Hi Julie -

I originally found your site last week while looking for treatments for a sore calf muscle. Oddly, I noticed some numbness in my forearm over the weekend and thought of this part of your site. I do a lot of computer work, and I've had this feeling that my arm is "asleep" before. Usually, I walk away from the desk for a bit and stretch a little, and feeling goes away.

Saturday, I noticed it during the day when I wasn't working at a computer. It hasn't completely gone away, but it's improved. There is a feeling of fatigue and numbness in my forearm for about 3 inches below the elbow, and a similar feeling just above the elbow.

My hand and wrist feel normal; is this forearm sensation a precursor to carpal tunnel? How concerned should I be?

As always, thanks for your advice!
Dave


Hi Dave,

I don't think you have, or that you are getting, carpal tunnel syndrome. I do think you have nerves being impinged by muscles in your upper and lower arm.

You are experiencing spasms in several muscles: the full length of the biceps and triceps; and the flexors and extensors, all close to the elbow joint.

There are three nerves that run down from your neck into your arm and your hand. They are the Ulnar, Radial and Median. The Median nerve is the one that is a part of the condition that is called "carpal tunnel syndrome". If you have read the "Anatomy Lessons" section of this website, you know that the Median nerve can be entrapped from the neck all the way down to the fingers, and cause pain/numbness to be felt in the thumb and two fingers. The other two nerves can also be entrapped anyplace along their length.

The Ulnar nerve is easily entrapped by muscles near the elbow, and causes numbness in the ring and pinky fingers.

The Radial nerve can be impinged in the triceps or along the top of the arm. When it does you get a "buzzy" sensation in your triceps and the top of your arm, but not down into your hand.

When a nerve is impinged (entrapped) it sends a "static" message to the muscle, and the muscle frequently goes into a spasm, or feels weak, or has a tingling sensation.

In all cases, the only way to reverse it is to release the tension in the muscle and therefore remove the tension from the nerve.

In your case I would suggest you pay special attention to the entire length of the triceps muscle, and then to the extensor muscles. The very fact that your hand and wrist feel normal makes me think it is the Radial nerve causing your problem.

Where did you feel the fatigue and numbness, on the top or underside of your arm. The video system will teach you how to treat all the muscles that are pressing on any of the nerves. The only treatment that isn't in the video system is for the biceps and triceps. If you decide to get the video system, send me an email and I will give you a complimentary copy of "The Pain Free Swimmer" so you will have those treatments.

I developed the treatments taught on the videos because I had such a severe case of CTS that I couldn't open a door or pick up a glass. I know these treatments work, at this point I've taught it to hundreds of people (through the video system).

If I can be of any other help, let me know.

Wishing you well,
Julie