my spo2 level decrease dramatically when I raise my arm

palerider wrote:

borgready wrote:

palerider wrote:

borgready wrote:If you hold your arm up, how long does it take for it to go numb? Going numb is a good sign of reduced blood flow.

citation please... because the typical cause of going "numb" is a NERVE issue.

now, if OP's hand starts appearing cyanotic, that would be a blood issue.

Numbness from nerve issues are more permanent and numbness from low or no blood flow issues are temporary as long as blood flow is restored. Cheap oximeters don't read low blood flow very well. My pulse oximeter goes out all the time when my finger or hand goes numb. The readings will drop off. My citation comes from the LIFE"S EXPERIENCE JOURNAL.

if you cannot supply an online reference, something that someone else can verify, then your statements have less impact. your interpretation of what may or may not have happened to you lacks scientific validity.

the fact is, when you hold a limb in some position too long, and it becomes numb, it's not lack of blood, it's a nerve issue, and the tingling that results is the sensation from the nerve returning.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency ... 003206.htm
http://www.md-health.com/Numbness-In-Ha ... -Feet.html

and yes, while lack of blood flow *can* eventually cause numbness... it's not a brief 'hold your hand up' situation. numbness is vastly more likely to be from a pinched nerve.

Don't be so obsessed with finding links to online references. You usually have to pay to access the good information. You know they limit and restrict what gets published to any of these publications. Its hard to tell how much stuff is rejected. Then you have to consider how much research is not even funded.

All this guy is doing is raising his arm above heart level and the oximeter quits reading due to low blood flow. Since the oximeter quits reading I would assume the hand would start tingling if held up for a few minutes from low blood flow. Now if the person stands up the heart and body adjust to to deal with the pressure of being vertical. Raising ones arm doesn't engage that compensation mechanism

borgready wrote:Don't be so obsessed with finding links to online references. You usually have to pay to access the good information. You know they limit and restrict what gets published to any of these publications. Its hard to tell how much stuff is rejected. Then you have to consider how much research is not even funded.

publication by respected organizations is still preferable to unsubstantiated opinions. even individual experts are wrong from time to time.

borgready wrote:All this guy is doing is raising his arm above heart level and the oximeter quits reading due to low blood flow.

actually, you're *assuming* that's what's happening, without any evidence to that fact, perhaps there's a problem with his oximeter, perhaps it's another issue, you simply have almost no facts to base a theory on.

now, perhaps if he had a meter that indicated perfusion index, there would be more data to base a theory on.

now, as I said before, if he leaves his arm up and it starts to look cyanotic, then I'd say "yup, low blood flow, find out why from your doctor".

as it is, given the information available, the previous answers by someone else of "go to the doctor and have them verify and diagnose, since that is not normal, is really the best answer.

Anyone look up Thoracic outlet syndrome? Might be interesting...

palerider wrote:

borgready wrote:Don't be so obsessed with finding links to online references. You usually have to pay to access the good information. You know they limit and restrict what gets published to any of these publications. Its hard to tell how much stuff is rejected. Then you have to consider how much research is not even funded.

publication by respected organizations is still preferable to unsubstantiated opinions. even individual experts are wrong from time to time.

borgready wrote:All this guy is doing is raising his arm above heart level and the oximeter quits reading due to low blood flow.

actually, you're *assuming* that's what's happening, without any evidence to that fact, perhaps there's a problem with his oximeter, perhaps it's another issue, you simply have almost no facts to base a theory on.

now, perhaps if he had a meter that indicated perfusion index, there would be more data to base a theory on.

now, as I said before, if he leaves his arm up and it starts to look cyanotic, then I'd say "yup, low blood flow, find out why from your doctor".

as it is, given the information available, the previous answers by someone else of "go to the doctor and have them verify and diagnose, since that is not normal, is really the best answer.

From my experience with with numb legs, arms, hands and feet you lose feeling before you see bluish disocoloration. Is there any medical literature on what is the minimum blood oxygen level that will maintain feeling(active nerves).

borgready wrote:. Is there any medical literature on what is the minimum blood oxygen level that will maintain feeling(active nerves).

that sounds like an excellent subject for you to investigate and challenge your assumptions on, and find either corroboration or refutation of your theories