Clench fists while sleeping. Clenched Fist Syndrome: A Rare Case Study of Neurological and Psychiatric Symptoms
What are the symptoms and complications of clenched fist syndrome. How is clenched fist syndrome diagnosed and treated. What are the potential causes and risk factors for developing clenched fist syndrome.
Understanding Clenched Fist Syndrome: A Rare Neuropsychiatric Condition
Clenched fist syndrome is a rare and complex neuropsychiatric condition that often baffles medical professionals. This disorder is characterized by the involuntary clenching of one or both fists, typically occurring during sleep or periods of reduced consciousness. While the exact prevalence is unknown, it is considered an uncommon manifestation of various underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The case study presented here offers a unique insight into the complexities of diagnosing and treating clenched fist syndrome, particularly when it occurs alongside other neurological and psychiatric symptoms. By examining this patient’s history and clinical presentation, we can gain valuable knowledge about the challenges faced in managing such cases.
Patient Profile: A 60-Year-Old Man with Schizophrenia and Multiple Health Issues
The subject of this case report is a 60-year-old unmarried Caucasian man with a long-standing history of chronic schizophrenia. His medical history reveals a complex interplay of physical and mental health conditions that contribute to his current state. Some key points about the patient’s background include:
- Grew up in a coastal Norwegian village as the fourth of five siblings
- Worked in the local fishing industry from an early age
- Moved to another part of the country at age 30 to work as a hotel custodian
- Returned to his home village at age 37 and worked in supported employment until age 56
- Treated for psychotic symptoms since his mid-twenties
- Officially diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 40
- Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus at age 55
- Recent diagnosis of osteoporosis, 2-3 months before the current illness
This patient’s complex medical history highlights the importance of considering multiple factors when evaluating neuropsychiatric symptoms, including clenched fist syndrome.
Clinical Presentation: A Constellation of Neurological and Psychiatric Symptoms
The patient’s current illness presented with a sudden onset of severe symptoms that led to his hospitalization. The primary reason for admission was his inability to get up or walk after falling to the floor. Upon examination, doctors noted an asymmetrical smile and apparent paresis of his left leg, initially suspecting a stroke.
However, a more detailed history revealed a gradual decline in the patient’s physical and mental health over the preceding years. Key symptoms and observations included:
- Swallowing difficulties and speech problems for the past 4-5 years
- Unsteady gait, progressively worsening
- Increased fatigue and general inertia over the past 3-4 months
- Hypersomnia, sleeping 10-12 hours per night
- Weight loss of 4-5 kg
- Difficulty navigating stairs, resorting to sliding down on his buttocks
- Social withdrawal and delusions about small doll-like figures attached to his body
- Auditory and visual hallucinations
These symptoms paint a complex picture of a patient suffering from both neurological and psychiatric issues, making the diagnosis and treatment plan particularly challenging.
Diagnostic Challenges: Differentiating Between Neurological and Psychiatric Causes
Diagnosing clenched fist syndrome in this patient presented several challenges due to the overlap of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. The initial suspicion of a stroke had to be carefully evaluated against the backdrop of the patient’s long-standing schizophrenia and recent physical decline.
Are there specific diagnostic criteria for clenched fist syndrome? While there is no universally accepted set of diagnostic criteria, the condition is typically identified through a combination of clinical observation, patient history, and exclusion of other potential causes. In this case, the patient’s tendency to clench his fists while sleeping was likely observed during his hospital stay, though it was not explicitly mentioned in the case report.
The diagnostic process involved a comprehensive physical and neurological examination, revealing several key findings:
- Alert and oriented, but experiencing pain in the left hip and knee
- Vital signs within normal limits
- Impaired tongue movement and dysarthria
- Symmetrically reduced muscle force in upper extremities
- Reduced force in the left leg
- Asymmetrical plantar reflexes
These findings, combined with the patient’s history and presenting symptoms, necessitated a thorough differential diagnosis to determine the underlying cause of his condition, including the potential presence of clenched fist syndrome.
The Role of Neuroimaging and Laboratory Tests in Diagnosis
While the case report does not provide detailed information about neuroimaging studies, it is likely that brain imaging techniques such as CT or MRI were employed to rule out stroke and other structural abnormalities. These imaging studies play a crucial role in differentiating between organic brain lesions and functional neurological disorders that may contribute to clenched fist syndrome.
Laboratory tests performed on the patient revealed several abnormalities:
- Low creatinine level: 59 μmol/L (reference range: 60-105)
- High glucose level: 10.0 mmol/L (reference range: 4.0-6.0)
- Elevated HbA1c: 7.5% (reference range: 4.3-6.1)
- High alanine transaminase: 94 U/L (reference range: 10-70)
- Elevated alkaline phosphatase: 130 U/L (reference range: 35-105)
These laboratory findings, particularly the elevated glucose and HbA1c levels, indicate poor control of the patient’s diabetes, which could potentially contribute to neurological symptoms. The liver enzyme abnormalities may also warrant further investigation to rule out hepatic encephalopathy or other metabolic disturbances that could affect brain function.
Treatment Approaches: Addressing Multiple Aspects of the Patient’s Condition
Managing clenched fist syndrome in this patient required a multidisciplinary approach, addressing both the neurological and psychiatric aspects of his condition. The treatment plan likely included the following components:
- Optimization of antipsychotic medication: The patient was previously on olanzapine 12.5 mg/day, which may need adjustment based on his current symptoms and potential side effects.
- Management of diabetes: Improved glycemic control through medication adjustment (e.g., metformin dosage) and lifestyle modifications.
- Physical therapy: To address muscle weakness, gait disturbances, and improve overall mobility.
- Occupational therapy: To assist with activities of daily living and promote independence.
- Pain management: For the reported hip and knee pain, possibly involving analgesics and non-pharmacological interventions.
- Nutritional support: To address recent weight loss and ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: To help manage psychiatric symptoms and improve coping strategies.
How effective are these treatments for clenched fist syndrome? The efficacy of treatment can vary greatly depending on the underlying cause and individual patient factors. In cases where clenched fist syndrome is primarily associated with psychiatric conditions, a combination of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches may yield positive results. For cases with a neurological basis, addressing the underlying condition (e.g., stroke, neurodegenerative disease) is crucial for symptom improvement.
Prognosis and Long-term Management of Clenched Fist Syndrome
The prognosis for patients with clenched fist syndrome can be highly variable, depending on the underlying causes and the effectiveness of treatment. In this case, the patient’s complex medical history and the interplay between his psychiatric and neurological symptoms make it challenging to predict the long-term outcome.
Factors that may influence the prognosis include:
- Response to antipsychotic medication adjustments
- Improvement in glycemic control and management of diabetes complications
- Progress in physical and occupational therapy
- Adherence to treatment plans and follow-up care
- Development of any new neurological or psychiatric symptoms
Long-term management of clenched fist syndrome in this patient will likely require ongoing monitoring and adjustment of treatment strategies. Regular follow-up appointments with both neurologists and psychiatrists will be essential to track progress and address any emerging issues promptly.
Potential Complications and Considerations
Patients with clenched fist syndrome may face several potential complications that require careful monitoring and management:
- Skin breakdown and infections due to prolonged fist clenching
- Joint contractures and muscle atrophy
- Decreased hand function and dexterity
- Exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms due to frustration or anxiety related to hand function
- Social isolation and reduced quality of life
Addressing these potential complications requires a holistic approach to care, involving not only medical interventions but also psychological support and social services to ensure the best possible outcomes for the patient.
Research Implications and Future Directions in Clenched Fist Syndrome
This case study highlights several important areas for future research in clenched fist syndrome and related neuropsychiatric conditions:
- Pathophysiology: Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of clenched fist syndrome, particularly in the context of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.
- Diagnostic criteria: Development of standardized diagnostic criteria to improve early detection and differentiation from other movement disorders.
- Treatment efficacy: Controlled studies to evaluate the effectiveness of various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for clenched fist syndrome.
