Do you ever get tingly or numb arms when you’re driving? If so, you may be wondering if it’s a symptom of lupus. As one MyLupusTeam member put it, “Anytime I reach above or at heart level, my arms go numb. Makes driving difficult. … Not sure if this is nerve damage or pressure from inflammation? Or just my carpal tunnel or lupus?”

Inflammation from lupus can have widespread effects on the body, including on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, which can show up as numbness in your arms. Other factors unrelated to lupus might also be at play.

Find out three potential reasons your arms are going numb when driving and when to talk to a health care provider so that you can feel safe and comfortable behind the wheel.

1. Peripheral Neuropathy

Lupus can cause nerve damage due to inflammation of the nerves or tissues around the nerves. Peripheral nerves are those that branch out from the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and carry messages to the rest of the body, such as the arms and legs.

Peripheral neuropathy refers to when these nerves become damaged, such as from inflammation due to lupus. Damaged nerves may not transmit messages properly, which can lead to issues with parts of the body the damaged nerves connect to.

The main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Inability to move some parts of the body

A 2017 study showed that sensorimotor polyneuropathy — a bodily process that damages nerves — was the most common symptom of peripheral neuropathy in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), especially those who were diagnosed at an older age. Sensorimotor polyneuropathy causes numbness, pain, tingling, or burning in any part of the body.

Other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

• Vision loss
• Pain in your face
• Droopy-looking face and eyelids
• Changes in your hearing, including ringing in your ears
• Dizziness
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

If you’re experiencing numbness or tingling in your arms, it may be a sign of peripheral nerve damage. Talk to your doctor or a neurologist about peripheral neuropathy to see if it is a possible cause of your arms going numb and learn about potential treatment options.

2. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Widespread inflammation from lupus can affect your joints and their surrounding tissues, which can lead to joint pain and issues like arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when inflammation leads to too much pressure on the median nerve, which travels from the forearm into the hand through the carpal tunnel.

Too much pressure on the median nerve can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and fingers. Hand numbness, especially in the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger, may spread to the forearm and shoulder.

Besides lupus-related inflammation, other factors may increase the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Among them is being on hemodialysis (a form of dialysis) to treat chronic kidney disease, which can result from untreated lupus nephritis. Taking certain medications that affect the immune system — such as warfarin (Coumadin) — may also increase carpal tunnel syndrome risk, though more research is needed.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America, joint problems from lupus usually don’t cause long-term damage. However, some research suggests that carpal tunnel syndrome in people with autoimmune diseases may be severe enough to need surgery.

Talk to your doctor to see if carpal tunnel syndrome may be an underlying cause of numbness in your arms and what can be done to manage it.

3. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Arm numbness may also be a result of cubital tunnel syndrome. Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when the ulnar nerve, which goes from the hand to the shoulder, is squeezed too tightly at the elbow in the cubital tunnel (also known as the “funny bone”), wrist, collarbone, or neck.

Although researchers have studied carpal tunnel syndrome for its association with lupus, it’s unclear if cubital tunnel syndrome may also result from general inflammation from lupus. More research is needed. However, health experts do know that resting your elbow in a bent position, such as on the window or center console, while driving can increase your risk of ulnar nerve compression and thus tingling in the arms.

If you notice that the numbness occurs when your elbow is bent, this may be a sign of a pinched nerve. Talk to your doctor about when the numbness occurs, such as with certain arm positions when driving, as this might help them determine if the tingling is due to temporary conditions or something more systemic related to lupus.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MyLupusTeam — the social network for people with lupus and their loved ones — more than 223,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lupus.

Do your arms go numb when you drive? What helps you manage it? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.