When it comes to hand numbness, many patients are very worried and afraid, afraid of compression of the nerve or spinal cord. In fact, there are many reasons for hand numbness. Many patients think that the feeling of ants crawling, or ischemic numbness, think that the cervical spine compression of the brachial plexus or spinal cord. In fact, the most affect our hand numbness of a muscle, that is the scalene muscle, we will focus on today.

Many patients with brachial plexus compression caused by scalenus muscle often need to put their hands behind their heads, which can relieve the symptoms. And many people you ask him, he said that he must put his hands behind his head at night, and then put his head on his hands or his arms to sleep, so that he can sleep. In fact, this is a sign that your scalenus muscles may be tense.

Let's take a look at the anatomical location of the scalene muscle, in fact, many people have numbness of the hand, he has a lot to do with this scalene muscle, because the scalene muscle here it has a carotid artery and brachial plexus through here, so when the scalene muscle is strained, then after the injury, he squeeges the blood vessels and nerves and causes a squeeze, He gets numbness in his hands, and he doesn't just get numbness in his hands, he has some numbness in the outside of his upper arm, including his elbow, including his palm, pain.Scalenus is a muscle group divided into anterior, middle, posterior scalenus and minor scalenus, which is not present in all people.

The origin of the anterior scalenus was attached to the anterior tubercle of the transverse process of C3-6, and the insertion was attached to the inner edge of the first rib, in front of the subclavian artery, posterior to the subclavian vein, and posterior to the phrenic nerve.

The largest middle scalenus muscle was attached to the posterior tubercle of the transverse process of C2-7, and its insertion was attached to the upper edge of the first rib and the depth of the transverse groove of the subclavian artery, and behind the attachment point of the anterior scalenus muscle.

The origin of the posterior scalenus was attached to the posterior tubercle of the transverse process of C5-7, and the insertion was attached to the external surface of the second rib.

It was located behind the middle scalenus muscle and deep to the anterior edge of the superior trapezius and levator scapulae muscle. The scalenus minor muscle is a variable muscle, which usually attaches to the anterior tubercle of the transverse process of C6-7 and terminates at the medial edge of the first rib.

Scalenus function When the cervical spine is fixed, scalenus contraction can lift the ribs to assist in the inspiratory movement of breathing. When the ribs are fixed, unilateral scalenus contraction can cause ipsilateral lateral flexion of the cervical spine, and bilateral contraction can assist the flexion of the cervical spine. In addition, the scalenus muscle provides stability of the middle and lower cervical spine. Causes of scalene muscle injury The common causes of scalene muscle strain are as follows: the head and neck are in a postural fixed position such as lateral flexion and tilt for too long. For example: writing, desk work, reading, watching TV, playing mahjong, riding, etc., so that the anterior scalenus muscle is in a tense contraction state for a long time, causing excessive fatigue and injury. Pull and lift heavy objects for a long time. The head must face in the opposite direction because of the weight of the object. In this way, it is easy to cause anterior scalenus muscle injury under the action of external force for a long time. In addition, thin and tall women with slender neck are prone to scalene muscle tension.

Scalenus muscle injuries are easily misdiagnosed 1 and scalenus-triggered upper back pain is almost always erroneously attributed to the rhomboid muscle.

2. Neck and shoulder discomfort is a classic symptom of scalene trigger firing and can also be considered as a neurotic tic.

3. Scalene-associated pain in the chest is often mistaken for angina pectoris.

4, scalene-induced shoulder pain is almost always diagnosed in orthopedics as bursitis and tenosynovitis.

5. Pain caused by the scalenus muscle, which is transmitted down the anteroposterior direction of the upper arm, is often referred to as a muscle sprain or nerve root compression (root irritation) caused by a degenerative cervical disc that neurologists think is degenerative.

6. When the firing point contractures (shortens) the scalenus muscle, they often lift the first or second rib and the third rib along the clavicle and crush the blood vessels and nerves that pass through this area into the arm (neurovascular retention). They block blood flow and interfere with nerve impulses. This causes pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, and burning in the arms and hands (thoracic outlet syndrome).

7. Forearm and hand weakness (dropping things for no reason) may be related to nerve impulse interference, and unexplained "phantom limb pain" after an arm or hand amputation may actually be related to scalenus trigger points.

Method of identifying scalenus Injury

1. The patient turns the head to the side of the pain and lowers the head so that the chin is depressed over the clavicle. As this action causes intense and sustained shortening of the scalene muscle, it can cause proximal or distal pain.

2. The patient abducts the shoulder joint to the horizontal position and flexed the elbow 90 degrees; Then continue abduction of the shoulder so that the elbow is above the forehead. Lifting the ribs and increasing the subclavian space can relieve pain immediately or within minutes.

3, finger flexion test when the finger is extended, when the proximal and distal interphalangeal joint can not be completely flexed, and the hand can not be held tightly, should be considered as scalenus muscle injury.

To practice diaphragm-based breathing, lean slightly on the chair, inhale through your nose, and lift your abdomen outward.

Then slowly lean forward and expel the gas from your mouth. In this way, the pressure inside the lower abdomen helps push the diaphragm up and push the air out. You can take this breathing method into your daily life. Copyright Statement: This platform is designed to disseminate medical cultural knowledge, the copyright belongs to the relevant right holder, respect knowledge and labor, please retain the copyright information. In case of inappropriate use, please feel free to contact us