Q The numbness is in my hand, but the clinic examined my neck and shoulder. Why?
A The nerves that serve the hand start at the neck. When the starting point is compressed, the symptom is felt far away in the hand. Treating only the numb spot leaves the cause in place, so it easily returns.
Detailed Answer
It is very common for the place that feels numb and the place where the cause sits to differ. Numbness in the hand often begins at the neck or at the narrow passage between neck and chest, and numbness in the foot often begins in the lower back or hip muscles. If the intensity changes with neck position, or if the numb area runs in a band on one side, we suspect this pattern.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Think of a motorway: the road itself is fine, but one narrowed stretch backs up all the traffic behind it. That is why we check the tension of the neck, shoulder and front of the chest together. Widening the narrowed stretch is what brings flow back to the fingertips.
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