My arm fell asleep last night

[tridim]

Not just the tingly sensation type, but a complete loss of feeling and muscle movement due to lack of blood flow. I sleep with my arms under my pillow and I guess my arm was cockeyed enough to cut off the blood flow. Luckily I woke up before it got cold. I had to twirl my arm in a circle to get things back to normal. This is the 2nd time it's happened in the past year. It's very scary when I can slap my hand and not feel a thing.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is it common? Or should I buck up and go see the doctor. Normally I wouldn't hesitate, but I'm out of work and have a gigatic deductable with my crappy insurance. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[northzax]

1. perhaps, and don't takethis critically

you should consider not putting your arms under your pillow. and see if the same thing happens. then you'll have more info for the Doctor when you go see her.

[denverbill]

2. No, it's happened to me off and on for a long time.

If it becomes chronic see a doctor. Otherwise, chalk it up to sleeply funny and mention it to the doctor when you've got insurance again.

[tridim]

3. I've been reading on Google that's it's fairly common

and can be MS related. My Mom has early MS, so I'm going to give her a call and see what's up. Thanks for the advice.

[northzax]

7. well, not to be harsh and cynical

but unless you have health insurance (you mentioned something about it) don't go see a doctor about MS. Why? because once your records show you have MS, you'll never get coverage for a preexisting condition.

[sangh0]

4. Sleep on your back

.

[Olivier]

5. It happened to me...

.. several times this year (three or four times), exactly with the same symptoms, but I did not worry more than that, and I did not go see the doctor for it.

Sensation is strange and unpleasant, but not painful at all.

Maybe your mattress is too firm (and so is mine) ?

[Brotherjohn]

6. This IS common, but likely due to sleeping position and nothing as extreme

... as MS. Don't get carried away.

I often have my arms fall asleep when I lay on them wrong. It comes and goes... sometimes it happens all the time, sometimes seldom. It's b/c I sleep on my arms. It can get worse when we get older (gasp!) b/c circulation isn't as efficient.

My brother is a neurosurgeon, and he sleeps with his hands folded on his chest. His hands are his livelihood (and his patients' lives).

A related syndrome is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which I had some years ago. The symptoms are the same, but more severe (it may actually technically be the same thing going on). If you often carry heavy bundles, such as golf clubs or a heavy backpack full of books, they impinge upon the nerve/vascular bundle passing through your shoulder joint. This supplies the nerves and blood to the arm. I had been having tingling in my right arm, and I realized something was going on with me when I tried raise my bike to my shoulder (normally easy) and my arm just would not do it. It was VERY weak. It scared me, but after seeing a neurologist, the advice was to lighten the backpack a bit. It went away.

So I would just try not to sleep on your arms, and if you often carry anything heavy on your shoulder, lay off a bit.

[tridim]

8. Thanks for the advice

I was mostly worried about the lack of blood flow causing permanent damage. The general consensus is that it's virtually impossible.

My bed is a very thin, firm futon, so that might be a problem. I simply can't get a good nights sleep on a normal soft mattress and box springs. I definitely don't begin the night with my arms under the pillow. They just seem to migrate there throughout the night. I'll work on it.

[Nikia]

9. I freak out when it happens to me

It has happened to me maybe four times in the past five years. It seems like my arm is dead and not part of my body. It usually get circulation back by moving it with the other arm until it feels normal enough that I move it on its own. When it happened when I live in a dorm, I just put it against the cold wall and circulation returned. I don't know if it healthy to shock it like that though. I think my case and your case probably is laying on it. It try not to do this anymore.

[ArkDem]

10. Happens to me EVERY night.

I wake up, roll over, go back to sleep until the other arm goes numb.

[damnraddem]

11. So what? My whole body fell asleep last night!

Losing sensation after cutting the blood flow is fairly common. But have it checked out in case it's something else, if it keeps happening. There's some cost/benefit point at which putting up the deductable is worth it, given what it can cost in not getting checked out on things.

[qb]

12. It happens to me a couple of times per week

just times when I'm uncomfortable enough on my side or back to try sleeping on my stomach (arms under pillow). It's never worried me. It's simple - If you cut the oxygen supply to your nerves & muscles, they stop working. Restore the blood flow & they're fine. I would only be worried if something like this happened when you're up & there's no obvious explanation for it.

edit-spelling

[Raven]

13. This is fairly common.

I wouldn't worry about MS unless you have similar sensations in your legs or other symptoms. I get this quite often and it probably is because I sleep on my side. You probably need a little more cushioning under you than the futon. Try taking a quilt or a nice fat blanket and put it under you. Or you could buy that foam pad that they make for beds. I don't know how old you are, but this often comes on with age. Of course, if it gets very bad or you get other symptoms, you might want to see a Doc.

[newsguyatl]

14. this happens to me all the time

at least once a week... arms/legs fall asleep during the night...

[patdem]

15. Yes,,that reminds me of a time my arm was hanging off the bed..

completely dead to sensation and I thought that somehow during the night I had lost my arm. For a few seconds upon awakening I was scared as shit!!! Till it started burning and tingling like HELL! LOL :bounce: I was about 15 years old at the time.

[DEM FAN]

16. Ask You Anything.

:-)