Numb Fingers

Numb Fingers

Q:

Three weeks ago, I felt my little and ring fingers suddenly go numb. My doctor had me wear a wrist brace and told me the condition would go away in two weeks. It is now worse and includes the outer part of my palm. It hasn't had an impact on my grasp, although my strength is not as good as before. It worsens after typing or lifting.

The chiropractor I saw three days ago says she thinks the problem is in my neck. A third doctor says it is the ulna area between wrist and elbow. I don't know who to belive! What is your opinion?

-- laurie

A:

It is probably due to compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. Do you have a habit of resting or leaning on your elbow?

If you are an avid cyclist, you can also injure the ulnar nerve at the wrist from resting your palm on the bicycle's handle; though this should not give you numbness in the palm.

You can also have a herniated disc in you neck at C7 and T1 that can possibly give the same picture, though this would be rare.

One way to find out for sure is to have a nerve conduction study and an electromyography done by either a neurologist or a physiatrist.

-- Sherman Nam Tran, M. D.

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