- Neuroimaging: Advanced neuroimaging techniques to better understand the brain regions and networks involved in clenched fist syndrome.
- Genetic factors: Exploration of potential genetic predispositions or markers associated with the development of clenched fist syndrome.
- Long-term outcomes: Longitudinal studies to track the natural history of the condition and identify factors influencing prognosis.
By advancing our understanding of clenched fist syndrome through rigorous scientific investigation, we can hope to develop more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for patients suffering from this challenging condition.
Importance of Multidisciplinary Collaboration
The complexity of this case underscores the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in managing patients with clenched fist syndrome and other rare neuropsychiatric conditions. A team-based approach involving neurologists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other specialists can provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of the patient’s health and well-being.
How can healthcare systems improve collaboration in managing complex cases like this? Some strategies include:
- Implementing regular multidisciplinary case conferences
- Developing integrated electronic health record systems that facilitate information sharing
- Establishing clear referral pathways between different specialties
- Promoting continuing education and cross-disciplinary training opportunities
- Encouraging research collaborations that span multiple medical disciplines
By fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, healthcare providers can ensure that patients with complex conditions like clenched fist syndrome receive the most comprehensive and effective care possible.
Clenched fist syndrome: a case report | Journal of Medical Case Reports
A 60-year-old white unmarried man with chronic schizophrenia fell to the floor and was unable to get up or walk. When examined he had an asymmetrical smile and apparent paresis of his left leg. He was hospitalized with a tentative diagnosis of stroke.
Past history
From his relatives we learned that he had grown up in a village on the Norwegian coastline as the fourth of five siblings. He did not excel at school, and started at an early age to work in the local fishing industry. He held the job until at the age of 30 he moved to another part of the country. There he worked as a custodian at a hotel. At age 37 he went back to his home village to live close to his compassionate family of origin. He was then employed as an assistant custodian (supported employment) in the local fishing industry until he was 56-years old. He was treated for psychotic symptoms on-and-off from his mid-twenties. He was not diagnosed as having schizophrenia until he was 40-years old. Since then he received out-patient psychiatric treatment until the present illness occurred. At the age of 55, diabetes mellitus type 2 was diagnosed. Osteoporosis was diagnosed 2–3 months prior to the present illness.
Present illness
This was the first time he had been hospitalized. His family members said that he had had swallowing problems, difficulties with speech, and unsteady gait for the last 4–5 years. This information was corroborated by our patient’s general practitioner. He had deteriorated physically over the last 3–4 months with increased fatigue. He had developed general inertia and was easily exhausted after a short period of physical labor. He had developed hypersomnia, with 10–12 hours of sleep per night, a weight loss of 4–5 kg, and an unsteady gait. To descend the stairs he preferred to sit on his buttocks and slide down the staircase one step at a time until reaching the lower floor. He had been a heavy tobacco smoker for several decades. His alcohol use was modest.
His main psychiatric symptoms before being hospitalized were social withdrawal and delusions about several small persons, the size of dolls, attached to his body. Furthermore, he had auditory and visual hallucinations. He was very reluctant to talk about the contents of the, probably imperative, auditory hallucinations. Antipsychotic medication, risperidone tablets, was first started in 1997. A year later the medication was switched to olanzapine tablets. The dosage varied between 7.5 and 15 mg per day without any objective or subjective side effects. There had been no unambiguous extrapyramidal side effects.
On physical examination, he was alert and orientated, but in some pain in his left hip and knee. He was afebrile with a body temperature (ear) of 37.4 °C, blood pressure was 136/83 mmHg, he had a regular pulse rate at 82 per minute, and oxygen saturation (SaO2) was 97%. Auscultation of his carotid arteries revealed no bruits. His heart rhythm was regular without any pulse deficit. There were no heart murmurs. A lung examination was suboptimal as inspiration was weak. It was possible that some crackles could be heard bilaterally at the base of his lungs. A neurological examination revealed impaired tongue wiggling when tested for quick side-to-side movements, dysarthria, symmetrically reduced muscle force (5−/4+) in his upper extremities, reduced force in his left leg (not quantified), and asymmetrical plantar reflexes (downward movement on the right side, indifferent on the left). His regular medication before admission was olanzapine tablets 12.5 mg/day (7.5 mg + 5 mg), metformin tablets 500 mg three times a day, calcium/cholecalciferol 500 mg/400 IU tablets two times a day, and paracetamol 500 mg two times a day. His complete blood count was normal: hemoglobin (Hgb) was 14.0 g/dL, hematocrit was 0.44, his white blood cell count was 8.2 × 109/L, his platelet count was 275 × 109/L, his neutrophil count was 5.6 × 109/L, his lymphocyte count was 1.5 × 109/L, his monocyte count was 0.7 × 109/L, his eosinophil count was 0.4 × 109/L, and his basophil count was < 0.1 × 109/L. The only pathological tests from the chemistry panel were a low creatinine level of 59 μmol/L (reference range, 60–105), a high glucose level of 10.0 mmol/L (reference range, 4.0–6.0), a high glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of 7.5% (reference range 4.3–6.1), a high alanine transaminase level of 94 U/L (reference range 10–70), and a high alkaline phosphatase level of 130 U/L (reference range 35–105). Urine, collected from a urine catheter on the day of admission, was delivered immediately to the microbiology laboratory in the same hospital building, and cultivated. There were > 100,000 bacteria per ml, identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis, probably representing contamination. There was no bacterial growth in a repeat urine test taken 3 days later.
The day after admission a left dislocated hip fracture was identified. This information, in combination with a normal cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and disappearance of his facial asymmetry, caused the clinicians to reject the stroke hypothesis. His hip fracture was operated on the following day. Antibiotic medication (cefalotin 2 grams administered intravenously) was given twice: at the beginning and at the end of the surgery. Blood cultures with two sets, each consisting of one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle (Virtuo® blood culture, bioMérieux), were taken from his antecubital veins the day after admission. The cultures were brought to the microbiology laboratory immediately for further cultivation. No bacterial growth was seen.
Although the hip surgery was technically successful, it was not possible to physically mobilize our patient. The 12th day after hospital admission, a psychiatrist was consulted as our patient suffered from clouding of consciousness, episodic agitation, and increased anxiety. Olanzapine tablets were increased from 12.5 mg to 15 mg per day. On day 15 he was transferred to an acute psychiatric ward as it was considered the appropriate place for further treatment. This was unsuccessful as he deteriorated physically. As a consequence, he was returned to the intensive care unit. He was diagnosed as having bilateral lung emboli and suspected sepsis. New blood cultures were taken. Cefotaxime administered intravenously, 1 g three times a day, was started on day 18. Two days later, the cefotaxime dosage was increased to 2 g three times a day. The blood cultures revealed no growth.
Unfortunately, from now on a clinical downhill course followed. Our patient got aspiration pneumonia and was unable to swallow food or fluids. It was decided to stop further oral nutrition (fluids, food, pills) in an attempt to prevent further aspirations to his lungs. Instead, total parenteral nutrition was started. The tentative neurological diagnoses being discussed at this point were motor neuron disease, diabetic neuropathy, and extrapyramidal side effects of antipsychotics.
On the 20th day, a neurological examination found only slightly reduced muscle strength (grade 4–4+) for adduction and abduction of his shoulders bilaterally and a tendency to lead pipe rigidity in his wrist joints. No conclusive diagnosis was made. Three days later (day 23), a repeat neurological examination by another neurologist showed essentially the same clinical picture. The lead pipe rigidity in his upper extremities lessened significantly, almost to normal muscle tone, when our patient managed to relax. However, his wrist joints were strongly flexed and his hands tightly clenched to the bed rails bilaterally. Still, no conclusive neurological diagnosis was made. A videofluoroscopic swallow study and an assessment by a speech therapist were suggested but never performed because he did not regain the ability to cooperate.
