You've developed a strange littlenumbness and tinglingin the fingers of your left hand. It doesn't really hurt, but it's just.... odd. Maybe the tingling goes away on its own and you don't think about it again. Or maybe it sticks around and even starts to slowly grow so that now your forearm is numb, too.
Do you call the doctor? For some tingling fingers....
There are many possible causes of numb fingers. Let's assume that you didn't just break your fingers; because if you had, you'd be in the emergency room seeking medical attention.
The numbness could be caused by (but less frequently) frostbite, leprosy, or rare genetic disorders, such as Haim-Munk syndrome orhereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.
Do you have diabetes? Pernicious anemia? Hypothyroidism? Peripheral vascular disease? Lupus? Raynaud's syndrome? Guillaine-Barre syndrome? Cervical spondylosis (aka osteoarthritis)? Carpal tunnel syndrome? Or a pinched nerve?
Maybe you do have a demyelinating disease such as multiple sclerosis (MS) which affects the central nervous system orchronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy(CIDP) which affects the peripheral nervous system.
Mention the numbness to your primary care physician (PCP) which is exactly what I did after fingers on my left hand became numb and tingly. I suspected a pinched nerve in my neck due to a swimming incident a few weeks prior.
My PCP conducted a physical exam, checking joints from my cervical spine (neck) down to my fingertips, muscle tone and tendon reflexes, as well as altered sensations (pain, touch, temperature and vibration).
Then she ordered a battery of blood tests:
- Complete blood count(CBC) andchemistry panel
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR or Sed rate) which measures inflammation in the body
- Blood glucose levels to detect diabetes
- Thyroid panel (including TSH) to diagnose hypothyroidism
- Rheumatoid factor (RF),Antinuclear antibodies(ANA)来检测可能的自身免疫性疾病
- Vitamin B12 to detect deficiency and possible pernicious anemia
When the results of these tests came back within normal ranges, we took a 'wait-and-see' approach. If I noted any increased symptoms or changes in symptoms, I was to consult with her again.
A month later, my Sweetie was scratching my back which felt really good, except one strange thing - the skin over my left shoulder blade was numb. The right side felt normal, but the left side was dull. I hadn't even noticed the gradual spread of numbness. It was time to call the doctor again.
Note: The first steps in finding a diagnosis include consultation with your PCP (who knows you well and who you trust), a physical exam including neurological assessment, and a battery of blood tests to look for other causes of your symptoms.