What to do if your fingers cramp

Diseases of the circulatory system

In most cases, the cause of cramped fingers is diseases of the cardiovascular system. Most often, this phenomenon occurs due to myocardial infarction or angina pectoris.

. You can recognize numbness and cramping against the background of heart defects by the fact that much more unpleasant sensations are localized in the left hand. In most cases, fingers begin to cramp at night or in the morning.

You can also determine this reason for the information by the extent of unpleasant sensations: from ailments of the cardiovascular system

The little fingers and ring fingers are most affected. These are where the blood vessels that go directly to the heart are located.

Typically, attacks of this nature are accompanied by shortness of breath, chest pain, blue lips and cold extremities.

If you experience such attacks on a regular basis, it is necessary to conduct a full diagnosis.

A nitroglycerin tablet will help get rid of such unpleasant manifestations. After just a few minutes, a person can return to their usual way of life. If this condition recurs regularly and becomes more serious each time, you should consult a doctor. He will send you for an ECG, which will help determine if you have a silent heart attack.

Pathologies of the nervous system

Lesions of the nervous system negatively affect a person’s motor activity. Due to damage to nerve fibers, attacks of numbness or cramping may occur. If you ignore this problem for a long time, there is a high risk of developing serious complications: during attacks, not only your fingers will cramp, but your entire arm.

Due to disorders in the nervous system, a person may experience such unpleasant sensations for the following reasons:

• Pinching of the median nerve
  , which is responsible for the sensitivity of the fingertips. This usually occurs due to mixing of the forearm muscles. This disorder is formed against the background of prolonged overload of the hand with work.
• Osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia
  . With such diseases, the roots of the spinal nerves of the cervical vertebrae between the 5th and 6th sections are pinched. If the reduction is caused by such a reason, then it appears only on one side - the one where the pathological focus is located.
• Staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time
  - a person may experience attacks of cramping due to compression of the nerve roots.

Most often, attacks of cramped fingers occur in people who spend a lot of time doing work that involves manipulating their hands. Typically, this affects monotonous workers: writers, seamstresses, computer scientists and others.

. In most cases, due to diseases of the nervous system, the middle, ring, index or thumb are cramped. On the rest, lesions rarely appear, since they are least involved in work.

Pathologies that cause seizures

Neurological diseases, metabolic disorders, as well as distortion of the threshold of muscle excitability can provoke cramps in the hands. They most often develop in adulthood, but can also occur in youth. Key causes of hand twitching include:

• A sharp change in the level of magnesium, sodium and calcium in the body . This disorder can occur in pregnant women, in old age, when using diuretics, and also in certain metabolic diseases.
• Spinal cord diseases . Convulsions occur if the pathology is localized in the thoracic region. Motor neurons are activated, which can lead to numbness, twitching, and pins and needles in the hands.
• Peripheral neuropathy . When the disease occurs, the nerves are blocked, resulting in poor transmission of impulses. Cramps appear symmetrically.
• Epilepsy and pathological activities of the cerebral cortex . Spasms of the upper extremities most often act as an additional symptom.

There are many other reasons that can cause a feeling of cramping in the right or left hand. These may be specific infections, diseases of the liver, hormonal system, as well as severe fever and colds. Sometimes stiffness in the wrists is a consequence of scoliosis, hypertension or osteochondrosis. One of the most dangerous, but also rare causes is brain tumors.

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The symptom deserves special attention in the presence of hypertension, excess weight and other factors that increase the risk of heart attack. In combination with shortness of breath, pallor and cold sweat, stiffness may indicate a pre-infarction condition.

Metabolic disorders

Metabolic disorders can provoke cramping of the fingers. Most often, the cause of this phenomenon is a deficiency of nutrients. Therefore, such attacks usually occur in the autumn or spring, when the risk of developing hypovitaminosis is extremely high.

This nature of the disease can be recognized by the fact that numbness affects both the right and left hands to the same extent. Finger cramping caused by disturbances in the endocrine system can occur due to:

• Lack of vitamins A, B or E
  - a person who does not eat fresh vegetables or fruits for a long time and does not compensate for the deficiency of essential elements with vitamin complexes begins to feel cramps in the fingers. Also for this reason, the skin begins to dry and peel.
• Formation of atherosclerotic plaques
  . They are formed due to improper and unbalanced nutrition, which leads to an increase in the level of bad cholesterol. It is this substance that is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, preventing the normal outflow of blood.
• Lack of calcium and potassium
  , which are responsible for conducting nerve impulses along fibers. Most often, this phenomenon occurs in pregnant women and is accompanied by severe swelling.

What to do if you have hand cramps

If spontaneous muscle contraction does not cause serious discomfort, then it is enough to wait out the attack. There is no need to panic or call the hospital unless you are sure that you do not have serious health problems. In this case, you should evaluate your condition, and in case of dizziness or nausea, seek help.

