Left Arm Numbness in Women

Sudden numbness only in left arm is a frightening experience for any woman and is difficult to explain in words. It is often described as a complete or partial loss of sensation. Before the arm goes numb, a prickling or burning sensation could be felt in the area. It becomes more bothersome if these symptoms get extended to the hand and fingers. It feels like you have lost strength in the entire hand and cannot carry out the usual activities with it. Some women cannot even move the left hand particularly raising it above the shoulder is tough.

Conditions that Lead to Left Arm Numbness in Women

Many women feel numbness in the left arm due to some neural damage. Besides, other underlying health problems can also be responsible for it. The major left arm numbness causes are explained here:

Injury
If you are a right-handed person, then it's likely that your left hand is comparatively less active and is more prone to injury. Many women complain about numbness in their left arm after lifting heavy objects. This happens as the muscles and ligaments in the arm get overstretched due to the heavy weight. Left-handed women can also suffer similar injuries while playing sports using the left hand. Overuse of left hand is another cause of injury. When your job involves spending long hours in doing the same kind of activities like typing, then a particular muscle of the left arm may get pulled after its overuse. Thus, you will experience a sharp pain along with the numbness.

Nerved Damage
A bunch of nerves called brachial plexus runs from the neck area to the arms passing through the shoulders. Any kind of injury or infection to these nerves will have a numbing effect on the left arm. Fracture in shoulder blade or collarbone can also cause damage to these nerves. This symptom could be continuous or it may disappear after sometime.

Pinched Nerve
This condition arises due to excessive pressure on the spinal nerve root by a herniated disk in the neck. As a result, the affected nerve stops functioning and fails to transmit signals to the left arm and it goes numb now and then. It is mostly accompanied by pins and needles sensation.

Circulatory Problem
Peripheral vascular disease is another health condition that could be responsible for numb left arm. Due to this disease, blood vessels get narrowed down and disrupt normal flow of blood. Interruption of blood flow in the left arm leads to loss of sensation. Usually, blood vessels get narrowed down because of accumulation of plaque on the walls of the artery due to high cholesterol.

Serious Causes
Left arm pain and numbness in women could be a symptom of serious health problems like angina, heart attack or stroke at the right side of the brain. However, in such conditions, the unexplainable numbness is mostly accompanied by other symptoms like chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe headache, nausea, excessive sweating, etc.

Treatment for Left Arm Numbness in Women

When chest pain, breathing difficulty and other such symptoms are observed along with left arm numbness, the patient should be rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. Left arm numbness related to a minor injury will subside on its own within a day or two. Till then, keep the arm at rest. Application of some heat with a heating pad or cold compression will heal up the injuries like strain in the muscles fast. If the numbness does not go in one or two days, then you should consult your doctor. Doctors diagnose the cause of left arm numbness by physical examination of the hand which is followed by X-ray. They will also study your medical history thoroughly to ascertain the possible cause. During the check up, you must inform them about all the injuries that you have had in the past. Once the cause is diagnosed correctly, they will start the treatment accordingly. The painful symptoms of nerve damage are controlled with the help of pain relieving medicines. Physical therapy is highly beneficial for these patients. In some serious cases of nerve compression, surgery is conducted to release the pressure from the affected nerve. Those with circulatory problems are given suitable medicines that can improve the blood flow.

Whatever be the cause of the numbness, women should not neglect the issue. It should be given proper treatment on time. If left untreated, it can lead to a serious problem in the long run. You can prevent recurring numbness in left hand caused by its overuse by taking short breaks in between work.