Weakness in the hands

Weakness in the hands in the mornings often arises simply because of a position that is not quite suitable for the upper extremities in a dream, for example, if a person has long slept with a hand under his head, which leads to a violation of normal blood flow.

But the permanent weakness in the hands, which is observed for a sufficiently long period, may be a signal of serious health problems.

Causes of weakness in the arm

In modern clinical medicine, muscle weakness in the hands, as well as weakness and numbness of the hands are considered as a sign of a wide range of pathological conditions, primarily associated with diseases of the muscular, vascular, nervous system. In addition, this symptom is manifested in metabolic disorders, endocrine pathologies, etc.

Very often, the causes of weakness in the hand are everyday, industrial or sports injuries. Thus, with a strong dislocation of the shoulder joint, traumatic effects are experienced by the roots or the entire bundle of nerves of the brachial plexus, as a result of which the innervation of the individual muscles of the arm is broken, and then the weakness of the hands and weakness in the fingers are felt. Weakness in the hand and restriction of movement - the consequences of the rupture of the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder joint, etc.

Dizziness and weakness in the hands are with craniocerebral injuries - due to violations in the motor centers of the cerebral cortex. A numbness and weakness in the hands of pregnancy is considered a consequence of toxicosis and, in fact, is nothing else than alimentary avitaminosis neuropathy, which appears on the basis of a deficiency in the body of B vitamins - with frequent vomiting in pregnant women.

But why weakness in the hands arises with a deficiency of calcium in the body? Because calcium is responsible not only for the strength of our bones, but also ensures the transmission of stimulating nerve impulses and muscle contraction.

Sudden weakness in the hands, as well as a rapidly increasing sharp weakness in the hands and numbness (most often - one hand), which are accompanied by headache, dizziness, darkening of the eyes, and nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness, are classic signs of acute cerebral infringement blood circulation - ischemic stroke. Weakness in the left hand (and speech impairment) are observed with right-sided strokes. And weakness in the right arm is characteristic for a stroke in the left hemisphere of the brain.

Among the causes of permanent weakness in the hands, tingling, partial loss of skin sensation and motor disorders, some neurologists put on the first place various degenerative-dystrophic spinal cord injuries due to its compression, that is, compression.

In particular, because of the compression of the lower cervical spinal nerves, weakness in the hand is experienced with osteochondrosis. Approximately this situation develops in cervical spondylosis - the pathology of the spine, caused by ossification and proliferation of tissues adjacent to the vertebrae (such growths are called osteophytes). Here experts also include cervical radiculopathy (radiculitis), which develops as a result of prolonged compression of the nerve with hernia or protrusion of intervertebral discs. In addition to infringement of axons (nerve fibers), epidural spinal cord and blood vessels are squeezed, which also causes complaints such as weakness and numbness of the hands, and the muscles of the hand begin to involuntarily chaotically twitch (doctors call this phenomenon myoclonus). A similar symptomatology in the Kilo-Nevin syndrome is the compression syndrome of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve in the wrist area.

Weakness in the shoulders and arms develops in cases of muscular dystrophy: Aran-Duchenne's muscular atrophy, late stages of the progressive myopathic syndrome Kurshman-Steinert, myopathy of the Landusi-Dezherin (scapular-brachial-facial dystrophy), Emery-Dreyfus dystrophy.

Weakness in the hands and tingling are characteristic of autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome (or Lander-Guillain-Barre polyneuropathy), lateral amyotrophic sclerosis (motor neuron disease or Charcot's disease). If the cause of the incurable illness of Charcot is the defeat of motor neurons in the cerebral cortex and the spinal cord, then the etiology of multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barre syndrome is based on a violation of the integrity of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers. Many patients with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus also have muscular weakness in their hands.

Such signs are available at pathologies of vessels: defeat of an arch of an aorta and its branches feeding top finitenesses; nodular periarteritis - vasculitis of medium and small vessels; inflammation of the vessels of the hands (Buerger's disease). And weakness and cold hands are peculiar to Raynaud's syndrome, in which the sensitivity of the fingers to the cold is greatly increased in patients.

Pain and weakness in the hand appear when the joints of the hands are affected - arthritis and arthrosis (arthritis hurts the joints at rest, with arthrosis - during movement).

A lot of causes cause weakness and trembling in the hands. Thus, weakness in the hands and tremor are noted in neurological pathology - the primary essential tremor of the elderly, as well as with multiple sclerosis, Wilson's disease, hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism), hypoglycemic syndrome (lowering blood glucose level) and tick-borne encephalitis.

