Pins & Needles.....Arghhhh

mudcow007

ive had pins an needles in my pinky an ring finger on my left hand for well over a week now (8 days) its beginning to annoy me

have i got an aids worm?

am i close to the end?

anyone else ever had it?

gtvlusso

If you are losing your sight too, I have a good idea of what is happening.....

pangolin

Was it after a long ride?

veronese68

Have you been sitting on your left hand to make it feel like somebody else is doing it for you?

FoldingJoe

My old man said to me once, "you shouldn't masturbate as it stunts your growth and affects your eyesight".

I replied, "I'm over here shorty".

Jay dubbleU

Sounds like you're suffering from 'white finger' - I used to get this years ago when using chainsaws which didn't have vibration dampers - it can be quite serious and lead to nerve damage - worth talking to your GP about.

SimonAH

Or more likely have you hurt your neck / top of your spine? I had this as a symptom of nerve damage (and still get it now and then if I sleep badly) where the nerve was bruised coming out of the spine. It can also be shoulder damage as it passes through that area too (supra scapular nerve IIRC).

cyclingprop

The nerve which controls sensation for the pinky and ring finger runs between the fleshy parts of your palm. If you've done a long or vibration heavy ride (no pun), or crushed or pressured it in other ways you can get these symptoms.

Time, better gloves, being aware of it and changing hand positions (no pun) all help.

Try http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_3_2.htm or http://www.livestrong.com/article/393697-ulnar-nerve-damage-from-cycling/

SimonAH

Oh, and by the way, be careful of taking as gospel any medical opinion you get. My so-called-expert-consultant-private-billingmachine told me that my screaming spinal pain, agonising right arm and numb fingers was because I drank too much and was stressed. (Yes I was f*ckin' stressed!!! I was averaging about an hours sleep per night on the sofa because of the pain!!!).

It was actually a guy on BR who recommended me an excercise that got rid of six months of agony almost overnight.

mudcow007

i haven't been trying to a do "stranger" or anything

i dont know if i have just wacked my elbow an not really noticed?

if it carries on i will go an see the quack

much love

cyclingprop

mudcow007 wrote:

i haven't been trying to a do "stranger" or anything

i dont know if i have just wacked my elbow an not really noticed?

if it carries on i will go an see the quack

much love

Refresh thread and look above

mudcow007

finally booked an appointment with the docs

for a week on Monday as it was earliest available

Si - do you remember who told you about the exercises?

its really doing my head in now. you know the feeling when you go the dentist an the anaesthetic is wearing off in your mouth an it feels prickly. thats what my fingers feel like

SimonAH

Regrettably I don't recall.... but I do recall the excercise as I do it all the time.

Stand with your back flat against a wall, reach for the sky with your hands against the wall and then keeping your elbows touching the wall and your forearms vertical bring them down slowly working the muscles between your shoulder blades until you can go no further. Repeat two or three times.

Could be that our issues are entirely different, but I can't see how it can do you any harm - and it was like flicking a switch on my problems.

SimonAH

Edit: I found the topic. The guy with the awsome advice is called huuregeil, posts most often on Road Buying Advice.

The excercise that worked for me is called the Scapular Wall Slide FWIW.

mudcow007

muchas grassy-arse!

i will give it a whirl

MonkeyMonster

i had it from both using crutches a lot (over a 2 year period) and also when cycling without proper padded gloves. It could be something more but i'd go with ulnar pressure.

ps - if you are going to be on crutches a fair bit wear good cycling gloves.

EKE_38BPM

Yeah, I'd go with the ulnar nerve diagnosis and the glove solution.

When I first started doing longer rides on a road bike I'd noticed my little fingers going numb. On even longer rides (2 hours plus) my ring finger would go numb as well.
I spoke to my LBS and they asked what gloves I wore. I told them none and they instantly recommended Specialized Body Geometry mitts/gloves. I bought a pair and the numbness has gone forever.

Mudcow, have you been doing longer than usual rides recently or changed anything on your cockpit (handlebar, bar tape etc)?

jonny_trousers

Anytime I've had anything similar it's been like Simon's situation and has stemmed from the upper back/shoulders. Stretching exercises really do help.

Feel better!

mudcow007

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Mudcow, have you been doing longer than usual rides recently or changed anything on your cockpit (handlebar, bar tape etc)?

not that im aware of, i haven ridden for a week (holiday) an came back after a ride with a manky hand

i dont wear gloves as i dont like having white hands an tanned arms

i think i might have to start wearing mits

EKE_38BPM

It's a good look.
Embrace it!

Twostage

Yep. I've had it too, really gets on your nerves having tingly little finger and down the outside of your palm. I tried putting new gel pads in my gloves ( actually heel gel pads for ladies shoes) and constantly moving my grip on the handlebars. My eventual solution was tri bars. Instead of my hands always taking the strain I do some of he commute on the tri bar with the weight on my forearms. Tingling faded over about a week (and the commutes got quicker).

walkingbootweather

Have you considered acupuncture?

Jay dubbleU

walkingbootweather wrote:

Have you considered acupuncture?

Is there an acupuncture fairy?

walkingbootweather

Jay dubbleU wrote:

walkingbootweather wrote:

Have you considered acupuncture?

Is there an acupuncture fairy?

No, but you may be able to get treatment from the National Elf :roll:

Jay dubbleU

walkingbootweather wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

walkingbootweather wrote:

Have you considered acupuncture?

Is there an acupuncture fairy?

No, but you may be able to get treatment from the National Elf :roll:

Boom Boom !!

mudcow007

Went to doctors yesterday.

His response to my numb fingers

"oh it wont last, you will be fine" - blank stare

pangolin

My numbness following a really long ride in May went away, but hands are not quite what they were still. If I flick my palm gently I feel weird shooting sensations up my fingers, not quite pain but shouldn't be there.

I had a sports massage and she spread out my palm and pushed my hand back towards my forearm, then sort of massaged the palm. Not sure how to recreate this myself, or whether doing it lots will help. So... yeah. Did you try the scapular wall slide? Did it help?

roger_merriman

mudcow007 wrote:

Went to doctors yesterday.

His response to my numb fingers

"oh it wont last, you will be fine" - blank stare

Gp's are generalists plus don't tend to great for sports stuff, padded gloves, bar tape etc might be good ideas plus maybe a physo?

team47b

I've had numb fingers, and toes, for the last two years, 'tis really annoying, such a little thing, but affects everything you do. Hope yours return to normal soon.

(Mine is neuropathy, nerve damage, caused by long term high blood sugar)

Twostage

mudcow007 wrote:

Went to doctors yesterday.

His response to my numb fingers

"oh it wont last, you will be fine" - blank stare

At least he didn't tell you to stop cycling.
Clip on tri bars are definitely worth a try.

mudcow007

Twostage wrote:

mudcow007 wrote:

Went to doctors yesterday.

His response to my numb fingers

"oh it wont last, you will be fine" - blank stare

At least he didn't tell you to stop cycling.
Clip on tri bars are definitely worth a try.

admittingly he didn't ask if i was a bicyclist, an i didn't tell him either....maybe i should have