Pinched radial nerve in the arm, treatment at home

Characteristic symptoms

Signs of pathology appear depending on the location of the pinching. The most common symptom is numbness of certain areas of the skin and fingers. Painful sensations are sometimes absent.

The main symptoms of a pinched nerve in the right or left hand:

limitation of the extension and flexion function of the hand and its fingers;
pain - localized in the joint area and caused by a chronic disease or appears as a result of a hand injury, aggravated by sudden movement;
poor circulation - accompanied by a feeling of numbness in the limb, which is gradually replaced by pain;
muscle weakness or excessive muscle tension;
numbness in the area of the little finger, ring finger or thumb, less often - all fingers at the same time.

If there is no improvement and if you refuse to see a specialist, the signs of a pinched nerve in the arm intensify. The prolonged presence of pathology can lead to necrotic processes in tissues, but this complication occurs quite rarely.

What you need to know if you have a pinched nerve in your hand: methods of treating neuropathy

A pinched nerve in the hand is a common occupational disease in people whose work involves working at a computer or with hand tools.

The risk of injury to a limb is high among athletes, elderly people who use crutches, teenagers who love computer games, and newlyweds who sleep together in an awkward position. An inappropriate sudden movement can cause severe pain or stiffness. If you feel discomfort, pain, numbness, tingling or loss of movement in your hand, you should consult a doctor.

Diagnostics

All examination methods are aimed at determining the location of the pinched nerve and the cause of the symptom. Pathology can occur in the shoulder, elbow or wrist area or as a result of the effects of spinal diseases. To obtain complete information about the condition that has arisen, several types of diagnostics are prescribed:

medical examination - assessment of the condition of the hand, its motor activity, determination of the presence of pinching of the brachial, ulnar or wrist nerves based on the patient’s complaints and accompanying signs;

X-ray of the arm and spine - identifying possible pathologies of the joints, including those resulting from injuries;
MRI of the affected limb, cervical and thoracic spine - determining the location of the pinched nerve, the condition of the joints, adjacent soft tissues and blood vessels, the possible presence of tumors;
electromyography - assessment of the degree of muscle damage;

study of the conductivity of the radial, brachial and ulnar nerves - determination of their condition and muscle fibers of the arm, degree of functionality.

The results obtained indicate the condition of the joints of the limb and spine, the presence of degenerative processes in them, the location of the pinched nerve and the severity of the symptom. Using this information, it is determined what to do with the hand and how to treat it.

Preventing a pinched nerve in the hand

To prevent neuralgia of the wrist joint, hand injuries and infectious diseases should be treated promptly. People whose professions involve stress on their hands - cooks, waiters, pianists, artists - are advised to strengthen the musculo-ligamentous system of the wrist with special exercises and stretch their hands during working hours. You should also control your weight, since obesity negatively affects the condition of the joints. It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, adhere to a diet and not make sudden movements with your hands after a period of rest.

Source osteokeen.ru

A pinched nerve in the hand is a pathological condition in which the nerve fiber begins to poorly transmit impulses to the tissues of the hand. After damage to the nerve endings, the patient's limb below the lesion site becomes numb, pain occurs, and sensitivity decreases. In severe cases, motor function becomes impossible. Treatment of the pathology includes painkillers, vitamins and other agents are used to restore the integrity of the nerve. Traditional medicine methods are also allowed.

Therapeutic measures

All treatment procedures are aimed at eliminating signs of pinching, alleviating the patient’s condition, and restoring the conduction of nerve impulses. First of all, a course of drug therapy is prescribed, consisting of the following types of drugs:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - relieve inflammation, reduce the manifestation of pain;
muscle relaxants - relieve muscle spasms, which alleviates the patient’s condition and normalizes limb mobility;
painkillers - necessary for severe attacks of pain;
warming ointments and gels - improve local blood supply, relieving muscle spasms and eliminating numbness;
chondoprotectors, calcium preparations - prescribed for degenerative processes in the joints;
B vitamins, magnesium - improve the condition of nerve and muscle fibers and restore their functionality.

Physiotherapy courses consist of 5–15 procedures and quickly restore pinching in the hand:

magnetic therapy;
acupuncture;
laser therapy;
electrophoresis;
thermal wraps;
mud therapy.

Additionally, courses of massage and manual therapy may be prescribed. Such procedures should be performed by a specialist - if you have certain skills, you can achieve a positive result after the first session.

