View Full Version : What can happen to your arm if it loses blood flow while sleeping and becomes numb?
Booter2013
May 8, 2013, 06:17 AM
This is not frequent but I would like to clear up any worries I may have. Last night I woke up and my right arm was completely dead. No feeling and I was not able to move it at all. In fact it was so dead I lifted it with my other arm and gravity kicked in. Safe to say I woke up pretty fast after I just smacked myself and the only thing that felt it was my eye(kind of funny now that I think about it). Once I started moving it with my other arm it did its normal cold, tingly feeling and everything seemed to be OK. But... This morning my arm hurts and is extremely stiff. Most of the pain is in the fingers and the wrist. I just need to no this is OK? Thanks
joypulv
May 8, 2013, 06:31 AM
When you are young and healthy you will be fine.
You would wake up if it got serious.
If you get past middle age and have circulation problems or diabetes or HBP or any other chronic condition, then try to avoid sleeping on your arm.
I used to do that when I was a teen and had that dead weight. I stopped by my 20s, probably because I started using 2 pillows.
Oliver2011
May 8, 2013, 08:00 AM
Did you sleep on your arm? You can damage the radial nerve by sleeping on it. And a nerve heals when it is good and ready. I do this all the time. Usually like you said it comes back right away. Although in 2004 I lost the use of my right hand for 3 months. That was ridiculous but no permanent damage.