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If the symptom occurs at night while sleeping

If you wake up at night with a spasm in your hands, then the following tips will help alleviate the condition at the time of the attack:

• lying in bed, raise your arms and bend and straighten your fingers several times;
• rotate your wrists alternately to the right and left;
• clasping your fingers together, raise and lower your hands. Change the grip of your fingers and perform the exercise again;
• Having relaxed your hands, shake your hands several times for maximum relaxation;
• rub your palms until you feel warm and massage each finger;
• perform exercises with a massage ball for the hands: squeeze the ball, holding it with one hand and then the other, roll it between your palms. Such manipulations create a targeted effect on spasmodic muscles, which leads to their relaxation.

If the symptom occurs during the day while awake

First aid for a spasm will help you avoid getting into a dangerous situation on the road or at work. It is important to remember that this is only a temporary measure and not a complete solution to the problem.

• When working monotonously with hands or forearms. If you constantly perform the same action, then spasm is a standard symptom of limb fatigue. To prevent an attack, you need to do short-term exercises every half hour. It is enough to stretch your hands, shoulders and forearm to improve blood circulation.

• With static load on the hands. This is typical for truckers who are forced to hold their limbs in one position for hours. At the moment of spasm, in order to avoid an accident, you should quickly prick the area of ​​the arm. You can use a needle, any iron tool or clothespin. The main thing is that you do not break the skin and do not receive severe injury. It is also necessary to lower your arms down to normalize blood flow. With hand cramps, rhythmic flexion and extension of the little fingers helps.
• When your arms are raised up for a long time. Builders and installers suffer from arm spasms because their limbs are higher than their hearts. The muscles are poorly supplied with blood, which is why they lack oxygen. In this case, it is enough to lower your hands down and stretch them rhythmically.

Curls your thumbs

Many people often experience a condition where their fingers begin to constantly cramp. However, some still do not pay due attention to this phenomenon. But it can be caused by the following reasons:

• pathological disorders in the spinal column or degenerative-dystrophic processes in the cervical spine;
• excessive physical activity, which strains the muscles of the spine;
• prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, which pinches the nerve trunks;
• severe emotional stress or stress;
• the appearance of ischemia in the brain or areas of the cervical spine;
• disturbances in the outflow of blood from the extremities;
• hypothermia;
• alcohol or food poisoning.

If such a problem occurs, we strongly recommend drinking a vitamin complex that contains magnesium, calcium and potassium. It is these elements that are responsible for the conduction of nerve impulses along the fibers. With the help of such drug therapy, it is possible to get rid of cramping of the fingers. If this method of treatment does not bring any results, you should consult a doctor for detailed information.

Treatment Options

If spasms and twitching of your hands have become a daily problem for you, then you should seek help from specialists. There are several treatment options that can solve the problem.

Medication

Cramps are a specific symptom. Therefore, various drugs are used that help relieve pain, relax muscles, or eliminate mineral deficiencies.

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The drugs help partially solve the problem with seizures. It should be remembered that using them at high temperatures, viral diseases (intoxication), and also for epilepsy is prohibited.

All drugs with targeted action must be prescribed by a doctor. Before the examination, you should not purchase medications that reduce/increase blood pressure or affect the heart or central nervous system. Be aware that some pills can also cause cramps (a side effect). Without an accurate diagnosis, taking medications is dangerous.

Folk remedies

If you do not want to purchase expensive medicines or for health reasons you cannot take them, then turn to traditional medicine.

• Mustard plasters. A cheap way to warm up and relax the muscles of the limbs. They improve blood flow, providing muscles with oxygen. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.
• Pepper patch. It warms up much better than mustard plasters, therefore it is more effective. However, the chance of skin burns increases.
• Linden infusion. Fill a half-liter jar with freshly picked flowers, pour boiling water over it and close tightly. After 20 days, the infusion can be consumed. Reception regimen - 1 tbsp. l. three times a day before meals.
• Phytotherapy. Teas based on linden or chamomile help get rid of cramps. When taken before bed, they quickly calm the central nervous system and improve the quality of sleep.
• Lemon based compress. Fresh, high-quality fruit is cut into several slices and the juice is rubbed on the skin of the hands. Next, wrap it with gauze or other material that allows air to pass through. The procedure is carried out before bedtime.

Why do fingers cramp during pregnancy?

If your fingers or hands often go numb during pregnancy, it means you have a chronic disease that worsened when you “got into the position.” This is due to the fact that all metabolic processes have accelerated, and therefore diseases that previously did not manifest themselves begin to bother you. When your hands go numb in the fingers or hands, the following sores may be to blame:

• diabetes mellitus of any type;
• arthrosis of any part of the spine;
• osteochondrosis, as well as a number of other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Perhaps your finger cramps at night if you don't sleep properly. You can, without noticing it, crush your own hand, which will lead to poor blood circulation and numbness. It may be that you are hugging your husband in bed and he is pressing on one of your limbs, causing you to wake up with discomfort.

