Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have chronic hand problems without a clear physical cause, such as pain, stiffness, or skin issues? Strange as it may sound, there may be a deeper relationship between these symptoms and our emotions. The field of psychosomatics, which examines how our emotional and mental states can affect our physical health, is where this concept originated.
Psychosomatic theory links our ability to express ourselves and deal with life’s obstacles to our hands. For instance, hand pain or discomfort may occasionally appear in someone who feels overburdened or incapable of asking for assistance. Similarly, stiffness or decreased hand mobility may manifest as frustration or a feeling of being "stuck."
Comprehending these associations can be particularly beneficial for kids and adults who encounter inexplicable hand issues. We can investigate novel approaches to these problems by addressing the mind and emotions in addition to the body by identifying the possible emotional causes. Let’s examine these symptoms more closely and discuss how a holistic approach can help us find relief.
What medicine says?
Human evolution would not have been possible without the musculoskeletal system, which includes the hands and upper limbs. Among many other functions, the ability to grasp objects is made possible by the hands. The term "hand" in medicine refers to a number of anatomical regions, including the wrist, which is made up of eight bones arranged in two rows, the metacarpus, the fingers, which have three phalanges each, the shoulder, collarbone, scapula, forearm, radius, and ulna.
The hands’ entire range of motion is controlled by the brain. Particular ventral regions that are located on the sides of the head can be identified in its cortex. Every time the limbs move, they are activated along with the primary motor cortex. A portion of the somatosensory cortex is triggered when someone touches something.
Additionally, certain regions in the brainstem, spinal cord, and cerebellum are responsible for coordinating hand movements. A wide range of movements are made possible by a complex mechanism of interaction, ranging from quite voluntary when someone needs to take something to involuntary when maintaining body balance.
Since electrical and nerve impulses govern hand function, diseases affecting the upper limbs frequently have a neurological cause (assuming no injuries are involved).
Hand issues, such as pain, tenseness, or weakness, can have deeper emotional roots in addition to physical ones. Psychosomatically speaking, these problems might be related to emotions of not being able to do things, of not feeling supported, or of having trouble reaching out to people. Given the close relationship between our minds and bodies, it is possible for hand problems to manifest physically in both children and adults as a way of expressing internal conflicts or stress.
Psychosomatic significance of the upper limbs
In psychosomatic medicine, the study of anatomy and physiology is combined with an examination of how these systems relate to an individual’s psyche and psychological condition. Within psychosomatics, hands represent movement. In one way or another, activating our hands is a prerequisite for everything we do.
We use our hands to convey information to one another, communicate, give understandable gestures to others, hug, push away, show aggression or tenderness, and show other emotions. Therefore, hands represent active communication that is both emotional and physical. If your hand issue has progressed to the point of a developing illness, pain is most likely the result of an internal conflict developing. Consider what you did or did not do, as well as what you plan to do that might hurt you or other people.
- Right hand, according to the research of psychologist Liz Burbo, symbolizes the ability to give. If the right limb is sick or injured, then the person’s processes of giving their experiences, experience, feelings are disrupted. It is difficult for them to show love and hug, it is difficult to hit someone, these people largely depend on imposed social norms that consider the expression of love and anger indecent.
- Left hand is responsible for the ability to receive. If problems arise with the left hand, a person cannot normally receive someone else’s experience, help, does not accept love, fences himself off from tenderness and avoids conflict situations.
Cold hands are a personal characteristic rather than an issue. But be sure to take note of this when shaking hands. Even in warm weather, people with cold hands seldom find joy in their jobs, in their activities, or in their relationships with loved ones.
- If the skin of the hands is excessively dry (to the point that cracks appear on it), then this may be a sign of emotional stinginess, as well as a severe traumatic experience that still makes itself felt. Usually, such an experience is associated with the fact that a person did something wrong, incorrectly, he feels remorse and suffers from a sense of guilt.
- If the hand goes numb for no apparent reason, you should think about whether you know exactly what you are doing and why. The actions of such people are often contradictory and inconsistent.
Causeless numbness is frequently a sign that someone is confused, unable to make decisions about goals or preferences, unsure of what to do next, and doubtful about the future.
- If the hands are shaking (tremor), then a person has impaired nerve impulses – this may indicate that he is in a stressful situation, something that he will soon have to do raises doubts about the appropriateness, ethics, causes fear.
