Numbness in hand isn't going away

[GulfCoastAmy]

After my bike ride on Saturday I was experiencing numbness in my left hand. I've read several threads here on the forums about this problem and I'm pretty sure in my case it's because I bear too much weight on my hands when I ride. I've been continuing to ride throughout the week, paying special attention to changing hand position, shaking out my hands, not leaning, not gripping too tightly, etc. But the numbness is not going away! It's not just when I ride - it's all the time. I find it a little hard to believe that I've done any serious lasting damage from one long bike ride, but I also thought for sure the numbness would have subsided by now. Anyone have any tips for fixing this problem, or do I need to "man up" and go to the doctor?

[myjas]

You might have inflammed the tendons in your wrist that cause carpal tunnel. I have to wear a brace to bed every night so I don't bend my wrist at the wrong position. If I don't wear one my hands wrists hurt and fall asleep when I bike and work. Work tried to get me to wear one during the day but I reach into small areas that it would hang up on. Wearing one while biking might help. Check into a wrist brace at your local drugstore and see if that helps. It may take a few days and there are day and night splints. I would also try ibuprofin if you can take it. But if doesn't go away in a few days I would see your dr.

[Kiwi Stoker]

I did a 150km ride when it was very hot and the handlebar tape and gel underneath melted. I ended up with numb little and ring fingers in both hands and couldn't hold a pen or a hairbrush properly. It took about a week or two to go away.

You have damaged a nerve or compressed it. They say nerves can grow back but very slowly.

So I would say go and visit a doctor if the numbness hasn't gone away or at least reduced in a week.

Other things to try-
Buy a new pair of gloves- try different brands, you may need more (or less) padding in different places.
Replace your handlebar tape and/ or gel. You may want to try padding up the handlebar and dropping the padding in your gloves.
Check to make sure your gloves or watch are not pressing into your wrist where your nerves run.
Also check your neck and shoulder area for any issues or compression.
Try going to a sports massage.
Stretch the arm nerve- turn your head away from the affected hand and turn your affected hand into your body while pushing downwards leading with your little finger. This stretches the nerve down your arm. (my sports massge person showed me this).
Try raising your handbars (either tilt them or a new angled stem) to try and take the weight off your hands and onto your saddle.

Hope you find a solution. Cyclists palsy is not fun and feels very strange and uncomfortable.

[KnottedYet]

Please go to the doctor.

[witeowl]

But the numbness is not going away! It's not just when I ride - it's all the time. ...do I need to "man up" and go to the doctor?

Please go to the doctor.

Yes, I believe it's time to woman up and go to the doctor.

While you're waiting for your appointment to come around, try NSAIDs like ibuprofin or naproxen (Aleve). You can also try getting in some extra Omega-3s (that helps against inflammation as well).

[Mr. Bloom]

Are you in Baldwin County? If so, I know of a good chiropractor just west of 59, west of the consignment store in Foley.

[GulfCoastAmy]

Thanks everyone. It actually feels a little better today. If it's not back to normal by Monday I'll go to the doc. I'm going to get some special gloves too! I actually don't have any tape/gel on my handlebars. I am riding a really old MTB I pulled out of our garage. It just has rubbery grips which I'm sure is not helping the problem. Time to fix that!

(Mr Silver - no I'm in Mobile Co., pretty far from Foley, but thanks anyway!)

[owlice]

If the numbness is in the ring and little fingers, your ulnar nerve might be getting compressed behind the elbow (ulnar nerve entrapment). I have this all the time and bike riding definitely aggravates it. There are other areas in which the ulnar nerve might be getting compressed, but behind the elbow is the most common.

Carpal tunnel affects the index, middle, and ring fingers; the compression there is indeed in the wrist (in the carpal tunnel! ).

[Miranda]

Well, your position is a bit diff on a mtb, than a roadie set up. But, none the less... riding position and fatigue can affect your hands too.

For me, when I start to get tired, and the riding form of the rest of my body starts to go... I put more pressure / lean on my hands. Keeping your core really strong helps. Supports your weight with form, vs your hands doing the work.

I also try to make a point to stretch my wrist / hands post / pre ride. I had some stretching exercises I did when I worked in an office on a pc a lot (like carpal tunnel related). Very simply things that can help those tendons and tiny spaces between the bones.

Hope it's better soon.

[cylegoddess]

I have that.It was really getting bad, I could hardly hold up my books in bed. Went to doctor. Mine is carpal tunnel.She has me assuming, a 'neutral wrist" position, when I ride, if it gets numb( and anywhere else). I find myself riding with one hand, the other in my lap with wrist straight, until it gets feeling.
That helped, as did training myself to take more weight on feet and butt,but what helped the most was paying for fit on the bike . It turned out that I was about 5 cm too far up ! Now its much better. I feel like a old granny sitting up so far, but now hands much better.

[Cataboo]

Thanks everyone. It actually feels a little better today. If it's not back to normal by Monday I'll go to the doc. I'm going to get some special gloves too! I actually don't have any tape/gel on my handlebars. I am riding a really old MTB I pulled out of our garage. It just has rubbery grips which I'm sure is not helping the problem. Time to fix that!

(Mr Silver - no I'm in Mobile Co., pretty far from Foley, but thanks anyway!)

maybe you can put ergon grips on your huffy.

http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/home

[GulfCoastAmy]

maybe you can put ergon grips on your huffy.

Those are really cool! Putting them on my wish list for sure...