The 23rd day was also the time for the second psychiatric consultation at the intensive care unit. Our patient was awake with a clear consciousness. He was oriented for time, place, and situation. Rapport was satisfactory. He was relaxed when engaged in a conversation or otherwise taken care of in his room; when left alone, he was stressed and obviously not at ease. He denied hallucinations. However, his dysarthric speech was a hindrance to an adequate psychiatric evaluation. All in all, there had been some improvement in his psychiatric state since the first psychiatric consultation on the 12th day. Haloperidol tablets, sporadically used as on demand medication to calm him, were discontinued. On the 24th day, metronidazole 500 mg administered intravenously was added to the treatment. Both antibiotics were continued through the 28th day, and then terminated.
On the 38th day the neurologist found that the electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies showed changes consistent with a sensorimotor polyneuropathy affecting his lower extremities. There was no EMG pathology in his upper extremities. The EMG/neurography findings were not compatible with motor neuron disease or acute polyneuropathy. No causal explanation for his dysarthria and dysphagia was found.
The one symptom that he confirmed on all psychiatric consultations (that is, on day 12, 23, 31, 32, 35, and 42 after admission) was anxiety. This was a generalized anxiety with fluctuating intensity that responded satisfactorily to diazepam 2–2.5 mg intravenously administered 4–5 times a day. The anxiety stressed him much more when he was left alone in his room. Having a nurse or a family member nearby calmed him significantly. Apart from adding antibiotics for pneumonia, the regular medication was re-evaluated throughout the course. Antidiabetic treatment was switched from metformin tablets to insulin in order to improve his blood glucose level. The antipsychotic medication (olanzapine) was reduced to 10 mg per day as we suspected the drug to be a cause of his hypersomnia and fatigue. Despite a range of efforts from specialists in orthopedic surgery, hand surgery, anesthesiology, pulmonology, neurology, and psychiatry, our patient did not recover. He died 44 days after being admitted to hospital.
The abnormal hand postures
The focus of this case presentation, however, is on the unusual observation of his clenched hands. Thus, we have to step back. During the second psychiatric consultation on day 23 after admission, he was observed clutching his hands onto the side rails of the bed. With some assistance he managed to let go of the rails, but his hands were still tightly clenched. When asked if he could extend his four ulnar fingers he only managed a slight active extension of them, just enough to let the doctor inspect and palpate his palms. On the four later psychiatric consultations, he no longer held onto the side rails. Both hands from now on lay on the duvet with his wrists in palmar flexion, the left one more strongly than the right one. His four ulnar fingers were fully flexed giving the impression of clenched fists (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1
The patient’s clenched fists seen from different angles
During these later examinations, he was still unable to open his hands voluntarily. Neither could he extend his wrists. On testing for passive extension of the wrist joints, proximal and distal interphalangeal joints, and metacarpophalangeal joints of his four ulnar fingers only slight extension was allowed for. His thumbs, however, could be fully extended, although with some resistance.
During the extension of his four ulnar fingers there was a resistance that increased proportionally to the force applied by the examiner, giving it an “elastic feel.” Furthermore, there was a non-pitting swelling on the dorsum of his left hand and lower arm. Passive extension of his fingers allowed for examinations of his palms. There was no visible or palpable sign of Dupuytren’s contracture on either side. Neither were there signs of traumas to the hands. However, he had small wounds in the left fossa cubiti caused by syringes and peripheral venous catheters associated with blood test and intravenous infusions. This could have been the culprit for the abovementioned swelling.
The neurological work-up revealed no plausible organic pathology.
Attempts to treat the clenched hands were obsolete as our patient was unable to cooperate in any way. However, he accepted a palliative application of hand orthoses that counteracted the wrist flexion to some degree during the last week of his life. According to information from family members he had had normal function of his hands prior to this hospital stay. They had a theory that his holding his hands clutched on the side rails was his attempt to prevent falling or being pulled out of his bed. Our patient himself could not explain why his hands were clenched. He had no pain in his hands, but he confirmed having more or less continuous anxiety during all six psychiatric consultations. Every attempt at mobilization in order to get him out of bed failed as he resisted both verbally, by crying out, and physically.
On day 42, a junior doctor at the Department of Hand Surgery responded to a request to examine our patient. After discussing the case with her senior colleagues, the doctor could not conclude on any plausible organic disorder. She recommended putting some insulating material between fingertips and palms to prevent maceration and wounding. She also suggested a repeat neurological examination in case he improved.
An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was aspiration pneumonia. In addition, an old infarction was found in the pons and medulla oblongata. Furthermore, there were discrete thickenings of blood vessels and old, small perivascular infarcts consistent with lacunar state in the brain. His relatives had never observed or heard our patient report symptoms compatible with stroke or cerebral insults prior to the current illness course.
9 Physical Symptoms Your Brain Uses to Talk Mental Health
You know what’s overwhelming? Deciphering how we actually, well, feel. But there may be a more obvious sign than just trying to think through the fog.
“Unlikely, unusual, or extreme responses to emotions can be perceived as defense mechanisms,” Dr. Steven Rosenberg, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and behavioral specialist, tells Greatist. Instead of going for the obvious reason of why your brain may be acting in a certain way, try looking at how the body is attempting to cope.
And sometimes it’s not as obvious as you think. Below, we highlight the overlooked connections between our strange bodies and how they signal what we’re really feeling.
What it could mean: Tired, bored, or sad.
The overlooked connection: You’ve probably heard that looking someone in the eyes portrays confidence. Well, poor posture and looking down portrays the opposite.
“When we talk to someone and look at their shoes, it shows shyness or fear of socialization,” Dr. Rosenberg says. So sure, you might be tired, bored, or sad — but have you looked into why these emotions are dominating your mood?
What it could mean: Dehydration, eye strain, or bad posture.
The overlooked connection: According to Nicole Micucci, MSW, a primary clinician at Pathway to Hope, depression can actually cause headaches. Frustrating, we know. You might feel like your brain is too overwhelmed and pressing against your forehead. Unfortunately, this mental stress can cause a physical one.
What it could mean: Tired, bored, or uncertain.
The overlooked connection: “Depression can often cause exhaustion, slowing a person’s body movements,” says Micucci.
When experiencing depression, it can feel like an expansive weight is on you, being carried around with each movement. This can lead to more sluggish movements as your body adapts to this feeling of weight.
What it could mean: Upset stomach, bad food ingested, or sickness.
The overlooked connection: Micucci explains that depression and anxiety can directly lead to digestive issues.
If you’ve heard of anxiety diarrhea, well, we have news for you. This physical reaction is frustrating and can accentuate already existing anxiety. If that’s the link for you, taking deep breaths in the moment and drinking a ton of water goes a long way to help it fade.
What it could mean: Dry skin, boredom, or stress.
The overlooked connection: Micucci explains that when someone’s experiencing anxiety “there may be an increase in physical habits like nail biting or skin/hair picking.”
For many people, when their anxiety flares up, there’ll be an increase in nail-biting or picking. They might not even notice they’re doing it. It’s a habit-cycle that helps create a release from the intense feelings of anxiety that are building up.
If your hands get twitchy during anxiety spells, try keeping something soothing in your pocket.
What it could mean: Environmental heat, confusion, or stress.
The overlooked connection: A full-blown anxiety attack can bring on a lot of overheating and sweaty palms. When this happens, your body is experiencing the fight-or-flight response — a physiological reaction in response to stress.
“Wringing our hands and wet palms is anxiety. This person has the weight of the world on them,” Dr. Rosenberg says. Taking the time to meditate or even do a few deep breaths can relieve this symptom a bit.
What it could mean: Stress, poor sleep, or distress.
The overlooked connection: Micucci tells us that “anger is typically associated with teeth grinding.” You might think of teeth grinding as a part of stress dreams, or a result of poor sleep — and that may still be true, but consider if your stress is actually a result of being unable to process anger.
How can you find a safe way to express that anger so it’s not being taken out on your teeth?
