Comment by bsc on July 16, 2010 at 5:11am

I suffer from nerve problems in my arms. I have a bad case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and actually have surgery scheduled for August. But I also suffer from Ulnar Nerve entrapment and shoulder impingement.

Having numbness when sleeping with your arms folded is a classic sign of Ulnar Nerve entrapment (also called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome). The solution?

This may sound really stupid. Don't sleep with your arms folded. They make braces and you can wear an elbow pad backwards to help. I have found that my condition is correlated with blood sugars, lower blood sugars, lower nerve inflammation.

Take remedial action now and you can avoid real problems. Let it fester and get really bad and you may have surgery in your future.

Comment by JeffD on July 16, 2010 at 6:40am

Before I was diagnosed I had bad tingles and pain in my left hand and arm. I like to play fiddle and mandolin and when I played for more than a little while, 20 minutes or so, my left hand, from the back of my hand up my arm, and my fingers would hurt and tingle. I took an Advil before playing, which helped, and I warmed up with one of those isoflex balls, which also helped a bit.

But June 2 I was diagnosed with diabetes. A1C of 10. With a combination of metformin, victoza, diet, and a regular morning walk, I have managed to bring my blood sugar to within striking distance of normal for several weeks now.

And for those same several weeks the pain has gone away. Gone. Gone. Gone. I was schedued to see a physical therapist that specializes in musicians, and a hand surgeon, but I cancelled both appointments. I can play music for hours at a time. It is as if my left hand is 20 years old again.

I don't understand the mechanism, ut my doctor assures me it is not unexpected.

Comment by Mario on July 16, 2010 at 8:29am

I thought that carpal tunnel only affect the hands and that the pain is in the wristle. In my case, I feel that my arm, from the elbow to the fingertips is numb. I know that the solution is to sleep the elbow unfolded but I'm wondering why I was able to sleep the elbow folded before but now, it cause the dumb. Maybe a nerve issue like you said.

Thanks

Comment by Richard P Cosgrove on July 16, 2010 at 7:40pm

I have the exact same problems your having. Good blood glucose control will help. You need to get your numbers in the target range set by you doctor. I have been doing that and haven't had the symptoms lately.

Comment by Mario on July 16, 2010 at 7:57pm

Thanks Richard !

Comment by nopucksnosticks on July 18, 2010 at 8:51pm

T1 diabetics often get a condition called adhesive capulitus (frozen shoulder) which starts slowly with numbness & soreness often felt up and down the entire arm, neck, and shoulder and eventually limits movement of the arm. While it can go away spontaniously, if you do not seek treatment you can end up with loss of muscle tissue caused by not using muscles over time. It can strike one or both shoulders and it can come back again - I've had it twice now. Your GP can easily diagnose the condition just by feeling for the adhesive tissue.

Comment by nopucksnosticks on July 19, 2010 at 5:35pm

So...I went to physical therapy today and posed your sysmptoms with my PT and she said it's common nowadays for folks who spend alot of time at a keyboard to develop shoulder issues that relate to rounding your shoulders forward, which can shorten chest muscles and result in nerve problems at the shoulder. She said if the numbness and tingles involve the entire arm it's likely to have started in shoulders. You may need some PT to losen those chest muscles - see your doc!

Comment by Mario on July 19, 2010 at 11:10pm

Thanks, I'll see with my doctor. It is maybe the keyboard since I'm a programmer and I spend a lot of time with a keyboard and a mouse.

Comment by nopucksnosticks on July 20, 2010 at 12:50pm

Your post went a long way to attaching positive thoughts to my PT...after yesterday's session I'm back on the pain pills. I'll let the little terror know she might be right. Hope things improve for you soon.

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