How Do I Know If Hand Numbness Is From the Neck or the Wrist?
Hand numbness has a wide range of causes. A nerve can be compressed at several sites — the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist — so it is hard to pinpoint the cause with a simple test alone.
Why Can’t a Simple Test Tell?
There are too many places a nerve can be pinched
The same hand numbness can come from compression at several sites — the neck (cervical spine), the area between the neck and shoulder (thoracic outlet), the elbow, or the wrist. It is even common for a nerve to be pinched in two or more places at once.
Where a Nerve Can Be Pinched
Numbness in the hand can appear when a nerve is pinched at any of the sites below.
Cervical Spine (Neck)
A disc or bony change between the 5th and 8th cervical vertebrae can compress a nerve root.
Thoracic Outlet (Between Neck and Shoulder)
The nerves and blood vessels can be compressed between the scalene muscles, the collarbone, and the first rib.
Elbow
The ulnar nerve can be compressed on the inner side of the elbow.
Wrist
When the median nerve is compressed in the carpal tunnel, the palm and fingers go numb.
Fascia and Soft Tissue
Fascial tightness or adhesions can produce numbness along the path of the nerve.
It can be pinched in more than one place
It is common for a nerve to be compressed in several places at once, making symptoms worse. Treating only one site may not solve the problem.
We Find the Cause With Muscle Response Testing
We use muscle response testing to locate where the nerve is being pinched.
How the Test Works
We use fine vibration to check the condition of the muscle (swelling, tension). It does not hurt, and you can feel the affected area for yourself.
Checking Referred Sensation
If you feel a tingle somewhere other than where the probe is placed during the test, that is a sign that swelling in that area is pressing on a nerve.
Example: testing the shoulder → tingling in the hand = the shoulder muscle may be pressing on a nerve.
Linking to Treatment
We focus Circulation HD treatment on the areas found in the test. When we test again after treatment, you can feel for yourself how much it has improved.
Circulation Treatment Relieves Nerve Compression
- Muscle response testing: locating where the nerve is pinched
- Circulation HD: releasing fascial adhesions in that area and creating room for the nerve
- Circulation PT: posture correction to prevent recurrence
Frequently Asked Together
Wondering What’s Causing Your Hand Numbness?
Muscle response testing finds exactly where the nerve is being pinched.
Book OnlineReferences
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- Brininger TL et al. Efficacy of a fabricated customized splint and tendon and nerve gliding exercises for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007;88(11):1429–1435.
- Padua L et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome: clinical features, diagnosis, and management. Lancet Neurol. 2016;15(12):1273–1284.
- Palmer BA, Hughes TB. Cubital tunnel syndrome. J Hand Surg Am. 2010;35(1):153–163. PMID 21443055