What it could mean: Nervous, confused, or anxious.
The overlooked connection: If you’ve ever clenched your fist to stop yourself from saying something you’ll regret, that’s anger.
Micucci notes this action can be an automatic reaction to anger your body exhibits. Similarly to teeth grinding, this physical pressure acts as a way to create some sense of grounding within you.
What it could mean: Sore muscles, poor posture, or excitement.
The overlooked connection: It’s not just in your shoulders where you carry your stress. It might be all over your body.
“A person standing rigidly with their shoulders up are very tense,” Dr. Rosenberg says. Your body mimics this feeling and tenses up, becoming stiff and tight. Try stretching it out to release some of your physical and mental tension.
Your physical aches might be a message from your brain, trying to give you a clue as to what you’re actually feeling.
We wish it could be more direct, but we get it: deciphering the root cause of our feelings can become downright impossible when our brain is a cloudy concoction of emotions. So, in these trying times, it might be time to work backward and listen to your body.
Sarah Fielding is a New York City-based writer. She covers social justice, mental health, health, travel, relationships, entertainment, fashion, and food.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms – fist clenching be a warning sign
One woman has contacted This Morning to seek a second opinion for her symptoms, which she believed could be linked to arthritis.
Dr Chris Steele and Dr Zoe Williams joined hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield to help answer the caller’s questions.
Abbie, the caller said: “I’m only 20 but when I wake up on the morning my fists are clenched.”
“I’m wondering if it can be arthritis. I’m only 20,” she said.
Dr Chris Steele said Abbie had previously mentioned her parents had arthritis.
Abbie’s father has ankylosing spondylitis – a form of arthritis which causes back pain, stiffness, fatigue and impaired mobility that develops over time.
Dr Chris said: “It usually affects the joint at the bottom of the back.
“You are three times more likely to get it if you have a parent with it.”
However, Abbie said it was just her hands and fingers which were affected.
Dr Chris said: “I would be thinking about rheumatoid arthritis – you can get it in your twenties.
“You would need to be referred to a rheumatologist – especially if it is worse in the morning.”
Rheumatoid arthritis more commonly affects people between the ages of 30 and 60. However, it can affect children.
People suffering with rheumatoid arthritis often experience periods where the symptoms are worse.
These can be difficult to predict but there is treatment available which can ease pain and prevent long-term damage to the joints.
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience problems in other parts of the body, or more general symptoms such as tiredness and weight loss.
The condition is an autoimmune condition, which means it is caused by the immune system attacking healthy body tissue – such as the lining go the joints.
It causes joints to become sore and inflamed and damages bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
If the condition isn’t treated, these chemicals gradually cause the joint to lose its shape and alignment.
case report of a clinical rarity of special interest for psychiatrists and hand surgeons
Abstract
Background
The Clenched Fist Syndrome (CFS) is a type of a psychiatric disorder, in which the patients show flexion finger contractures. Although no organic etiology can be identified, the syndrome in most cases presents with pain and paradoxical stiffness.
Case presentation
We, herein, report the case of a 52-year old woman with a 6-month history of progressive hand flexion contracture and intermittent numbness in the first 3 fingers, mimicking carpal tunnel syndrome. On examination, all digits, including the thumb, were held in a tight flexion at the metacarpal and interphalangeal joints. Passive digital extension was painless in all fingers. Physical examination did not reveal any joint tenderness, joint or tendon sheath swelling. X ray was performed and did not show any abnormalities. Neurological examination did not reveal any organic etiology.
Conclusions
CFS is believed to be a conversion disorder, i.e. unconsciously motivated and produced, whereas others consider it a factitious disorder, i.e. unconsciously motivated but consciously produced. Surgical treatment is not indicated, as it can worsen the symptoms. The related literature is discussed. We conclude that CFS should always be considered in patients with unexplainable flexion hand contractures, especially in the presence of a positive psychiatric history.
Keywords: Clenched-fist-syndrome, Psychoflexed hand, Hand contracture, Conversion disorder
Background
Psychopathological hand disorders can present with various symptoms ranging from treatment-resistant ulcera (mostly self-inflicted) or swelling, abnormal sensory dysfunction and psychopathological hand dystonia [1, 2]. These disorders are not of somatic origin and organic pathologies should be excluded for the diagnosis to be established. Since these disorders are very rare, they are often overlooked, most times resulting in inadequate treatment and unnecessary progressive mutilating operations [3].
We herein report a patient with clenched fist syndrome (CFS). CFS is considered a conversion disorder [1, 4] and belongs to the group of psychopathological hand dystonias [3]. The condition is characterized by flexion contracture of several digits or in more severe cases of the entire hand. Patients with CFS often suffer from psychiatric comorbidities such as depression, schizophrenia or obsessive compulsive disorders. Treatment can be very difficult since patients generally lack insight into the psychiatric nature of their disease and most times are not willing to accept any additional psychiatric treatment [1, 2, 5–8].
Case presentation
A 52-year-old woman presented to our department with a 6-month history of progressive hand flexion contracture. The patient had already consulted 19 hand surgeons without a diagnosis. She suffered from depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, classified as mysophobia, but had not been receiving any medications. She reported diffuse pain in the hand without being able to recall any previous injury and intermittent numbness in the first three fingers of your hand. On physical examination all digits of the right hand, including the thumb, were held in a flexed position at the level of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joint (Fig. ). Passive digital extension was painless in all fingers. Active extension was not possible. No signs of joint tenderness, joint or tendon sheath swelling were observed. Peripheral sensibility and blood perfusion was normal. Neurological examination did not reveal any organic etiology. Hand x-rays excluded bone injuries or degenerative changes, such as arthritic conditions. Electromyography of the brachial plexus and the peripheral nerves of the upper extremity did not show any pathologic conditions. MRI of the hand showed no abnormalities with relevance to CFS-symptoms. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of CFS was made. Although initially being susceptible to receiving treatment, Despite initially being susceptible in receiving treatment, the patient was treated with splint and intensive physiotherapy. She was already consulting a psychiatrist for the mysophobia and continued with biofeedback training and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The hand was brought back to the neutral position after 1 month.
Clenched right hand with flexion contracture in metacarpal and interphalangeal joints
Discussion and conclusion
CFS is a very rare clinical entity, with less than 40 cases reported. It is a psychiatric syndrome without clear and well-established etiology that can be assigned to the group of conversion disorders. Therefore, it is to be differentiated from factitious disorders or malingering [1, 2]. Patients suffering from CFS develop flexion contractures of the hand and fingers with potentially devastating outcomes if left untreated. The term clenched fist syndrome was first introduced in 1980 by Simmons et al. [3], who described a case series of five patients of different age with flexion contractures of the entire hand. Particular affected fingers were the ulnar three digits. In 1983, Frykman et al. used the term psycho-flexed hand to describe a case series of five patients, who, similar to the clenched fist syndrome, presented with flexion contractures [9]. In this case series, though, the dominant hand was involved. The patients were all middle-aged and none of them had the entire hand clenched. While there are differences between both reported patient groups, it is possibly the same entity that varies in symptoms.
In the past, many authors described CFS as a subgroup of SHAFT-syndrome, which is a factitious disorder, leading affected patients to seek polysurgery and manipulate medical staff in order to satisfy their psychological needs. These patients tend to be sad, hostile, anxious, frustrating and tenacious, so the acronym SHAFT was built [6]. Many recent reports indicate that CFS is a conversion disorder that is unconsciously motivated and unconsciously produced [1, 4, 7, 8]. Therefore, it should not be grouped with the factitious disorders, which are unconsciously motivated and consciously produced, or with malingering which is consciously motivated and consciously produced [1, 2, 10].
