Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 10/4/2007

Question
My name is Nancy and I'm writing about some symptoms that my mom has been having. She's 39 years old and she's been complaining about her arms falling asleep when she's sleeping, she says the numbness goes all the way to her neck, she feels tired from time to time and she has said that a couple of times her legs have also fallen asleep. what could that be? I thought at first that it might be depression but nothing seems to match. can you help me?
thank you
Nancy

Answer
Nancy,

Thanks for your question.

If your mom's symptoms only occur during sleep, my best explanation would be that she is flexing her forearms toward her chest while sleeping, which is a normal action that occurs during sleep, but problems can occur when the blood or nerve supply from the neck to the arms becomes compressed, usually around the elbow joint.

If she is having numbness in her arms and her legs when she is not sleeping, I'd recommend a neurological evaluation straight away, especially if she is noticing loss of function in the arms or legs. She might need an MRI scan to rule out a disc herniation or some other space-occupying lesion, or electro-diagnostic testing (a nerve conduction velocity test or electromyography) to determine if there is an interrupted nerve supply in the arms or legs.

In the absence of any serious underlying medical pathology, I'd recommend chiropractic treatment (including soft tissue manipulation), physical therapy, or massage therapy as good options.

I hope that this answers your question.