Waking up with numb arms is frustrating, and with RA there are a few possible reasons this could be happening.
RA can cause nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy. This happens when the inflammation from RA affects the nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can include:
- A pins-and-needles sensation Show Full Answer
Waking up with numb arms is frustrating, and with RA there are a few possible reasons this could be happening.
RA can cause nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy. This happens when the inflammation from RA affects the nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can include:
- A pins-and-needles sensation
- Prickling feeling in the skin
- Numbness or tingling
- Muscle weakness
- Extreme sensitivity to touch
These symptoms often appear on both sides of the body and can affect the hands, wrists, and arms. If methotrexate is part of your treatment plan, it's worth knowing that it can occasionally affect the nerves by blocking the body's ability to use folate (a key vitamin). Low folate levels can cause tingling and numbness. Folic acid supplements are often recommended alongside methotrexate to help with this.
Either way, it's really important to let your rheumatologist or doctor know about the numbness as soon as possible. Nerve-related symptoms can often be corrected when caught early, but they do need proper attention.
2 hours ago
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