The DSM V criteria introduced the group of Functional Neurological Symptom Disorders as a subtype of conversion disorders, classified as F44.4 in the existing ICD 10 version. In the upcoming ICD 11 Classification these disorders are further categorized as Dissociative neurological symptom disorder, with movement disturbance (ICD Code: 6B60.8) [11]. In the literature these types of disorders are also often recognized as psychogenic movement disorders. This term emphasizes the psychogenic etiology [12]. Even though the terminology is not uniformly, the diagnostic criteria are very similar. In the upcoming ICD 11 “Dissociative neurological symptom disorders, with movement disturbance are characterized by symptoms such as chorea, myoclonus, tremor, dystonia, facial spasm, parkinsonism, or dyskinesia that are not consistent with a recognized disease of the nervous system, other mental and behavioural disorder, or other health condition and do not occur exclusively during another dissociative disorder” [11].
Patients with CFS present with a variety of symptoms ranging from simple flexion deformities to contraction in the entire hand. Even minor trauma seems to trigger the disease in most cases. Bilateral involvement is also possible, but not the rule. Most often the disorder involves both interphalangeal joints. Additional psychiatric comorbidities are almost always present in patients with CFS and a thoroughly psychiatric assessment should be performed in the first consultation [3, 7–9, 13, 14]. Our patient showed an unexplainable flexion contracture of all digits at the level of the proximal and distal interphalangeal (PIP and DIP) joints of the right hand resembling previously described cases with no prior trauma. In addition, the patient had a positive psychiatric history, as she was suffering from obsessive compulsion disorder and depression. Both disorders have been closely linked to the clenched fist syndrome in the literature [1, 5, 14]. Mysophobia has not been increasingly represented in the published cases though [2, 12, 14].
In the physical examination, the majority of patients show flexion contractures in the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint, resulting in clenching the hand into a fist. The ulnar-sided fingers are most commonly affected. Active extension is not possible and trying to passively extend the fingers without anesthesia is too painful to accomplish. In advanced cases, the contractures become permanent due to changes in the soft tissue, joints and tendons. Macerations and infections due to palm hygiene problems also occur in these cases [3, 7, 8, 13]. In our patient, all fingers including the thumb were affected at the level of metacarpal and interphalangeal joints. There was no joint tenderness, joint or tendon sheath swelling. Passive digital extension was painlessly possible in all fingers.
Radiography, laboratory tests, MRI and electromyography are in most cases normal, but comprise the standard diagnostic tools used to rule out any organic etiology before CFS diagnosis can be made. All of these tests were carried out in our patient and showed no pathological results. Differential diagnosis includes rheumatologic diseases, Dupuytren contracture, camptodactyly, complex regional pain syndrome, central neurological and peripheral nerve diseases. The fact that in our case all 19 hand surgeons being consulted, missed the diagnosis is not uncommon for CFS, since it is a relatively rare disease and most physicians are not aware of psychopathological hand disorders [1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9].
The treatment of CFS consists of unclenching the hand under anesthesia, intensive physiotherapy and psychotherapy (e.g. CBT, biofeedback, hypnosis) [1, 2, 8, 15]. In prolonged cases, it is sometimes indicated to relieve the contractures surgically. Recent reports show promising results in patients that underwent successful psychotherapy. Surgery should only be performed in these patients and not on psychiatric unstable patients. Fixed chronic contractures that cannot be resolved through conservative treatment or intensive physiotherapy represent an indication for surgery. These contractures develop when the hand is held in a fixed clenched position for a long period of time [7, 8].
Our patient was educated about the psychopathological nature of her disorder and received splint and intensive physiotherapy. The goal of CBT was to convince the patient that the pathology of her hand could not be attributed to a clear organic etiology and to develop coping strategies [1, 15]. In our opinion, both therapy modalities (physiotherapy and psychotherapy) contributed to the improvement, as the patient could not see the necessity of physiotherapy without psychotherapy. The hand was brought back to the neutral position after 1 month.
Prognosis is described as rather poor in literature since most of the patients tend not to comprehend or neglect the graveness of their illness. Thus, treatment is not completed and drop outs are fairly common. The success of therapy correlates closely to the results of psychotherapy [1, 3, 4, 8].
We conclude that CFS should always be considered in patients with unexplainable flexion hand contractures, especially in the presence of a positive psychiatric history.
Why Do I Clench My Fist While Sleeping?
There is more to night-fist clenching in adults than folding your fingers. Sleep fist-clenching can be blamed on different happenings within your life, ranging from stress, physical exhaustion to underlying medical conditions, among other things.
Fist Clenching in Babies
Looking at a newborn baby clench their fist, it becomes apparent that clenching is natural to humans. Newborns, in particular, clench their hands for different reasons. One of the main reasons fist clenching is instinctual is that it mirrors the baby’s actual position in the womb. It could also be a neurological reflex induced by touch on the palm, and in some instances, it can be a sign of hunger and stress.
As a baby gets older, it is usually expected that they will stop clenching their fists. Notably, when fist-clenching lasts unusually long, it is generally indicative that there is something wrong. For instance, when a baby clenches its fists for more than three months, this can signal a neurological disorder. While fist clenching is part of your baby’s development, it does not hurt seeking a second opinion when you find it unusual.
Adult Fist-Clenching While Sleeping
While fist clenching is normal to newborns, it is strange to adults. However, there could be instances when you find an adult clench their fists while asleep. While some people perceive fist clenching to be normal to adults, especially when one seems to be in ‘perfect’ health, adult fist clenching usually has a deeper meaning as far as their wellbeing is concerned.
Clenching fists while asleep is often a sign of nervousness, confusion, or general anxiety. This can be evidenced by the fact that some people tend to clench their fists when reacting to provocations or expressing regret. This action is believed to be a natural reaction from the body to induce a sense of grinding within you.
Generally, it is believed that random acts of fist-clenching might be normal. However, if you are always waking up with clenched fists, this should be a course for concern. An obvious sign of ‘chronic’ fist-clenching while asleep is waking up to unusual inflammation and pain in your hands. And when you notice these signs, you undoubtedly need to assess the situation and address the causes.
Why Some People Clench their Fists While Sleeping
Medical studies have answers on why fist-clenching is observed among adults. While it is normal to clench your fists in the middle of a random dream, other factors could make you clench your fist while sleeping. Here are some reasons why some adults have to live with fist clenching and its consequences.
Bottled-Up Anger
Most people prefer not to express their feelings, especially anger. This could be because of childhood teachings where it was morally unacceptable to express angry feelings. And unfortunately, it is common to see adults having difficulties expressing angry feelings. Studies have shown that the inability to express anger directly means that it has to be exhibited in other unusual or indirect ways. Clenching your fists while sleeping could be a manifestation of bottled-up anger within you.
Underlying Medical Conditions
Clenched fists are linked to several medical conditions. Individuals with epilepsy, schizophrenia, and rheumatoid arthritis often have clenched fists. While fist-clenching might be observed during the day, they might also be present at night. On the other hand, persons recovering from stroke often complain of unusual stiffness on their hands, largely because of short tissue stiffness caused by limited motion range.
Anxiety and Stress
It is normal to feel stressed. As far as night fist-clenching goes, common stressors should not be cause for concern. Most cases of fist-clenching at night can be attributed to increased anxiety and stress levels. As mentioned earlier, clenching serves to create a sense of grounding within the body, only that this might happen at the wrong time. If you have a history of clenching your fists while asleep, pay attention to your mental health.
Physical Exhaustion or Pain
Certain physical activities could be associated with night fist-clenching. For instance, if you have been doing lots of weight lifting in recent months, you might find yourself clenching your fists at night. On the other hand, it might be blamed on unusual pain in certain body parts such as the back or other large muscle groups. The best way to address fist-clenching caused by exhaustion is to stay hydrated, and if possible, go for some physiotherapy sessions to ease the tension and pain in the body.
Reaction to Certain Medications
It is common to have the body react to certain medicines, either positively or adversely. Studies show that certain anti-depressants can place you at risk of unusual muscle and joint aches. It is also believed that some drugs used to manage cholesterol levels in the body also cause muscle pain and cramping. As far as medication reaction goes, it is worth noting that these reactions are unique to different people. So if you notice any signs of night fist-clenching after using certain medication, it is advisable to seek your doctor’s professional opinion.
