@dzlizzi
I’ve been dealing with numbness in the left side of my left hand(pinky and 4th finger)
I have a question for you: how did you get it to go away???? and how long did it take to go away?
I’ve had this for almost 4 months.I went to a neurologist 4 or 5 weeks ago and she suggested the same(don’t lean on the elbow) & also recommended not to go w/a surgical approach (ulnar nerve is too tricky).
I’ve been diligent about not leaning on the elbow but it’s still there and so damn annoying! Is that all you had to do?
Thanks
I'm not a doctor, this is not medical advice... but... I recommend taking a vitamin D supplement (get your levels checked before and after if it makes you feel better, but almost everyone with a "modern lifestyle" is defficiant in vitamin D). Iirc it has some proven benefits for improving symptoms such as yours. I could swear I have less arm/hand pain since I'm taking it (been taking it for years, 2000 units daily at the moment).
Try stretching the muscles and fascia tissue that is close to that nerve, the goal is to make the surrounding tissue put less pressure on the nerve if at all possible. Stretch till you feel a slight pain (if you can't smile anymore while doing it, it's too much), hold for two to three minutes in that position, then
very slowly release the tension. I've heard a story of a painter that had to stop painting because holding his arm up pinched that nerve from the muscle tensions. That story is what put me on the right track fixing my own armrest issue when I had it.
Have you ruled out the cause being anything with your spine? I have spinal disc protrusions that cause pain in my fingers when I sit or lie with the neck tilted down too much. Can be anything from a mild burn to a sudden feeling of getting a needle jabbed into the finger.
So has it is ever gone away for you and if so how long did it take and how long did the disappearance last? It reoccurs whenever you inadvertently lean on you elbow?
It’s so damn annoying!
I really don't want to prime you for a nocebo effect (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo ) but nerve injuries don't always heal back fully. I once sat with crossed legs too long and ignored that my leg fell asleep. The next day I couldn't pull my foot upwards fully anymore. It felt numb and was trembling. I went to the doctor immediately and he said it's a pressure injury to the peroneal nerve (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peroneal_nerve_paralysis ) and if I'm lucky it goes away fully. And I'd say it went away to about 98%, but lifting that foot still feels slightly different than on the other leg and I could swear I'm tripping over things slightly more often.
A neurologist told me it's quite typical for people to get nerve damage from falling asleep drunk on park benches, sitting with one arm hanging over the back rest. I find it super scary that a couple hours of mild pressure can already cause permanent nerve damage. I don't think we're nearly enough educated on stuff like that since much of permanent damage can be prevented with seeking out treatment immediately or avoiding the injury in the first place with a little foresight, like I could easily have by sitting differently.
I really hope you still can get this fixed. Don't give up hope and keep trying things!
My physiotherapist recommended one thing to me that would be worth trying: stand in a T-pose, arms stretched out, palms pointing up, keep elbows fixed in that position, tilt head right, raise left hand till it points to your head, then flip everything over to the other side and repeat a couple of times as if you're slowly waving. The idea is that nerve tissue isn't fully "fixed" in the nerve canals and that kind of motion pattern might be able to do you some good. Your mileage may vary, wouldn't be surprised if it gets worse either, but since it's a very mild movement similar to just stretching, it's likely fine for you too. I didn't notice any benefit from it, but I don't have issues with that nerve at the moment either.
Good luck!