Why does the hand or foot fall asleep? all the causes and how to remedy it

Compressed nerve

The most common cause of your foot falling asleep is a pinched nerve. It happens, for example, when we have had one leg crossed over another, or we have sat on one of them. After returning to the normal position, it passes.

Diabetes

Undiagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes can cause nerve damage and damage manifested by tingling and numbness in the extremities. These are the symptoms of diabetes.

Hypothyroidism

It causes a slowdown in metabolism that in turn causes fluid retention and swelling of the tissues, which can put pressure on peripheral nerves and cause numbness.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The fact that the hands fall asleep can be a warning sign of this degenerative disease. It is usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as tiredness or stiffness when getting up.

Have an extra rib

It affects about 1 person in 500 and is known as "cervical rib syndrome." That is, the person has an extra rib that arises from the seventh cervical vertebra. If it compresses the blood vessels and some nerves it can cause numbness in the hands.

A very drastic diet

The nerves are protected by a fatty padding that prevents compression. If there is a very sudden weight loss (due to a very restrictive diet, tumors …) that protection decreases, making it easier for the nerve to compress and make a part of the body fall asleep.

When to worry?

If that numbness doesn't go away after an hour, it could be something more serious: from a cervical impingement, sciatica, or carpal tunnel syndrome to a herniated disc or multiple sclerosis. Another red flag is when the exact half of your body becomes numb (half of the face, arm and / or leg on one side), since when this happens it is usually a stroke. If this happens to you, see a doctor immediately. Here we explain why.

All of us have ever felt a hand or a foot, or have noticed a tingling sensation in them. Dr. Carlos Tejero, member of the Spanish Neurology Society, explains to us what are the possible causes of this numbness of the extremities and how we can know if it is something more serious.

What is the cause of hands or feet falling asleep?

In general, that sensation of numbness in any of the extremities or in any other area of the body appears because there is some part of the nervous system (be it the nerve terminals that we have in the skin, the nerves, the spinal cord, the thalamus or brain) that has some kind of injury or problem. These can be of very different types and affect one or another area of the body. Specifying where the numbness is is, in fact, a great clue to where the problem is.

Compressed nerve between two surfaces. It is the most common cause of numbness. It occurs, for example, when we have had one leg crossed over another for a long time, or we have been sitting on one leg … When we return to the normal position and after a short time, sensitivity is restored.
Migraine with aura. A numbness of the middle of the face can be one of its first symptoms. Taking a pain reliever or lying in bed in the dark can help keep the pain from getting worse.
Diabetes. If it is not diagnosed or controlled, it can cause alterations and injuries in the nerves that can manifest with tingling and numbness in the extremities.
Hypothyroidism This causes a slowdown of the metabolism which in turn causes fluid retention and swelling of the tissues, which can press on the peripheral nerves and cause numbness.
Rheumatoid arthritis. The fact that the hands fall asleep can be a warning sign of this degenerative disease. It is usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as tiredness or stiffness when getting up.
Have an extra rib. It is a cause not so common or so well known. It affects about 1 person in 500 and is known as "cervical rib syndrome." That is, the person has an extra rib that arises from the seventh cervical vertebra. If it compresses the blood vessels and some nerves it can cause numbness in the hands.
A very drastic diet. The nerves are protected by a fatty padding that prevents compression. If there is a very sudden weight loss (due to a very restrictive diet, tumors …) that protection decreases, making it easier for the nerve to compress and make a part of the body fall asleep.

It is usually sporadic but can be a symptom of something more serious

Warning signs

When that numbness doesn't go away after an hour, there may be a more serious underlying problem. It can range from a cervical impingement, sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome to a herniated disc or multiple sclerosis.
Another alarm signal occurs when it is the exact half of the body (half of the face, arm and / or leg on one side) that is affected by the sensation of numbness, since when this occurs it is usually a stroke. In this case, it is necessary to go to the doctor quickly, since there are treatment measures for a patient to recover and survive without sequelae that can only be applied in the 4 and a half hours immediately after the symptoms begin.

How to avoid numbness

Among the measures that we have at our disposal to try to avoid the numbness of any part of our body is taking care of our nerves. If the body is sending us a message, we have to listen to it and not persist in that circumstance that causes discomfort. If we see that our feet start to fall asleep, for example, we must change our shoes, rest or do something so that this does not go to more, since after a sensation of numbness, it can happen that the motor part of the nerve.

In this sense, it is also important to be careful with our position. Anything that causes the spine to twist improperly or exerts excessive effort (sitting badly, sleeping in a bad position, carrying very heavy bags …) can end up affecting the nervous system and cause numbness in any area bodily.

Take care of your nerves and avoid uncomfortable situations for your body

3 exercises to relieve numbness

If your numbness is caused by any of these common causes, these simple exercises can help you minimize the discomfort:

By a cervical impingement. Sitting on the floor, with your legs crossed, you should lean your head towards your right shoulder, hold for a few seconds and turn your head back, as if you wanted to look at something behind you. Repeat the same on the other side.
For carpal tunnel syndrome. You will be relieved to take a clothespin and slowly open and close it with your thumb and each other finger. It will also help to squeeze a rubber ball without forcing too much.
For a sciatica. Lying on your side on the floor, try bending your knees and raising them, bringing them closer to your chest. Then go down and stretch your legs.