Be careful! Cell phone addiction could be causing problems for your physical health.
Due to the constant development of new technologies, the use of smartphones continues to increase. Today, it is almost a basic tool that we use all the time, sometimes without realizing it. This continuous use can eventually compress the nerves in your hand, causing them to go numb.
While there may be other causes, this is the main one if you feel a strange tingling sensation in your upper extremities. If you encounter this problem after using your phone for hours, here's what to do and alleviate the problem.
What does it mean when your hands go numb when you use your cell phone?
First of all, it should be noted that there are several reasons that can cause this syndrome called paresthesia. In most cases, it is harmless and temporary. However, if this tingling or numbness gradually develops in the hands, arms or legs, it is essential to consult a doctor to rule out the disease. Be aware that numbness in the hands can be caused by a disease related to cardiovascular disease. However, continuous use of a cell phone requires maintaining the same position of the hands for a long time. This is a very common cause of tingling and even injuries in the hands and wrists.
In this sense, it is the pressure created by maintaining this position that ends up causing numbness in the hands. As you may have noticed, using the phone requires holding the device with both hands on one hand, and the uninterrupted movement of the thumb on the other. All of this can lead to compression of the peripheral nerves, especially those that run along the inside of the forearm, from the elbow to the wrist, causing temporary paresthesia in the hand. Excessive and continuous pressure on the nerves in this area can cause your hand to fall asleep while operating the smartphone. The same happens to people who use computers for repetitive tasks at work, such as those who spend hours typing on a computer with poor posture.
How to get rid of numbness in your hands
Logically, the ideal way to prevent your hands from falling asleep is to use your phone responsibly. Taking breaks after holding your phone for long periods of time is a basic and necessary measure. In addition, there are some simple steps you can take to prevent your hands from falling asleep. These actions include:
- Slowly move all the fingers of your hand to reactivate blood circulation in the area, place the thumb of one hand on the palm of the other and use one hand to touch the other while making circular movements with light pressure.
- Massage your hands.
- Use a stress ball. When you close it, hold it in your hand and press lightly with your entire finger.
- Open and close your hands several times.
- Wet your hand with hot water, keeping your finger under the tap. Hot water has a vasodilatory effect, which increases blood circulation and reduces burning. (This treatment is not recommended for inflammation).
- Be careful with your diet, as vitamin deficiencies, especially those in group B, and minerals such as magnesium can cause numbness in your hands.
Types of injuries that can occur
The misuse of cell phones not only has psychological effects negative, but it can also cause physical illnesses of varying intensity. A tingling sensation basically indicates that something is causing compression of the nerve and it needs to be relieved to avoid major problems.
Among the most common injuries due to various causes, which are gradually being associated with cell phone use, carpal tunnel syndrome stands out. This is caused precisely by the pressure that the position of holding the phone exerts on the median nerve. This syndrome eventually develops when this nerve, which extends to the palm of the hand, becomes compressed, causing symptoms such as tingling, numbness and weakness in the hands and arms. The act of typing on cell phones with the fingers has also been associated with an increase in cases of osteoarthritis of the thumb among young people. In addition, complaints related to pain in the wrist and other finger joints also occur.
Hands that frequently fall asleep can be a warning sign of some disease in the small joints and ligaments that make them up. Therefore, it could be a symptom of tendonitis in the hand or wrist. Of course, excessive cell phone use has also been associated with all sorts of injuries, from eye strain even neck and throat pain.
