Numbness in my hand (been going on for three days)

For three days now, my pinky and a good chunk of my hand right below it have been totally numb.
It’s constant—no breaks at all. Sometimes it feels like it’s easing up just a tiny bit, but then it flares right back up again.
I have no clue what caused this, but it's starting to get really frustrating, and honestly, I'm getting a little worried it might be a sign of something more serious.

Any help? Any advice?

EDIT: This is happening to my left hand. I'm right-handed.

How old are you? This could actually be a heart issue.
To be honest, I’ve been dealing with the exact same thing lately, especially whenever I get worked up (and let me tell you, I've had plenty of reasons to be stressed these past few months).
I also had numbness in my left pinky and that side of my hand right below it—it even spread up my arm a bit—but it eventually passed.

Here's a little something regarding that topic:
http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

I'm 21 years old.
I've been doing some reading, and honestly, I'm starting to wonder if it could be carpal tunnel syndrome.
I've got an appointment scheduled with my doctor in a few days, so we'll see what they say.

Jeffrey Jones2 said:For three days now, my pinky and a good chunk of my hand right below it have been totally numb.
The numbness just won't quit; it's constant. Sometimes it eases up a tiny bit, but then it flares right back up.
I honestly have no clue what happened, but it's starting to get on my nerves, and I'm getting a little worried it might be something serious.

Any help? Advice?

EDIT: It's my left hand. I'm right-handed.

It sounds like it’s definitely the ulnar nerve passing through the ulnar canal, which controls sensation in your pinky and the outer side of your ring finger.
The ulnar nerve runs through that channel and often gets compressed, leading to inflammation, numbness, discomfort, or even sharp pain. You see this all the time with people who spend way too many hours at a computer or doing jobs where they constantly lean their elbows on a desk or hard surface.

Can I just fix this myself using some over-the-counter patches or something, or am I definitely going to need to see a doctor?

I dealt with this exact same thing about six months ago—and it dragged on for months until I actually took the time to look up some nerve anatomy online. It was infuriating. My pinky, part of my ring finger, and the area right below the pinky were completely numb, and honestly, the worst part was losing grip strength in my entire hand. Just Google "ulnar nerve" and look at some diagrams; it’ll make sense immediately. Your nerve is getting pinched at the elbow, which is why everything went numb. It’s probably because you sleep with your elbow bent too much, or maybe you’re constantly leaning your elbow against your desk? Personally, I thought it would just go away on its own—wrong. You have to change your habits to fix it. Try to keep your elbow straight when you're using a mouse (if it's that hand), stop leaning your elbow on anything, and most importantly, keep your arm completely straight while you sleep. I followed those steps and the whole thing vanished within a week. There you go.

Nah, it’s not even about my mouse hand—the issue is actually with my other arm. And yeah, you caught me; I definitely sleep with my arm tucked awkwardly under my head.
Anyway, I’m going to try to keep my arm straight and level while I work. If this doesn't clear up in two or three weeks, I'll go see a doctor.

Jeffrey Jones2 said:Can I just fix this myself with some braces or something, or am I looking at a doctor visit?

Standard treatments usually involve immobilization, anti-inflammatories, steroid shots right in the elbow, or even surgery.
Honestly, if I were you, I’d try using a brace to keep that elbow still. It could really help you out during this initial stage, so it's worth a shot.
If you leave it untreated, you risk losing feeling in your hand, muscle atrophy, and constant pain in both your palm and forearm—but that typically only happens if the nerve gets damaged from long-term compression.

Look, you don't necessarily need a doctor right away—just try what I laid out for you first. Keep your arm extended most of the time, especially while you're sleeping. Give that a shot for a week. If things start improving, then maybe you can ease off, but if not? Then yeah, go see a specialist. Who knows—maybe it’s actually a pinched nerve on your end rather than mine, and you'll definitely need professional help, or maybe it isn't even that... just try this for a week and see how it goes.

Jeffrey Jones2, look, you really ought to go see a specialist. What’s bothering me is how this thing on my left hand is acting up—it’s hitting my pinky and it just won't quit. You can't officially pin down carpal tunnel without an EMG, and honestly, the sooner you get ahead of it, the better.

Numbness in your limbs can stem from all sorts of things—some are totally harmless, while others could be pretty serious, like neurological issues, so... I’d definitely suggest checking in with a doctor.

Man, I completely jammed my right ring finger carrying these heavy grocery bags around town earlier today...

Thought it’d just chill out while I slept, but nope... still hurts like hell.

Is this actually serious or should I just wait it out and see if it clears up?😕