Aches & Pains / Question
Published: January 15, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
My pinky finger has been feeling numb for the last 4 days. It does not hurt but I do not know what is wrong. It feels weird when I touch things, like the senses are not very good. Could you tell me if this is an indication of something worse or what?
Signed: Numb Pinky Finger
Dear Numb Pinky Finger,
There are a number of things that may cause numbness at a specific site like yours, and two of the more common are injury and repetitive stress. Have you been struck in the hand recently? In the elbow? Do you type a lot or play a musical instrument frequently? Occasionally, repetitive motion at the elbow from sports or exercise can cause swelling of some of this tissue in your arm and lead to dysfunction of the ulnar nerve, which allows you to have sensation and some movement in the pinky side of your hand and lower arm. This can appear as numbness or extra intense sensation in the little finger and hand, with pain at night in the same area. This usually gets worse when the elbow and wrist are used a lot. Numbness in this area can also be caused by harmless small cysts, or fluid filled pockets of tissue that can appear in the wrist. All of the above can also give weakness of the hand muscles or forearm.
It is probably best just to rest from any repetitive activities you may be doing for a short while to see if any improvement occurs. Many times this will get better over time. However, if pain develops, if the numbness spreads, or if you lose ability to move your hand and little finger then it is time to see a doctor for an examination to find out exactly what is going on.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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