When the main symptoms of pinching are eliminated, therapeutic exercises should begin, which consists of performing arm swings, rotational and flexion-extension movements of the hand. If your fingers are affected, you need to clench and unclench them.

During the treatment period, it is forbidden to heavily load the arm. You should not carry heavy bags, engage in active sports or do household chores that cause discomfort to the affected limb. It is allowed to resume physical activity only after the main symptoms of the pathology have been relieved.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of hand nerve compression depends on the location of the lesion. Damage to the nerve fiber of the arm occurs at the level of the shoulder joint, shoulder, elbow or wrist.

Ulnar and radial nerve entrapment

Pinching of the ulnar nerve is manifested by numbness, tingling, and loss of sensitivity. Unpleasant sensations may be in the hand at the level of the forearm and in the finger. Numbness is found in the little finger, as well as in the lower half of the ring finger. Paralysis of the adductor apparatus and muscles that flex the thumb is possible.

If the ulnar nerve fiber is completely damaged, the patient loses sensation in the ring and little fingers.

In patients, you can see the typical appearance of the hand with damage to the ulnar nerve - a “bony hand”. The special position of the fingers is explained by paralysis of the interosseous muscles of the palm. In patients, atrophy of the muscular system is detected in the interdigital space of the 1st and 2nd fingers on the hand.

Pinching of the radial nerve in the hand is accompanied by numbness, loss of sensitivity, tingling, and pain.

The radial and ulnar nerves are often injured in the elbow joint. If the radial nerve is affected in the area of the elbow joint, then the arm hurts throughout the entire forearm and hand. Atrophy of the muscles innervated by the ulnar nerve is possible. In patients, the sensitivity of the index, middle and half of the ring finger, as well as the thumb (on the palm side), is impaired. Sensitivity is impaired in the inner part of the palm. On the back of the hand, the distal (in the area of the nail plates) phalanges of the little finger, index finger, middle finger, half of the ring finger, and thumb are affected. Patients with nerve damage are unable to grasp objects. Patients have a characteristic symptom of a hanging limb. The abduction of the thumb and the turning of the hand with the palm up are impaired.

Nerve entrapment in the shoulder joint

Pinched brachial nerve has the following symptoms: impaired sensitivity, stiffness of movement, complete or partial numbness of the fingers. After sleep, the patient often cannot move his arm. The movement of the arm in the articular joints is impaired. The patient's palms folded together do not fit tightly.

Patients with brachial nerve damage experience constant muscle pain that worsens after sleep. Possible paleness of the skin on the hand, involuntary contractions of the muscle system.

Pinched nerve in the hand

A pinched nerve in the hand often occurs when the nerve fiber at the level of the wrist joint is affected. This pathology is very rare.

Patients experience the following symptoms:

The patient's hand may hang parallel to the body. It is impossible to grasp objects, retract the thumb, and muscle strength in the hand decreases. Atrophy (reduction in muscle size) of the arm is visible on the surface.

Nerve damage at the level of the wrist joint can occur with:

prolonged pressure on the nerve fiber;
bruises, dislocations of the wrist joint;
lesions of the articular apparatus (deformation);
constant work on the computer, when the brush lies on the edge of the table.

Prevention

Prevention of pinched nerves in the hand is to follow these recommendations:

Regular moderate physical activity. Helps improve blood circulation, strengthen muscles, and prevent joint diseases.
Warm-up during sedentary work. Light exercises should be performed several times during the working day to eliminate congestion in tissues.
Avoiding hypothermia. Often, pinching in the hand is caused by wearing clothes that do not correspond to weather conditions, or being in drafts.
Timely treatment of joint diseases. The worsening of any diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be prevented by regular treatment - this will also relieve possible complications of the pathology.

Additionally, to maintain general immunity and improve the functionality of joints and nerve fibers, you should regularly take courses of multivitamins - this is especially true in the spring-winter season. If a nerve in your hand is pinched, you should immediately contact a specialist - this will speed up the healing process and prevent the development of unpleasant symptoms.

Applicators for sciatica

To carry out a healing procedure, you can purchase special massagers. They are also called applicators. Kuznetsov and Lepko applicators are popular. The most effective option is a mat. The procedure is carried out as follows. A cushion is placed in the lumbar area and covered with a massage mat. Thus, the lower back comes into contact with the therapeutic agent most closely. Next, you can begin massage actions.

The first procedure lasts 2–3 minutes, subsequent ones take longer. Several times the session time reaches 10 minutes. It is important that the patient's stomach is empty before the procedure. You can eat either 30 minutes before the procedure or 30 minutes after it.