Addressing Night Fist Clenching
Physical manifestations are usually a message from the brain that something isn’t right. It is therefore essential to strive to decipher what it is the brain is saying. While it is not usually easy to pick up what the body or brain is trying to communicate, especially to the untrained eye, working backward and listening to your body, you have to find a way.
If you have been waking up with your hands clenched and feeling unusually sore, then you need to find a way of addressing this condition. Well, the first step is to get to the root of the matter by identifying the triggers. It is worth noting that there is no treatment for fist-clenching, but you can ease the symptoms. Among the things that you can do include, learn how to express your feelings, avoid or manage stress, stay hydrated, sleep on comfortable beddings, and most importantly, seek professional advice.
Addressing fist clenching is critical to enjoying a good night’s sleep. Sleep affects every aspect of your life, including your mood and productivity. Any sleeping disorder undoubtedly deserves your attention. Thus, you should always be open to anything, lifestyle change or action, that could improve your life’s quality through sleep.
Do Many Therefore, even as adults, we may have difficulty expressing anger, After years of stuffing or stiffling our anger, we may not even acknowledge However, The anger you are unaware of can do the most damage to your health, Do you have any of the following symptoms?: Physical jaws especially while sleeping teeth especially while sleeping fist habitual foot tapping, facial tics stiff or sore neck or shoulder muscles in your stomach; stomach ulcers more easily than usual getting to sleep or sleeping through the night up tired, rather than refreshed headaches blood pressure muscle tension colds Behavioral in regard to imposed tasks lateness cynicism, or flippancy in conversation sighing constant cheerfulness, “stiff upper lip” or monotone voice apathy, loss of interest disturbing dreams fantasies irritability or intense anger over small things at inappropriate moments; sleeping much more than normal depression; feeling down for no particular reason self-destructive behavior, significant weight gain, compulsive or binge-eating If you |
Bruxism & Sleep – Sleep Disorders
Clenching and grinding your teeth is a common involuntary reaction to anger, fear, or stress. In some people, this reaction plays out repeatedly through the day, even if they aren’t responding to an immediate stressor. This involuntary teeth grinding is known as bruxism.
Bruxism can happen while awake or asleep, but people are much less likely to know that they grind their teeth when sleeping. Because of the force applied during episodes of sleep bruxism, the condition can pose serious problems for the teeth and jaw and may require treatment to reduce its impact.
What Is Sleep Bruxism?
Sleep bruxism is teeth grinding that happens during sleep. Sleep bruxism and bruxism while awake are considered to be distinct conditions even though the physical action is similar. Of the two, awake bruxism is more common.
A key challenge with sleep bruxism is that it is much harder for people to be aware that they are grinding their teeth while sleeping. Relatedly, a sleeping person doesn’t realize their bite strength, so they more tightly clench and grind their teeth, employing up to 250 pounds of force.
How Common Is Sleep Bruxism?
Sleep bruxism is more common in children, adolescents, and young adults than middle-aged and older adults. Exact numbers of how many people have sleep bruxism are hard to come by because many people are not aware that they grind their teeth.
Statistics about sleep bruxism in children are the hardest to pin down. Studies have found anywhere from around 6% to up to nearly 50% of children experience nighttime teeth grinding. It can affect children as soon as teeth come in, so some infants and toddlers grind their teeth.
In adolescents, the prevalence of sleep bruxism is estimated to be around 15%. It becomes less common with age as around 8% of middle-aged adults and only 3% of older adults are believed to grind their teeth during sleep.
What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Bruxism?
The main symptom of sleep bruxism is involuntary clenching and grinding of the teeth during sleep. The movements resemble chewing but generally involve more force.
People with sleep bruxism don’t grind their teeth throughout the night. Instead, they have episodes of clenching and grinding. People may have very few episodes per night or up to 100. The frequency of episodes is often inconsistent, and teeth grinding may not occur every night.
Some amount of mouth movement is normal during sleep. Up to 60% of people make occasional chewing-like motions known as rhythmic masticatory muscle activities (RMMA), but in people with sleep bruxism, these occur with greater frequency and force.
The majority of sleep bruxism takes place early in the sleep cycle during stages 1 and 2 of non-REM sleep. A small percentage of episodes can arise during REM sleep.
It’s normal for people who grind their teeth at night to not be cognizant of this symptom unless they are told about it by a family member or bed partner. However, other symptoms can be an indication of sleep bruxism.
Jaw pain and neck pain are two frequent signs of teeth grinding. These occur because of the tightening of these muscles during episodes of bruxism. Morning headaches that feel like tension headaches are another potential symptom. Unexplained damage to teeth can also be a sign of nighttime clenching and grinding of teeth.
What Are the Consequences of Sleep Bruxism?
Long-term consequences of sleep bruxism can include significant harm to the teeth. Teeth may become painful, eroded, and mobile. Dental crowns, fillings, and implants can also become damaged.
Teeth grinding can increase the risk of problems with the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull, known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). TMJ problems can provoke difficulty chewing, chronic jaw pain, popping or clicking noises, locking of the jaw, and other complications.
Not everyone with sleep bruxism will have serious effects. The extent of symptoms and long-term consequences depend on the severity of the grinding, the alignment of a person’s teeth, their diet, and whether they have other conditions that can affect the teeth like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Nighttime teeth grinding can also impact a bed partner. The noise from clenching and grinding can be bothersome, making it harder for a person sharing the bed to fall asleep or stay asleep as long as they would like.
What Causes Sleep Bruxism?
Multiple factors influence the risk of sleep bruxism, so it’s usually not possible to identify one single cause for why people grind their teeth. That said, certain risk factors are associated with a greater probability of sleep bruxism.
Stress is one of the most significant of these risk factors. Clenching the teeth when facing negative situations is a common reaction, and that can carry over to episodes of sleep bruxism. Teeth grinding is also believed to be connected to higher levels of anxiety.
Researchers have determined that sleep bruxism has a genetic component and can run in families. As many as half of people with sleep bruxism will have a close family member who also experiences the condition.
Episodes of teeth grinding appear to be connected to changing sleep patterns or microarousals from sleep. Most teeth grinding is preceded by increases in brain and cardiovascular activity. This may explain the associations that have been found between sleep bruxism and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which causes temporary sleep interruptions from lapses in breathing.
Numerous other factors have been associated with sleep bruxism including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, depression, and snoring. Further research is needed to better understand possible causal connections and whether and how these factors affect sleep bruxism.
How Is Sleep Bruxism Diagnosed?
Sleep bruxism is diagnosed by a doctor or a dentist, but the diagnostic process can vary depending on the type of health professional providing care.
An overnight study in a sleep clinic, known as polysomnography, is the most conclusive way to diagnose sleep bruxism. However, polysomnography can be time-consuming and expensive and may not be necessary in certain cases. Polysomnography can identify other sleep problems, like OSA, so it may be especially useful when a person has diverse sleep complaints.
For many people, the presence of symptoms like tooth damage and jaw pain combined with reports of teeth grinding from a bed partner may be sufficient to determine that a person has sleep bruxism.
Home observation tests can monitor for signs of teeth grinding, but these tests are considered to be less definitive than polysomnography.
What Are the Treatments for Sleep Bruxism?
There is no treatment that can completely eliminate or cure teeth grinding during sleep, but several approaches can decrease episodes and limit damage to the teeth and jaw.
Some people who grind their teeth have no symptoms and may not need treatment. Other people may have symptoms or greater risk of long-term problems, and in these cases, treatment is usually necessary.
The best treatment for sleep bruxism varies based on the individual and should always be overseen by a doctor or dentist who can explain the benefits and downsides of a therapy in the patient’s specific situation.
