# Is it normal for limbs to get numb easily? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661 "2017-12-05T22:31:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/1 "2017-12-05T22:31:12Z")
I notice that whenever I lean/sit/lay on any arm, leg, or hand for a few minutes it goes numb. It doesn’t happen that often since I’m constantly moving even when sitting. ---
**Author:** ![Atlas\_Marvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@Atlas\_Marvel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atlas_Marvel)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/2 "2017-12-05T23:00:53Z")
Maybe your veins are more exposed than normal so you can easily block your blood stream? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/3 "2017-12-05T23:55:04Z")
That’s pretty typical. A lot of major nerves are not far from the surface, and pressure on them will cause paresthesias, pain, or numbness. It’s when everyday normal use of arms/legs/etc. results in such symptoms that there may be a problem. Such sensations are **not** due to arterial or venous obstruction, in 99+% cases. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/4 "2017-12-06T01:33:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > That’s pretty typical. A lot of major nerves are not far from the surface, and pressure on them will cause paresthesias, pain, or numbness. It’s when everyday normal use of arms/legs/etc. results in such symptoms that there may be a problem. > > Such sensations are **not** due to arterial or venous obstruction, in 99+% cases. What does cause it then? I was under the impression it was caused either by pressure on the nerve itself, or pressure on the arterial blood flow to the nerve. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/5 "2017-12-06T01:53:53Z")
I’ve been meaning to ask about this. I’m an old guy and I like to nap in the afternoon. Typically, I’ll just lie on the bed with my head propped on a couple of pillows so I can lay on my back to snooze. My hands inevitably fall asleep with me, either at my sides or on my chest. Never ever happens when I sleep at night, mostly on my side. I just don’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/6 "2017-12-06T02:11:27Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What does cause it then? I was under the impression it was caused either by pressure on the nerve itself, or pressure on the arterial blood flow to the nerve. As I said, it’s caused by pressure on a nerve, either directly or indirectly. NOT from compression of arterial flow. If you compress an artery enough to stop flow through it, you make a whole _region_ ischemic, not just a nerve. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/7 "2017-12-06T02:14:00Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > As I said, it’s caused by pressure on a nerve, either directly or indirectly. NOT from compression of arterial flow. If you compress an artery enough to stop flow through it, you make a whole _region_ ischemic, not just a nerve. Vulcan nerve pinch? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/8 "2017-12-06T03:01:29Z")
Before I had treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, my hands fell asleep all the time. I’d wake up with numb hands in the morning. They’d go numb if I was holding a book for too long. Gripping anything for an extended time caused them to go numb. It started with the index finger and thumb, then progresses through the middle finger, ring, and pinky. Usually didn’t get to the last two. Sometimes the numbness went a little way up the inside of my arm, about three inches. I don’t know if there is a condition like carpal tunnel syndrome affecting the feet and legs. However, if this almost always happens in your hands and arms, and only rarely in other places, and you do something like extensive data entry or coding, that has you typing a lot, you play piano, drums or guitar frequently, drive long distances on a regular basis (gripping the steering wheel for hours every day is bad for you), you should be evaluated for CTS. A GP can diagnose it, but will probably send you to a specialist for treatment. Orthopedists, neurologists, or “hand & foot” doctors-- it’s a specialty that treats deep conditions of the hand and foot-- problems with nerves, tendons, muscles; it’s beyond what most podiatrists do, and it is NOT Chiropractic. Any of those three can treat CTS with high rates of success. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/9 "2017-12-06T03:28:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > As I said, it’s caused by pressure on a nerve, either directly or indirectly. NOT from compression of arterial flow. If you compress an artery enough to stop flow through it, you make a whole _region_ ischemic, not just a nerve. I would add blood clot to that also. I just had surgery for an arterial blood clot that was misdiagnosed as a muscle tear. I was losing feeling in my foot. Turned out the clot was the length of my leg. Figured it out myself in the nick of time. You can guess where the clot originated from. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-limbs-to-get-numb-easily/803661/10 "2017-12-07T14:11:45Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > As I said, it’s caused by pressure on a nerve, either directly or indirectly. NOT from compression of arterial flow. If you compress an artery enough to stop flow through it, you make a whole _region_ ischemic, not just a nerve. Since the questions is mostly answered, can I piggyback on this and ask another question? Why does a little pressure make a nerve go numb? What happens to the nerve? Everything else the in the body seems to take a little squishing in stride.