Shoulder/arm going numb while sleeping

[Patrick Rushbrook]

I sleep well and feel rested on anything over 6 hours, but 4-5 times per night, I'm awakened by a numb arm (mostly the left). I extend and shake it out, it gets normal, I go back to sleep.

Interestingly (to me, at least), this only started happening after I began resistance training 8 years ago. I've been on and off, and once I've been off a few months, it stops occurring. I've been 3 WODs a week for the past two years though, so I've had 2000+ numb arms..lol. Wow. I just thought of that. Crazy statistic.

I sleep on my back 3/4 of the night, but I have to roll over at some point. My arm goes into the same position as everyone else I suppose.

Anyone else have this? Thoughts or opinions?

Is thousands of numb arms detrimental to long term health? I feel fine. I do have a slightly enlarged bursa in that shoulder but the only time it bothers me is during lateral raises, which I don't do.

Help?

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Try working your upper body and especially upper back mobility for a week or two, and see if that clears it up.

Katherine

[Patrick Rushbrook]

Not a bad idea. I do tons and tons of pass thru's but not much else. My shoulders are slightly forward anyway from desk work.

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Originally Posted by Patrick Rushbrook

Not a bad idea. I do tons and tons of pass thru's but not much else. My shoulders are slightly forward anyway from desk work.

And, being a guy, I'm guessing you have done a fair amount of benching over the years?

Yeah. Do lots of upper back mobility stuff and work to balance out upper back strength vs. pecs and delts.

Katherine

[Michael Kelley]

Look up "upper cross syndrome." I have the forward shoulder issue you describe and have been working on correcting it for a solid 6 months now. I figure I will have it fixed in about 2 more years (not kidding), but you have to start somewhere.

[Frank E Morel]

Go to your orthopod. Nocturnal arm numbness is a very common sign of shoulder inpingment and rotator cuff tear.

This was my biggest complaint when I went to see a orthopedic doctor about why my shoulder hurt every time I would reach into the fridge to take out the jug of milk.

Go get it checked out.



Katherine...... Stop advising people on things you should be.
These board isn't about racking up post counts. Sorry for being blunt about this, But this complaint, Requires medical investigation and treatment or further damage is certain.

[Katherine Derbyshire]

I'm sorry, I should have given a bit more detail.

I saw my doctor with those symptoms. He took an x-ray, examined my shoulder, and found nothing unusual. Gave me a list of upper back and neck stretches, which I did, and the problem went away.

On the other hand, if this has been going on for eight years, you're well past the time when you should have had it looked at.

When in doubt, seek in-person medical advice.

Katherine

[Hollie Jacobs]

Oh so there really is a medical explanation for this?? I thought it's just one of those things that normally happen when you sleep in the wrong position.

[Patrick Rushbrook]

Hollie, I'd figured there was something wrong (especially since it doesnt happen if I take a few months away from resistance work), but i've just dealt with it. My low back has been the squeaky wheel for years, so a little dead arm in the middle of the night wasn't real high on my priority list..lol Low back is feeling great now, so I'm starting to think about other things.


Thank you all for the replies. I searched about the impingement and that sounds similar to my general symptoms, although mine aren't nearly as severe as much of what is described. I had a shoulder x-ray a year or so after what I believe now might have been a minor cuff tear, but they didn't find anything. Doctor said it was just an enlarged bursa that came along after a previous injury. and like I said, it doesn't bother me outside of a resisted later raise. It does pop when I raise unresisted, but it's painless. I'm going to make an appointment soon and see what they come up with. I don't want to turn into one of those people who just lets every injury build-up until they're a walking inflammation. I have great insurance, so I try to kep on top of most things.

[Patrick Rushbrook]

Originally Posted by Katherine Derbyshire

And, being a guy, I'm guessing you have done a fair amount of benching over the years?

Actually, in the past 2 years I've had a bench workout less than 10 times, although we do high reps on pushups a couple times a month. Didn't bench even that many times in the 2 years before Crossfit. I did bench weekly for a few years before that. However, I've never benched more than 225 in my life.

I guess even just one rep might have contributed to this. But, the pain I get during benching is actually on my other shoulder. No idea what that is either, but I feel it on high rep thrusters but not push press..lol

I'm all messed up.