Disc herniation, carpal tunnel syndrome, and osteoarthritis can cause hand numbness and difficulty holding hands, requiring early treatment to avoid affecting daily activities.
Doctor Do Thi Hong Anh, Department of Rehabilitation, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said hand numbness and difficulty holding hands can occur due to many reasons such as damage or compression, nerve irritation in the wrist, elbow, axillary nerve plexus or cervical roots.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
This syndrome occurs when the median nerve passing through the carpal tunnel is compressed. Patients often have a feeling of numbness in the limbs, paresthesias, sharp pain like needles or burning in the skin area dominated by the median nerve (thumb, index finger, middle finger and half of the ring finger). These symptoms manifest from the wrist to the fingers. If the disease develops to a late stage, signs of movement disorders appear such as difficulty holding hands, reduced hand dexterity, and often dropping objects.
Cervical disc herniation
This is a common cause of hand numbness. In severe cases, numbness can spread to the legs. It occurs when the nucleus pulposus spills out of the fibrous disc, compressing the cervical nerve root or cervical cord. The patient feels pain starting in the neck area, then spreading to the shoulder blades, forearms, neck of the fingers or spreading to the back of the head and eye sockets. When the injury compresses the motor roots or motor part of the spinal cord, the patient may experience motor impairment.
Osteoarthritis
When the articular cartilage in the hands and fingers is eroded, the bone ends rub against each other, the patient will feel pain and have difficulty moving. When the disease affects the nerves in the joint area, it can cause numbness. In some cases, patients may have stiff joints and difficulty holding hands.
Hand numbness and difficulty holding hands can also warn of other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, spinal stenosis, poor posture, injury…
Doctor Anh checks the patient’s hand function. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Depending on the specific cause, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment methods. In the early stages, patients can reduce symptoms with the following methods:
Massage Gently moving your hands in a circular motion helps reduce pain, stimulate nerves, promote blood circulation to support nerve function, thereby limiting stiffness and tingling caused by some diseases.
Physical therapy exercises Reduces pain and inflammation, improves blood circulation, strengthens the nervous system, thereby promoting damage recovery. Exercises also help maintain muscle and joint flexibility, improve range of motion and hand strength, and prevent further nerve damage.
Hot compresses use heat and warmth to promote blood flow to tissues, reducing pressure on muscles and joints to enhance movement. During the compress process, nerve function is also significantly improved, reducing symptoms of hand numbness, tingling and pain. However, you should only apply the compress for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time and use moderate heat to avoid burns.
Wear a brace to keep the wrist in a straight position, not bent, thereby reducing pressure on the nerve. This method can also be useful for people who have numb hands but still have to work, especially jobs that require repetitive movements.
Doctor Anh recommends that patients should go to the hospital if their hands have numbness or difficulty holding them for a long time because it can be a sign that the disease is getting worse and requires treatment to avoid complications that affect mobility. In severe cases, the patient may have surgery. Currently, with nerve decompression surgery, patients can exercise on the first day after surgery. If surgery is required due to carpal tunnel compression, the patient can go home the same day.