# My pinkies are numb! Should I be worried? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652 "2003-03-07T04:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/1 "2003-03-07T04:17:01Z")
I was in a walk-in freezer today, and I was assured that I wouldn’t need to be in there for an extended period of time. I don’t know how long I was in there for, but my hands were KILLING ME! I didn’t think much of it… I live in Buffalo, I’ve been freezing cold before. My pinkies have been slightly numb all day. They still have feeling, I can still move them, it’s just that they’ve been like this all day. Should I be concerned? What’s the cause, just the nerve are damaged? ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/2 "2003-03-07T05:08:37Z")
You might have what I just recently discovered I had: [Raynaud’s disease](http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00433). It basically makes your fingers and toes and other tiny digits more sensitive to cold than they should be, causing them to go numb. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/3 "2003-03-07T05:10:01Z")
How concerned are you about the fact your feet are asleep? Pinkies are supplied by the ulnar nerve. If you have tingling in both hands, it would most liekly be due to frostnip or Raynaud’s phonomenon. Neither are serious. I doubt you have any severe nerve damage. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/4 "2003-03-07T05:18:33Z")
Thank you, I appreciate your time! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/5 "2003-03-07T05:39:36Z")
If you had tingling in ONE pinky, this would be more liekly to indicate a pinched ulnar nerve (often due to inflammation at the elbow or shoulder). Diabetics can also get “Stocking and glove anesthesia” where gloves go. But Raynaud’s and frostnip are clearly related to cold exposure. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/6 "2003-03-07T05:46:46Z")
the question is, are your pinkies purple ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pinkies-are-numb-should-i-be-worried/159652/7 "2003-03-07T05:53:40Z")
And while you’re at it, perhaps you might like to show our doctors your foot too, **MyFootsZZZ** [sub]sorry, couldn’t resist 😛 ok, i’m going now [/sub]