Numbness in the left arm corresponds to the loss of sensation in that limb and is usually accompanied by tingling, which can happen due to the wrong posture when sitting or sleeping, for example.
However, when in addition to tingling, other symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain, for example, may be a sign of a heart attack, it is recommended to consult a cardiologist.
What can it be
1. Heart attack
Tingling and numbness in the left arm is one of the main symptoms of infarction, especially when accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain in the chest in the form of a twinge or tightness, malaise, dry cough and difficulty breathing, for example. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack.
The infarction happens due to the lack of blood in the heart due to the presence, in most cases, of fat plates inside the vessels, interrupting the blood flow.
What to do: As soon as the first symptoms of infarction appear, it is important to immediately go to the hospital, nearest clinic or call 192 to have the necessary measures taken. At the hospital, treatment is usually done with the use of an oxygen mask to facilitate the person's breathing, in addition to the use of medications that can regulate the arrival of blood to the heart, or a cardiac catheterization, in which a catheter is inserted. in order to place a stent or balloon to restore blood flow and prevent tissue death.
It is important that after the infarction episode some health care is taken, such as exercising regularly, according to the cardiologist's recommendation, in addition to avoiding smoking and drinking and having a healthy and poor diet, especially. Know the foods that are good for the heart.
2. Wrong posture
Poor posture can also be considered one of the main causes of tingling and numbness in the left arm, because according to the position of the spine and the arm, there may be compression of the nerves, with numbness.
People who work at the computer, for example, may experience more numbness in the left arm, especially when the arms are not supported properly, the sitting posture is not correct and the height or positioning of the computer is not recommended. Workers whose activity results in pressure on the shoulder or the arm can also more often feel the left shoulder numb, as in the case of bricklayers and goods carriers in stores, for example.
In addition, some sleeping positions can also result in the left arm being numb, as well as spinal problems. See which are the best and worst sleeping positions.
What to do: To improve posture and prevent your arm from going numb, it is important to keep your spine upright and distribute your body weight over 2 feet when standing, in addition to ensuring that your butt bone and back are supported on chairs and feet on the floor when sitting.
In addition, it is important to have body awareness and exercise regularly. Check out some exercises to improve posture in the video below:
3. Tendonitis
Tendinitis, which is the inflammation of the structures that connect the bone to the muscle, can arise due to repetitive efforts, such as washing clothes, cooking, writing or typing for a long time, for example, which can cause the arm to be numb and tingling, due to repetitive movement of the shoulder or elbow joint.
In addition, there may be weakness of the arm, difficulty in performing some movement and cramps, for example.
What to do: The treatment of tendonitis is done according to the medical recommendation, being usually indicated the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, use of ice pack at least 3 times a day for 20 minutes and physical therapy, for example. In addition, it is important to avoid the activity responsible for tendonitis.
4. Nerve damage or pressure
Some situations can put pressure on the nerves located in the back and radiating to the arms, and when this happens, there may be numbness and tingling in the arm. Some situations that can cause pressure on these nerves are tumors, osteoarthritis of the spine, infection, standing in the same position for a long time and even a herniated disc in the cervical, for example. Learn to recognize the symptoms of herniated disc.
What to do: In these cases it is most recommended to go to the neurologist or orthopedist to identify the cause of the nerve compression, by means of clinical evaluation and conducting imaging tests, and thus, the treatment is indicated, which can be done with physiotherapy, in most cases, or surgery.