It should be added to all of the above that the causes of weakness in the hand can have a direct connection with:

• syndrome of anterior staircase (Scalenus syndrome), that is, squeezing this muscle with the lower roots of the brachial plexus and the artery passing under the clavicle;
• neuritis (inflammation) of the four main nerves (axillary, radial, ulnar and median), providing innervation of the upper limbs;
• carpal tunnel syndrome - compression of the medial nerve of the forearm in the carpal tunnel;
• stenosis (constriction) of the spinal canal;
• the presence of malignant tumors or metastases of cancer of the breast, lungs, tumors of the brain and spinal cord.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Symptoms of weakness in the hands

The most common symptoms of weakness in the hands include:

• decreased muscle tone;
• rapid fatigue of the hands with little physical effort;
• stiffness of hands in the morning (with arthritis and carpal syndrome);
• paresthesia (the feeling of "crawling craw", tingling of the fingertips);
• periodic or persistent pain in the joints or muscles of the hand, forearm and shoulder of the affected arm, and also in the neck;
• varying degrees of reduction in the volume and amplitude of movements;
• decrease in the sensitivity of the fingers or the hand on the palmar or the back (depending on the localization of the disturbance of innervation);
• violation of skin sensitivity of the hands and a decrease in the temperature of the skin (cold hands);
• tremor (trembling in the hands);
• involuntary movements of the hands (with central paralysis and brain trauma).
• partial muscular atrophy.

Treatment of weakness in the hands

To treat weakness in the hands, it is necessary to put an accurate diagnosis, on which the tactics of therapy - symptomatic or etiological - depends.

If the weakness and numbness of the hands are covered in arthritis or osteochondrosis, then non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with analgesic effect are prescribed, for example, Ibuprofen (Ibuprex, Brufen, Ibupron, Nurofen, etc.): 1-2 tablets (0.2-0.0 , 4 g) three times a day; the maximum daily dose is 1.2 g. Tablets are taken whole, before meals, washed down with water. Duration of reception should not exceed a week. Ibuprofen, like almost all prescribed NSAID pathologies (Nimesil, Indomethacin, Piroxicam, Arthrocid, etc.), can give side effects: nausea, heartburn, problems with stool, headache. The drug can not be used in the presence of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, blood diseases, liver or kidney dysfunction, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.

Weakness in the hands and tingling (paresthesia), for example, with ischemic stroke or Reynaud's syndrome, suggest the need for better circulation and activation of tissue metabolism. And for this purpose, neurologists use angioprotective drugs. So, Pentoxifylline (Trental, Vasonitis, Pentilin) is often prescribed - 100 mg tablets and 2% injection solution. Tablets are taken 2-3 times a day - 2 tablets, after meals. Intravenous (drip or jet) is administered 100-600 ml Pentoxifylline (1-2 times a day - depending on the condition). Side effects may include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, intestinal distress, stomach pain, lowering blood pressure. This drug is not used in the treatment of patients with atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease and low blood coagulability.

In case of cerebral ischemic strokes, as well as craniocerebral trauma, nootropic drug Piracetam (Nootropilum, Piratam, Piroxilum, Cyclocetam, etc.) is prescribed, which helps regulate impulses in the brain, activating tissue metabolism and improving cerebral circulation. Piracetam tablets (0.2 g each) or capsules (0.4 g each) should be taken before meals - 0.8 g in three divided doses; then the dosage is reduced to 0.4 at the reception - twice a day. The course of treatment can last from three weeks to six months.

Weakness in the hands and tremor is treated with pharmacological agents that affect the sympathetic nervous system and block the adrenaline receptors, as well as anticonvulsant anticonvulsants. Topiramate (Maxitopyr, Topaleptsin, Topamax, etc.) is intended for the treatment of epilepsy, but due to its neuroprotective effect it removes tremor well by activating the inhibitory neuronal (GABAergic) system of the central nervous system and blocking the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system. It is prescribed for 25-50 mg twice a day.

To treat weakness in the hands with multiple sclerosis, Betaferon is used - interferon beta-1b - by subcutaneous injection. Physiotherapy - electrophoresis, phonophoresis with anesthetics - is also often used for the symptomatic treatment of pain.

Surgical methods of treating the pathologies under consideration are also used - according to such indications as the intensity of pain (when it is impossible to remove it with medications and physical procedures), the rate of progression of the muscle weakness of the hands, the degree of decrease in the functionality of the limb, the presence of signs of spinal cord compression.

Most often, operations are performed with herniated discs, removal of osteophytes in cervical spondylosis, tunnel syndromes in the wrist area, breakage of the tendon of the shoulder joint, stenosis of the spinal canal, etc. Surgical reconstruction of the damaged nerve trunks, with the help of angioplasty restore the conductance of blood vessels in the case of their narrowing.

In conclusion, it should be emphasized that, given the existence of such a broad "assortment" of the causes of the development of such a symptom as weakness in the hands, seeking qualified medical care is a non-alternative way to preserve health. In this case, it is literally in your hands.