# Why does my right hand go numb and what can I do about it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637 "2012-09-04T13:44:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/21 "2012-09-06T11:56:11Z")
I must be a terrible person because I was certain this thread would already be full of certain… advice about the use of alternate hands. Hope you get better, **NWYE**. It’s really unlikely you can get a home remedy for something that sounds like a complex circulatory problem. ---
**Author:** ![ShallowEnd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@ShallowEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShallowEnd)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/22 "2012-09-06T20:59:49Z")
Mine was caused by work, but I never felt it there. My back muscles were getting too strong, and my chest muscles were getting weaker and 3 drs thought it was carpal. But, I tested low for carpal, so confusion ensued. I went to a PT and in the general checking over, he found my heart rate was going down with my arm in a certain position. The PT showed me exercises, I did them at home on my own time and am now symptom free. You may get no or very little free time, but many PT/Dr. offices have at least one day a week with different hours, you really should go see someone before you decide what it is. During this, I read a lot about sleep positions, but have no clue how you make yourself sleep differently. Here’s another Doper with similar [Big medical problems you solved yourself - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=662882) Iggy’s post, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/23 "2012-09-06T21:30:57Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I’m not fat! I think **Kevbo** was alluding to how to reignite right hand’s passion for left hand. Sort of a surreal humorous allusion to the long-term effects of spouses that get too comfortable with one another. If that’s not what he meant, then I should probably look into lithium because I thought it was kinda clever. Oh…and CTS or radiculopathy caused by degenerative cervical stenosis. Maybe thoracic outlet syndrome, but probably not. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/24 "2012-09-06T22:55:34Z")
You can take advantage of that numb right hand, masturbate while it is numb and it will feel like someone else is doing it. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/25 "2012-09-07T10:25:11Z")
You guys! :shakes left fist at you cause the right one hurts: Thanks **John Mace** , I guess I’m going to have to break down and get to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/26 "2012-09-07T19:44:06Z")
I’m here to cure you. Know any in-line skater or have those wrist guards in the house? Sleep in it. Or get one at the pharm if you must. They hold your hand up toward the wrist. Much of a beer drinker? Start loading up on those vitamins they wanted to put into ale in the UK. B6-B12-Folic Acid? It’s 2 out of 3 of those. Look it up. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor etc blah blah. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/27 "2012-09-07T20:38:41Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > … > I concur with the others - go see a doctor to validate what is causing it, and see what can be done. A friend wears wrist braces (the in-line skating variety) at night to prevent the curling of the wrist and associated pain, if that is the problem. > > Good luck! Concur on checking with the doctor, but in the interim, get some wrist braces to wear while sleeping. Not necessarily in-line skating type (though that was my go-to when I developed pregnancy-related carpal tunnel - hey, I had 'em already), as those aren’t going to be as comfortable - but they do help keep the hand in a neutral position. Something like [this](http://www.amazon.com/79-87097-Brace-Universal-Cotton-Elastic/dp/B0053D3POM/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1347050225&sr=1-5&keywords=wrist+brace+cotton), maybe. At the very least, these aren’t too expensive and will give you some data for when you do see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/28 "2012-09-07T20:46:08Z")
If you do sleep in a wrist brace, make sure it’s not on too tightly when you go to bed - you don’t want to add restricted circulation to your problems. ---
**Author:** ![nynurse309](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@nynurse309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nynurse309)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637/29 "2012-09-08T05:34:44Z")
Sounds like a pinched nerve. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-right-hand-go-numb-and-what-can-i-do-about-it/633637.md?page=1)