Stress Reduction
High levels of stress contribute to bruxism when awake and asleep, so taking steps to reduce and manage stress may help naturally decrease teeth grinding.
Reducing exposure to stressful situations is ideal, but of course, it’s impossible to completely eliminate stress. As a result, many approaches focus on combating negative responses to stress in order to reduce its impact.
Techniques for reframing negative thoughts are part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), a talk therapy for improving sleep that may address anxiety and stress as well. Improving sleep hygiene and employing relaxation techniques can have added benefits for falling asleep more easily.
Medications
Medications help some people reduce sleep bruxism. Most of these drugs work by altering brain chemicals to reduce muscle activity involved in teeth grinding. Botox injections are another way of limiting muscle movement and have shown effectiveness in more severe cases of sleep bruxism.
Most medications have side effects that may make them inappropriate for some patients or difficult to use over the long-term. It is important to talk with a doctor before taking any medication for sleep bruxism in order to best understand its potential benefits and side effects.
Mouthpieces
Various types of mouthpieces and mouthguards, sometimes called night guards, are used to reduce damage to the teeth and mouth that can occur because of sleep bruxism.
Dental splints can cover the teeth so that there is a barrier against the harmful impact of grinding. Splints are often specially designed by a dentist for the patient’s mouth but are also sold over-the-counter. They may cover just a section of teeth or cover a wider area, such as the whole upper or lower teeth.
Other types of splints and mouthpieces, including mandibular advancement devices (MAD), work to stabilize the mouth and jaw in a specific position and prevent clenching and grinding. MAD work by holding the lower jaw forward, and they are commonly used to reduce chronic snoring.
Symptom Relief
Another component of treatment is relieving symptoms to better cope with sleep bruxism.
Avoiding gum and hard foods can cut down on painful movements of the jaw. A hot compress or ice pack applied to the jaw may provide temporary pain relief.
Facial exercises help some people reduce the pain in their jaw or neck. Facial relaxation and massage of the head and neck area may further reduce muscle tension. A doctor or dentist may be able to suggest specific exercises or make a referral to an experienced physical therapist or massage therapist.
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90,000 Poses of a person during sleep reveal his character :: Society :: RBC
Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the basic positions of a person during sleep reveal his character, outlook on life and other psychological characteristics.In total, four main bed postures were identified: “embryo” or “embryo”, “log”, “thirsty” and “free fall”. Writes about this Daily Telegraph.
Photo: Depositphotos
This study was conducted by Robert Phipps, an expert on body language, who interviewed 1,000 people.the British. According to him, the postures of people during sleep allow us to find out how hard a person had a day, how high his level of anxiety, and also to what extent he is in control of his life.
R. Phipps concluded that more than half of British adults sleep in the fetal position, that is, on their side, curled up and pulling their knees up to the body.
Thanks to this position, people are immersed in the so-called comfort zone, where they can relax from the stress of the day.The closer the knees are moved to the body and the lower the head is lowered, the deeper the sleeper goes into the comfort zone.
This is the most appropriate posture to maximize your recovery overnight. These people tend to be conscientious, rational and like to keep things in their place, but they worry too often. R. Phipps warns “embryos” not to plunge too deep into the comfort zone, otherwise they will become too relaxed and will not be able to adequately respond to what is happening during the day.
The next popular pose is the “log”. In this position, the person lies on his side, stretched out to the string. The expert describes such people-“logs” as tough, uncompromising, stubborn, domineering and withdrawn. R. Phipps advises them to relax more during sleep and give their muscles rest.
His pose in a dream: what she will tell about
It is said that a person’s poses express his thoughts and feelings, desires and character. The same goes for sleeping poses. So, if you want to find out what your boyfriend is thinking, you don’t have to go to a psychologist, you just need to wait until he falls asleep and just watch.
Defenseless Pose
This is also known as the “fetus” or “embryo” pose. The pose is characterized by the position of the sleeping person on his side, while the legs are bent and pulled up to the stomach, and he himself often hides his hands between his legs, as if protecting the most sensitive part of the body. This speaks volumes about the fact that your boyfriend is worried about something. Perhaps some family problems, conflicts with work colleagues or something else. But whatever it is, one thing is clear: a young man needs care and support.Next time you go to bed, snuggle up to him and hug him. This will send a signal to his subconscious that you are completely on his side. In such a period of life, it is necessary to make it clear to the guy that you are ready to share his problems, listen and help. In addition, show him special tenderness and attention.
Model Pose
Your boyfriend is photogenic even in his sleep. He seems to be deliberately trying to impress or charm you. This clearly indicates that he lacks responsibility in your relationship.Even on a subconscious level, he wants to take care and patronize you more. Let the guy make his own decisions. After all, for you it will become a kind of relief, but for him it will be a chance to prove himself. Just ask a guy to plan your evening or weekend and enjoy!
Confusion Pose
If a guy literally gets entangled with his legs in sheets and blankets, trying to keep his lower body closed, then he is insecure.Perhaps he feels that he does not satisfy you in sex. Don’t be fooled by the fact that during the day he looks like the most confident young man in the world, but at night, in a dream, all hidden complexes and fears appear. Therefore, he tosses and turns in bed all night, trying to wrap himself up as tightly as possible. If his fears are unfounded, talk to him and tell him how well you are with him. Why torment him with vain experiences?
Aggressor Pose
If a guy clenches his fists in a dream, this does not mean that he is violent.The thing is that fists clenched in a dream indicate internal tension and stress. Most likely, he experiences this feeling exclusively subconsciously. If you have not noticed any serious problems in your relationship, it is not your fault. But constant stress can make your boyfriend irritable and hot-tempered. This can be followed by frequent quarrels, so be careful not to fall under the hot hand. To soften the situation a little, invite the young man to increase physical activity, for example, go to the gym together, take evening walks, sign up for a dance.This will help ease the tension until the true cause of the stress is identified.
It is also worth paying attention to how much space your boyfriend takes on the bed. If he tries to take up as much space as possible, this indicates that the guy has leadership qualities. Those people who need support are sleeping near the wall. On the edge of the bed are those who are not happy with their position in life. If an arm or a leg hangs from the bed, the person is trying to get away from their problems.
Of course, sleep postures will tell us a lot, they are like a mirror of the inner world. But remember – never label a person based only on the position in which they sleep. Stay objective! Perhaps you need to change something in yourself – and everything will work out …
A dark matter: strange things that we do in a dream
Recently, more and more people turn to doctors with complaints sleep disorder, while some of them perform rather extravagant acts in a dream.
Clinics specializing in such disorders are experiencing an unprecedented influx of patients.
This should not be surprising. In Britain alone, more than 30% of the population currently suffers from insomnia or other sleep disorders, according to the UK Mental Health Organization. This can have quite serious psychological and physiological consequences.
According to information from clinics, up to 50 new patients come to them every week on referrals – five times more than a decade ago.This solid increase is associated with increased awareness of the population about sleep disorders and the fact that more people began to talk about their problems to doctors.
In addition, clinics today are increasingly dealing with various oddities that people do in their sleep. However, some eccentricities are becoming more widespread. What is this weirdness?
Blind dial
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What happens in the head of a sleeping person remains a mystery to science
Technologies occupy a significant place in our life, so it is not incredible that we observe new forms of behavior in a dream related to them.
More and more people are complaining about sending text messages in their sleep, says Dr. Kirsty Anderson, head of sleep neurology at the National Health Service in Newcastle. With 92% of Britons owning a mobile phone today, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Many, falling asleep, put their cell phone next to them.
“It’s okay for people to do things in their sleep that they do regularly throughout the day,” says Anderson.
This behavior belongs to a group of disorders called parasomnia.These involuntary, undesirable actions performed in a dream can be either completely harmless, such as spontaneous opening of the eyes without awakening, or very dangerous: there are cases when people drove a car in a somnambulistic state. Anderson once had a patient who, in his sleep, could neatly take apart his grandfather’s clock.
