got particularly severe for my father, and I don’t think it is related to carpal tunnel since he never engaged in the kind of activity that would promote carpal tunnel. There is no pain whatsoever, but as you can imagine, it wreaks havoc with the accuracy with which my fingers cover the holes of the flute as I play. The more I play, the better the sound simply because my fingers know the way even with the diminished sensitivity.
So let me know your own experiences with this, if any, and any suggestions you have.
This will be a hard question for people to answer since answers will likely veer too close to the slippery slope of medical advice which is verbotten on the board.
Have you seen a doctor about it if you’re worried? Seems like the easiest way to see if there is anything to be concerned about. Lots of things can cause numbness in your hands that are not carpal tunnel related.
Good luck, and I hope it ends up like your dad - not progressing.
Agreed. I’m not particularly looking for a cure, but rather an indication of how common this is and any means by which those similarly afflicted managed around it.
I’m 50 years old and I have a numbness in the last two fingers of my right hand. The severity comes and goes, but it is always apparent. Doesn’t effect me much except for rolls on E can be slow or inaccurate (numbness not totally to blame for that, though).
I’ve tried a few things to help out with varying degrees of success. I believe my particular case has to do with nerve restriction in the shoulder and elbow.
I hope yours gets better, or is at least manageable.
Sounds like cervical spondylosis (Neck arthritis) from where the nerves eminate. Could be carpel tunnel or various other or similar neurological differentials. The remedy depends on the accurate diagnosis.
[hat=moderator]I know everyone’s well-meaning, but the first sentence above especially teeters into violating the medical post rules. Let’s all refrain from on-line diagnoses, please. But if we can’t resist, then let us do so via the time-honored and unassailable methods of PM or email. Thanks.[/hat]
Depending on how I sit or lay down I can get the pinky and ring fingers on each hand to go numb.
It can be related to the ulnar nerve. It could be how you rest on your elbows or it may be in the spine.
For me it’s the spine because I have it bi-laterally.
Issue between the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae according to my doc.
It was happening really frequently when I was fencing to compete. I wasn’t cross training properly and getting unbalanced muscle strength.
I corrected it with better balanced physical training. I know you have some expertise in weight training Alan so I think you know how it can go.
I think I just may be predisposed to it though because it’s happening again and I’ve been doing nothing but sitting on my arse playing flute obsessively for the last few years and getting fat!
Now there may be something related to us lifting our flutes and favoring the development of certain muscle groups over others but who knows?
A doctor would… or should.
I’ll be bringing it up again on my next visit to my Back Doc which should be soon.
Hi Cubitt,
You need to see a neurologist for this problem. Hopefully they will be able to isolate the cause, (if they can) do nerve tests etc.
I have had Peripheral neuropathology for over 20 years, bet to get it checked out sooner then later.
Hope this doesn’t break any rules…
Orthopaedic hand surgeon (a good one won’t want to do surgery, but that’s what
they are called).
Someone who specializes in hands, including a hand therapist.
Of course they know lots about arms, elbows, etc too; otherwise
you often can’t effectively treat hands.
Internists may not know much about it, in my experience.
I concur with the stuff above. See a doctor. I have slowly advancing arthritis in my left hand, which I haven’t brought to anyone’s attention. But numbness is different. If it’s not in your skull, you need to see a doctor.
Holmes comment about hand specialists (often plastic surgeons in the US) is a good one. I was really impressed with the plastic surgeon who treated my wife’s ruptured tenon sheath in her hand (thanks to a reaction to Avalox). He started out by saying the absolute last place we want to go is surgery. Not sure why plastic surgeons tend to be hand specialists, but they are over here.
I am very moved by everyone’s concern and advice, especially those who replied to me via PM. I will probably see my chiropractor and see if he thinks a neurologist should be called in.
As a person with many years of operating room experience (admin - not surgical), I feel I should clarify a few points made in the most recent posts:
As a surgical specialty, Hand is not officially recognized; it is an offshoot of orthopedics. When it comes to spinal problems, they are treated by orthopedists or neurosurgeons. Spine is not recognized as a surgical specialty.
Plastic surgery can be done by any general surgeon. The word “plastic” in this context simply refers to repair - it does not refer to the substance called plastic.
I want to thank everyone for their input. I am still interested in hearing from others who share my situation and any advice they have regarding managing around it. I know enough about this situation to know that it may not be treatable and that I may have no other choice but to work around it, but that will not deter me from checking with a medical professional.