- Hands are taken away and refuse to obey the signals of the brain due to severe internal discord – a person understands with his consciousness that something needs to be done, but cannot because of fear, disappointment, aggression, prejudice or destructive beliefs. Sometimes a violation of the conductivity of nerve impulses from the cerebral cortex to the hands is associated with the fact that a person has abandoned his favorite business, stopped doing it for some reason.
A person’s hands become weak and everything falls out of them when they refuse to feel and accept reality as it is. A rash appears on his hands and they start to itch because he is unwilling to do something that others or circumstances force him to do.
Given that a lot depends on a person’s personality, temperament, character, and the precise location of the painful issue, psychosomatics of the hands is a very intricate and multifaceted field.
Causes of problems
Unrealized emotions and actions are the primary cause of psychosomatic disorders. Distinct upper limb anatomical segments can provide more specific information about what is or is not being done incorrectly.
Fingers
The hand’s smallest appendage. They can be viewed as commonplace, everyday issues in psychosomatics. Panaritium, cuts, and burns on the fingers are common indicators of mild annoyance, as things are not always organized perfectly in daily life or at work.
- Arthritis of the finger joints is a more painful condition that constrains actions, limits them. Inflammation of the joints starts when anger and guilt are added to annoyance. Often this happens to adults who cannot organize a normal existence for children at the everyday level – create living conditions, convince the child not to make a big mistake in life.
The disease typically manifests in old age, when individuals begin to subconsciously blame themselves for their adult children’s mistakes as they become more aware of them.
- Problem with the index finger may indicate that our actions at the everyday level are of an index, commanding nature, that with such actions we suppress loved ones and prevent them from acting in accordance with their ideas.
- Little finger and its injuries (inflammation, burns, cuts, fractures) indicate that a lot of lies have accumulated in a person"s actions.
- Ring finger is responsible for the sphere of family and relationships with loved ones. If you do not want to do something to solve a pressing problem, then the ring finger will definitely suffer. Hangnails, kinks in the nail, inflammation, scratches and cuts are exactly what will happen with enviable regularity until you decide on the necessary and beneficial action for you.
- Middle finger suffers when a person"s sexual side of life is disturbed, he is dissatisfied with it and does nothing to change it.
- Thumb suffers when a person condemns someone (or themselves) too much and too often.
Hands and wrists
Those who feel weak and powerless frequently experience wrist pain. This portion of the hand is frequently injured in young children who are defenseless because of their age. Those who serve as mediators in disputes and contentious situations can also develop wrist issues. This holds true for both the workplace and personal relationships.
Elbows
Excessive exertion, labor that elicits a sharp sense of animosity, impudence, and the urge to advance by "pushing with elbows" can all be contributing factors to issues with this area of the upper limb.
The severity of the joint damage increases with an individual’s level of aggression; anger is always directly linked to the inflammatory process.
Forearms and shoulders
Joint injuries and inflammatory lesions typically happen after the action, not before. This frequently occurs after someone even succeeds in achieving their goals: one day, they receive the promotion they were hoping for at work, but the next day they trip and hurt their shoulder.
When family members or peers make fun of a child for a long time and then abruptly start praising them, it can cause pain and injury to the child’s shoulders. In response, shoulder pain manifests.
Problem | Psychosomatic Cause |
Joint Pain | Struggle with flexibility in life, resisting change or new ideas |
Hand Tremors | Fear of losing control, stress about handling responsibilities |
Weak Grip | Feeling powerless, unable to grasp or hold onto things in life |
Numbness | Emotionally shutting down, distancing from painful feelings |
Skin Issues | Feeling exposed or vulnerable, fear of touch or connection |
Our hands can reveal a great deal about psychosomatic problems, including what’s going on inside our heads. These emotions frequently show up physically, whether the person is an adult experiencing stress overload or a child finding it difficult to communicate their feelings. Addressing the underlying causes of these issues may begin with recognizing this connection.
Finding more healthy coping mechanisms can be facilitated by being aware of the emotional triggers that cause hand pain or discomfort. It’s critical to provide a nurturing atmosphere where kids feel comfortable expressing their emotions. Adults can benefit greatly from learning relaxation techniques, going to therapy, or just being aware of their feelings.
In the end, our hands serve as both instruments for everyday tasks and windows into our inner selves. We can learn a great deal about our mental and emotional well-being and take action toward healing and balance by being aware of the signals they send.