text: Do you tend to rest your head in your hands?  Lean on one arm and then the other while sitting?  Lean your elbows on the armrests in your vehicle?  How about reading/doing homework while stretched out on the floor, leaning on  your elbows?\n\nNot all hand numbness indicates carpal tunnel syndrome.  What you describe is a common experience for freelance writers like myself.  We tend to suffer pinched nerves in our elbows, which demonstrate numbness in the pinky fingers, then heels of the hand (the portion of hand under the pinky to the wrist), then up the bottom part of the forearm.  As the nerve becomes more and more pinched, more fingers, hand portions and forearm become affected.\n\nI suggest you first notice what you're doing with your arms.  Refrain from leaning whenever you notice you do so.  The physical therapy other writers and I have been assigned to relieve such numbness is simple:\n\n1.  While standing with your feet hip-width apart, slightly tuck pelvis (tighen tummy to support lower back), stretch top-back of head toward the ceiling (slightly jut out chin, then lower chin to feel the strectch in the spine), roll shoulders up, back, down (breast-bone will feel lifted) and hold position.\n\n2.  While arms are at sides, turn out affected arm's hand, slowly raise up arm, bend foream down so elbow is pointing at ceiling and hand points down back.\n\n3.  With the opposite hand, pull raised elbow behind head (your head may slightly move ahead as you do this).\n\n4.  Repeat on other side if necessary.\n\nNext, while standing with both arms down in that beginning position; \n\n1.  Raise affected arm straight out to the side.\n\n2.  Slowly, without turning torso, move arm across chest so the fingers point to opposite side (if you are tight in the shoulders, you may not be able to get your arm to go very far...not a problem).\n\n3.  With the opposite hand, pull raised arm into chest.\n\n4.  Repeat on opposite side as needed.\n\nAt night, notice whether or not you are sleeping on one side, falling asleep on  your side with one arm under the pillow and your head resting on that side.\n\nIf you are, then do what you can to change up your falling-asleep position for a while.  You may very well wake up in the position you attempted to change, but you will have at least spared your body some crushed nerve time in the process.\n\nTry these exercises for a week or so.  Take anti-imflammatory ibuprofen.  If you still do not experience any relief, then visit your doctor.