Hand pain that keeps you at night

You may be suffering from nerve compression if a painful tingling or numbness keeps you up at night. This can occur along the entire course of the nerve from the neck to the finger tips. The Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel are two common sites of impingement. These conditions are typically progressive and require evaluation to determine the severity of the nerve compression. Please seek consultation with one of our trained hand surgeons if you are experiencing hand pain that awakens you at night.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Increased pressure on the median nerve where it crosses the wrist within, can be indicative of Carper Tunnel Syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a sealed space that borders the carpal bones of the hand. In addition to housing the median nerve the tendons that flex the fingers also run through the carpal tunnel. Swelling of the surrounding tendons, pregnancy, thyroid disorders and diabetes can all lead to the development of symptoms. Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are progressive and that makes early evaluation and intervention extremely important and can lead to more predictable and better outcomes.

Here are some key indicators that you may have carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Need to “shake hands” out
• Onset of symptoms requiring one to switch hands:
• Reading a book
• Talking on the phone
• Driving
• Numbness and tingling in the finger tips (thumb, index, long and ½ of ring finger)
• Hand weakness
• Dropping objects
• Painful numbness and tingling (Night symptoms)

Cubital Tunnel

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, like carpal tunnel syndrome, is a result of nerve compression. Instead of the wrist this occurs as the ulnar nerve crosses the elbow. This is often referred to as the funny bone. Symptoms such as numbness and tingling in the ring and small fingers as well as weakness in grip strength can be signs of cubital tunnel syndrome. Symptoms are typically worse at night or with activities in which the elbow remains flexed for prolong periods of time. Nerve testing and a clinical examination can help diagnose the condition. Depending on the severity of the nerve compression, both surgical and non-surgical options can help alleviate symptoms.

Neuroma

When the sensory nerves are injured, patients can develop painful neuromas at the site injury. This pain can be caused by lacerations, penetrating trauma or even traction injuries. Typically patients will experience extreme pain at a specific site along the course of the nerve close to the site of an old injury. Neuromas can be treated with surgical procedures that excise the abnormal scar from the nerve.

Numbness and tingling

Nerve compression can present as numbness or tingling. This can occur along the nerve track from the neck all the way to the finger tips. The Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel  are two common sites of impingement. These conditions typically are progressive and require a medical evaluation to determine how severs the nerve compression is. Please seek consultation with one of our trained hand surgeons if you are experiencing numbness and tingling in your hands.