Why do I have tingling in my thumb?
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
‘Pins and needles’ is a symptom that often identifies injury to the nerve. Other symptoms include: burning, numbness, tingling, hypersensitivity or lack of sensation. There are three main nerves that supply the arm and hand called the median, radial and ulnar nerves. The location of your pins and needles, or numbness, can determine which nerve has been affected.
Any injury or long-term compression to these nerves can result in altered sensation or reduced power in the hand or arm. Nerves most commonly incur injury or compression when running through tunnels, over bones or between muscles. These landmarks often have names and we can do specific tests to identify if a nerve is being impacted at that point.
The thumb is supplied by both the sensory branch of the median nerve and radial nerve.
Median Nerve:
The median nerve runs along the palm of the hand and thumb up to the tip. A common compression of the median nerve is known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is associate with tingling or nerve pain to the palmar thumb, index finger and middle finger.
Radial Nerve:
The radial nerve supplies the dorsal or back of the thumb. It is associated with tingling over the back of the hand, thumb, index and middle fingers. It can also be compressed at the back of the wrist or in a tunnel on the forearm called the radial tunnel.
It is important to identify which nerve and which area of the body the nerve is being compressed to target exercises and therapy. Your therapist will perform special tests which target different nerves and muscles to identify the injury and impact.
Hand Therapy can help improve or resolve symptoms by relieving the pressure on the compressed nerve. It can include:
Splinting
Nerve gliding exercises
Assisted to reduce swelling
Massage or stretching of tight muscles
Nerves can take time to recover from long term compression so early management when you first start to notice changes is recommended.