We hasten to reassure you right away: in most cases, numbness of the hands during pregnancy is not associated with diseases.

According to gynecologists, many pregnant women complain that their hands go numb. The so-called tunnel syndrome, which is also called an occupational disease of computer scientists, is to blame. This disorder develops as a result of regular stress on tendons, joints and muscles, for example, after prolonged work with a computer mouse.

The mechanism of muscle contraction is quite complex; different ions (charged particles) take part in it: potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. If we are talking about a cramp, that is, a condition when we cannot relax a muscle, then magnesium ions play a leading role. It is their deficiency that leads to women having cramps in their calves during pregnancy at night. The lack of minerals in the body of the expectant mother can be explained simply: the restructuring of metabolism and functioning in the “double load” mode have such consequences.

In particular, the expectant mother needs one and a half times more magnesium than usual.

In addition to helping muscles relax, magnesium is involved in a number of important physiological processes. In particular, magnesium is needed to regulate the processes of formation and expenditure of energy; it is involved in several hundred enzymatic reactions, and if there is little magnesium, then disturbances can occur in the functioning of almost any system of the body. Therefore, if magnesium supplements are prescribed during pregnancy, this recommendation should not be ignored.

Thermal treatments

You can combine business with pleasure and take a bath with the addition of salt, essential oils or medicinal herbs. This procedure performs several functions at once:

• calms the nervous system;
• improves blood flow;
• has a positive effect on mood;
• relaxes muscles.

The bath should be taken for a limited amount of time (no more than 20 minutes) to avoid dehydration or a sharp increase in blood pressure. Before using additives (salts, oils, etc.), it is recommended to make sure that you do not have allergies.

It is prohibited to carry out thermal procedures under the following conditions:

• heat;
• dehydration;
• hypertension;
• immediately after eating.

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Unflavored sea salt, lavender, pine needles, Indian onion, and tea tree essential oil are used as additives.

Principles of treatment

In most cases, a person complains not only that his fingers are cramping - he also notices regular sensations of numbness, tingling or even burning. Typically, this condition only indicates compression of the nerve endings; only in rare cases does it become a symptom of a serious illness.

To get rid of this unpleasant feeling, doctors recommend the following types of therapy:

• Drug treatment
  - vitamin complexes and drugs are prescribed to reduce pain, inflammation, swelling or to remove waste and toxins from the body.
• Taking chondroprotectors
  that affect the trophism of the innervated zone.
• Manual therapy - influencing the muscles helps to quickly get rid of spasm and swelling in the damaged area and restore normal movement.
• Physiotherapy
  - ultrasound, magnetotherapy and laser treatment restore blood circulation in the extremities.
• Therapeutic gymnastics
  - due to rhythmic muscle contractions, it is possible to restore the normal functioning of nerve fibers in the hands. You need to do exercises every day.
• Alternative medicine
  - vacuum exposure, hirudotherapy or acupuncture help to quickly and permanently get rid of cramped fingers.

If you cannot get rid of this condition for a long time, you should consult a doctor. Perhaps your body is communicating a more serious problem in this way. An experienced specialist will send you for a comprehensive diagnosis, which will help identify the cause and what to do if your fingers cramp.

Effective physiotherapy

There is no general principle of drug treatment for finger cramps.

. In each individual case, it is necessary to determine the cause of this condition and comprehensively influence it.

It is better to leave the choice of one or another type of physiological procedure to the attending physician - he will be able to choose the best option.

However, a variety of physiotherapeutic procedures will help alleviate this problem. They have virtually no contraindications or side effects. With their help, it is possible to restore damaged nerve fibers and improve blood circulation.

The most popular methods of exposure are the following procedures:

Treatment with folk remedies

If cramps in the fingers or toes are caused by numbness in the limb, then this condition does not require special treatment. To get rid of unpleasant sensations, it is enough to regularly carry out a simple set of physical therapy. To reduce pain, you can use the following recipes:

• Boil 50 grams of ground black pepper in 0.5 liters of vegetable oil. When the product has cooled, pour it into a container and apply it regularly to your fingers.
• Apply pumpkin pulp to your fingers and wrap it in cellophane to enhance the effect. After 20 minutes, the compress can be removed.
• Mix alcohol tincture of cinquefoil, wormwood and nettle in a 1/2/2 ratio. If you feel your fingers tightening, rub your skin with this product.

Remember that traditional medicine treatment methods cannot guarantee an accurate result.

Before using traditional medicine, we strongly recommend that you consult with a specialist. People with hypersensitivity to plant components should use such products especially carefully.