okay, so i don't know if i'm posting in the right place, but oh well, this is the best spot i could find.

so here is my problem. i can be fine all day long, but when i go to sleep, usually around midnight, something happens in both my arms, shoulders and hands!!!! at around 3 or 4 a.m. i wake to some pretty intense pain in both shoulders and the tops of my arms from shoulder to elbow. but from elbows down, i'm numb. and i'm not kidding i cant feel my hands!!

so i have to "work out" the numbness in my hands, but that is actuallay painfull as well. once i get everything functioning properly i usually go back to sleep. i notice this is usually worse when it's my TOM and/or it is cold or damp out. could this be arthritis, or carpel tunnel.

anyone else have this.................it really is painful.

Are you sleeping on your arms strangely? I know that my arms go numb at night when I've been sleeping on them... or if they're above my head when I've gone to sleep. I then have to "work" the numbness out of them until they get pins & needles...

You know, when I started exercising every day and doing strength training about 4 times a week, I started to sleep better. I mean, I was a midnight snacker and I felt a lot of anxiety while trying to get some shut eye. What are you eating as your last meal before bed and what time are you eating it? Some foods that will raise your level of serotonin, which makes you calm and sleepy, are foods that contain tryptophan. Foods like a sliced apple with peanut butter, low-fat popcorn, nonfat yogurt with a little granola for crunch are great examples of this.

faierie i really don't know how i sleep, but i know when i start to wake up i change positions and it doesnt seem to help.

mama sometimes i eat late at night, but not very often. like 2night i havent ate anyting since 8ish. but when i do eat later it is almost always 94 percent fat free act II popcorn.

Not so much in the hands, but in the shoulders OMG ...Then I gave up caffeine.
SOOOOOO much better. I almost Never ever have pain like I did a few years ago hope this helps

I would go see a chiropractor. You could be putting pressure on a nerve while you sleep.

Do you work at the computer all day?

You could have repetitive stress injury (RSI) from using the computer. This can affect your neck, arms, hands...

Things you can do: Change the height of your work surface, so that you aren't hunched over when looking at the screen. Make sure your keyboard is at the right height and that you're not holding your hands or arms tense unconsciously. Take regular breaks from the computer and do stretching exercises.

It could also be related to the pillow you sleep on. I'd also consult with a chiropractor--you might be putting pressure on your neck when you sleep if your pillow is the wrong height.

One last idea is your car. Is the seat worn out? You can get a seat wedge that will raise the back of the seat, and this will change the position of your body when you drive. I read a story about a woman who was going to have surgery on her hands because of the pain, until her chiropractor had her go sit in her car so he could see how she was sitting--and he got her a seat wedge. The problem wasn't in her hands, it was in her neck.

Good luck!
Jay

i agree with zenor...get evaluate by a good chiro. I just started seeing a chiro and several things were wrong...she did several tests (including xrays) and found my c2 is subluxated and my pelvis is subluxated. numbness in hands and fingers are usually associated with the cervical (neck) verrtebrae. I would find a good one in the area, one the actually does some test be fore cracking and find out what exactly is wrong. I use to wake up in the middle of the night and my hand was asleep. Ever since the chiro apt...i don't have that problem. Now remember the problem won't be fixed overnight and you may need to have several months of adjustments...but man what a difference chiropractic has made in my life. Remember too...try not to sleep on your belly if you do because that isn't good on your neck/vertebrea

Sorry to hear about your pain and numbness. I agree with talking to a chiropractor, but also check with your MD about carpal tunnel issues. When I was pregnant I got carpal tunnel and it hurt all the way to my shoulders when my hands were numb. This lasted several years and after I had several cortisone shots in the wrists (which wear off after time), I ended up having the CT release surgery and haven't had problems since. Hope you figure out what's wrong and get a solution!

I had the CT release surgery in 2001 on both sides and haven't had problems. My CT affected both hands, all my fingers, my elbows, shoulders and sometimes the sides of my neck. I do work a desk job and spend 6 - 7 hours a day typing.

If it were me, I'd see and MD first, but that is because I had a horrible chiropractor after I was in a car wreck that caused more damage than I'd had before. (He was referred by my MD at the time and was "in good standing". He no longer is.)

thanks guys sooo much for the feed back, i do sleep on my belly, and i have been drinking more coffee lately, and i grew up around horses, bailing hay cinching saddles and mucking out stalls, not to mention i've been thrown, bit and kicked lol. basically i've worn out my wrists i think, i drop stuff all the time, like my hands, fingers and wrists have a mind of their own lol.

i have to go to the docs next week, i will talk to him about it, but i did sleep on the couch last night, and the pain was nothing compared to when i sleep in the bed, hardly even noticed it actually, maybe i need a new mattress lol. thanks again guys!