Left Arm Numbness Causes

The sensation in the hands and fingers is lost when a person suffers from numbness. Usually, the numbness in hands is due to the compression of nerves in the left arm. There can be a burning or tingling sensation, sometimes accompanied with a sharp pain. Left arm numbness can begin suddenly or can be a gradual process. Mostly, arm numbness is not due a life-threatening cause, however, consistent left arm pain or numbness is also known to be a cause of heart attacks. Therefore, one must not ignore any numbness or pain and must seek medical help.

What Causes Left Arm Numbness?

There are many causes of arm numbness ranging from trauma to infections and inflammations. Here we are going to discuss the causes of left arm numbness.

Fractures of the arm, elbow or fingers can be the reason for experiencing numbness in the hands. Numbness in hands and arms is accompanied with sharp pain in the fractured area. An X-ray must be done to diagnose the fractured bone. Tingling sensation and sharp pain is a very common symptom of a fractured bone in the left arm. There can be fractures of collar bones, shoulder-blade, upper arm or lower arm. These fractures can cause numbness in the left arm.

Nerve Compression and Nerve Damage can be one reason for numbness or pain. The nerve running from the central nervous system to the left arm gets compressed sometimes. This is one of the common left arm numbness causes. Numbness is the result of interrupted blood circulation to the left arm. If you are experiencing any numbness in the left arm, you must immediately consult a doctor. There are many causes for nerve damage and the main cause is diabetic neuropathy. Person suffering from diabetes can suffer from diabetic neuropathy. This damage of nerves is also called peripheral neuropathy. There are many other causes for peripheral neuropathy like infections, injuries, metabolic problems and exposure to toxins.

Another reason for numbness in the left arm is the brachial plexus injury. Brachial plexus is a network of nerves, that send signals from the spine to the shoulders and arms. In this injury, the nerves of your hand get torn or overstretched. Also, carpal tunnel syndrome is nothing but damage of nerves and is one of the causes of numbness in fingers.

Ganglion cysts are nothing but noncancerous growth, that develop on the wrists and the hands. Ganglion cysts can develop gradually or suddenly over short period of time. Many times, this cyst is not painful and thus, does not require treatment. Ganglion cysts are removed with the help of surgery if they affect the joint movement or are removed for some cosmetic reasons. Ganglion cyst in the left arm can be one of the left arm numbness causes.

Raynaud's syndrome causes the fingers of your arms to become numb. The fingers become cold in cold temperatures due to the Raynaud's disease. In this disease, the arteries carrying blood to the arms become narrow, causing numbness. The treatment of this disease depends on the severity of symptoms that are experienced. Many women suffer from Raynaud's disease.

A stroke can be one of the many causes for a numb left arm. In a stroke, the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced. Due to this, the brain gets deprived of the oxygen and nutrients. The causes of stroke are smoking and high blood pressure.

Many times, the numbness in hands is misunderstood as angina. The main cause of angina pain is arteriosclerosis. In arteriosclerosis, there is thickening of the blood arteries in the heart. It is also termed as heart attack. Severe chest pain accompanied with numbness in the left arm is one of the main symptoms of heart attack. Low cholesterol diet and proper treatment can help cure angina.

A less-complicated cause can be that one might have pulled the muscle while playing or lifting a heavy object. In that case, he must immediately apply an ice pack to reduce the numbness. In case the left arm pain and numbness is accompanied by pain in the left shoulder, jaws and chest, one must immediately rush to the hospital.

There are many other left arm numbness causes like alcoholism or Vitamin B deficiency. The treatment of the numbness in left arm is totally dependent on the cause of the numbness. It is recommended to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.