What happens in our brain during such episodes is still a mystery. Very little research has been done on this topic, mainly due to the great difficulty in collecting data.
“The problem is that people rarely do this in a controlled setting,” laments Dr. Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Clinic. equipment for capturing the behavior of people in their own beds. ”
The consolation is that SMS messages sent by people in a dream are often meaningless. Despite the fact that people in a dream repeat the same actions as during the day, it turns out, as a rule, more awkwardly.
Night gluttony
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Night gluttony can be experienced by those who have exhausted themselves with hunger or were on a diet.
Inexplicably empty pots and mess in the kitchen are a familiar picture that some sleepwalkers find after waking up. The desire to eat something in your sleep is not too much of a problem, however, in more severe cases, it is already classified as a night meal syndrome, which must be treated.
Sufferers of this ailment can raid the kitchen several times a night, however, upon waking up, they do not remember anything about it.Often this leads to overweight, which entails a whole range of relevant problems – both physiological and mental. In addition, there is a risk of choking on food during sleep.
Like other strange habits in a dream, nighttime gluttony often occurs against the background of various parasomnias, which, according to doctors, are regularly experienced by half a million people in Britain. Eating while sleeping is often related to what people did before going to bed.
“Sleepers often do simple things that make sense to a certain extent, like going out to eat, going to bed hungry, or dieting all day,” says Anderson.
In more difficult cases – for example, when someone is engaged in cooking in a dream – in fact, the person is awake, but the next morning he does not remember anything about it. It’s a kind of amnesia, says Professor Jim Horn of the Sleep Research Center at Loughborough University.
“As a rule, they experience a state of confused awakening. In such, more extreme cases, this problem cannot be attributed to sleep itself. Often this can be, for example, a stressful condition that affects the quality of sleep,” explains Professor Horn.
Unbreakable sex
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A spouse who begins to molest in the middle of the night may not be aware of his actions
Sexomnia, a disorder in which sleepers have sex, has only come into the public eye in recent years. According to experts, very little research has been carried out on this topic so far, but the number of complaints with such complaints is growing.
The frequency of these abnormalities is influenced by stress, alcohol or medication.The disorder can manifest itself in different ways, ranging from small deviations that do not cause much concern to others, to full-fledged intercourse, sometimes with serious consequences.
Idzikowski acts as an expert in litigation, where in particular cases of rape and other sexual crimes are heard.
According to him, sexomnia is a manifestation of parasomnia. It most often occurs during deep sleep, when areas of the brain that are responsible for intelligent activity and control of the environment are turned off, but areas that regulate basic needs, including libido, remain active.
“This is an instinctive behavior. People at this time are not aware of their actions,” says Idzikowski. “In a state of deep sleep, people are not capable of making rational decisions or moral assessment of their actions.” According to the doctor, he is never tired of being amazed at what sleep disorders people can live with over the years, often without even realizing that they can be helped.
No Breathing
If a sleeping person stops breathing, it is often caused by a disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Although it is not something new, more and more patients are referred to specialized clinics with this diagnosis. Since obesity is one of the risk factors, experts predict that the number of visits will continue to rise.
With usually very loud snoring, sleep apnea occurs when the relaxed pharyngeal muscles collapse, blocking the upper airways. Cessation of breathing usually lasts a couple of tens of seconds, although in severe cases it can reach 2-3 minutes.To start breathing again, the sleeper needs to wake up for a short time, as a result the sleep becomes exhausting and does not bring rest.
“I was wildly scared when the doctors said that my breathing stopped for almost half a minute,” says one patient. I have a snoring problem but didn’t know it was that serious. ”
Dr. Idzikowski spoke about a 47-year-old truck driver who, due to respiratory arrest, was forced to wake up at night up to 50 times an hour.In extreme cases, this went up to 80 times.
“The person suffering from this ailment often does not remember their awakenings. Due to the lack of proper communication between the brain and the body, a person is awake, but is not aware of it. It can take about a minute for the brain to establish a connection with the body before a person is aware of himself woke up, – says the expert. – As a result, the patient is not able to fall asleep deep sleep, which is necessary for recovery. Waking up in the morning, such a person feels extremely overwhelmed. “
If a chauffeur, train driver, operator of complex machinery or air traffic controller experiences such a disorder, it can lead to great disaster.
“Brain Explosion”
Imagine: you are peacefully falling asleep in bed, and suddenly, like a bomb explodes in your head. This is called the “exploding head” syndrome – when a sharp deafening rumble is heard inside the cranium.
This is another case of parasomnia. Those who have experienced it describe it as a shell burst, a thunderclap, a timpani strike, or a gun salvo emanating from the inside of the head while falling asleep.It doesn’t hurt, but it can be quite unpleasant. There are cases when people were in a hurry to look out the window, as they believed that somewhere nearby a bomb had exploded.
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Exploding head syndrome is painless and harmless, but it can seriously scare complaints. She calls it the sensory equivalent of the sudden, sudden jolt or fall that many experience when falling asleep.
“People hear a really loud bang or bang the moment they fall asleep, and then it turns out that it couldn’t have happened outside because no one else heard it. Sometimes people see bright flashes of light,” says Anderson “This effect is not dangerous at all, but it can instill anxiety, so we just try to calm down those who come to us with complaints.”
However, in some cases, those suffering from exploding head syndrome have to prescribe medications: when people are so anxious that they are afraid to go to bed.
In most cases, such outbreaks occur haphazardly and it is impossible to establish any patterns. They can last for years and seriously affect the quality of life.
The doctor named dangerous sleeping positions | News | Izvestia
Incorrect posture during sleep can lead to chronic lower back pain. Liu Chun, an employee of the Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, told the Chinese newspaper Huanqiu Shibao about this.
The doctor warned that one night of sleeping in the wrong position of the body “can negate all previous efforts” for treatment.
The habit of falling asleep on its side means, according to the specialist, that the spine will be in a curved state throughout the night.
“This twisting causes pressure between the annulus fibrosus around the adjacent intervertebral discs. The increased pressure in the intervertebral disc causes the nucleus pulposus to protrude in a certain direction, thereby causing a herniated lumbar intervertebral disc, ”he stressed.
If a person sleeps on his stomach, then in this position the head and neck are displaced, and the muscles are tense.All this provokes the development of cervical spondylosis and is also one of the causes of back pain, Chun explained.
It is also harmful to sleep with support on some object, such as a pillow. At the same time, the spine is curved to varying degrees, which again causes pain.
The physician named the two most relaxing positions that make it easier to fall asleep, relieve fatigue and relax muscles.
“Grasp the other pillow with both legs and bend your knees approximately 130 degrees so that the spine is in one horizontal straight line and the muscles can be completely relaxed.In the supine position, place a pillow under your knees, your head should be high and comfortable, and your neck should be fully supported by the pillow, ”he said.
At the same time, the rehabilitation therapist emphasized that at first it is necessary to choose a pillow that is suitable in height so that the neck does not bend.
For those who like to sleep on their side with one leg bent, the specialist recommended placing a support under the raised arm and leg, which is not in a straight position.
People with severe heart failure and other heart diseases are advised by the doctor not to rest on the left side.
He noted that if a person develops the habit of sleeping in the correct position, then even tossing and turning in sleep, he will still “naturally take the correct position.” In the right position, people sleep peacefully.
As reported in June, warm milk and chamomile tea should be drunk in the evening to help you sleep better at night.
position of hands and feet in a dream
In a dream, each of us plays out the drama of our life, instead of words, using our own bodies to express joy and sadness, love and hate.
Dear friends, today we are continuing our conversation about body language at night. We have considered 4 poses: “embryo”, “semi-embryo”, “royal” and “prostrate”. These basic sleep positions best describe the mental and physical condition of a person.
The position of the arms and legs in sleep significantly supplements information about the personality of the individual: the “behavior” of the heels, ankles, wrists, elbows and other “small” parts of our body are full of meaning.
You may have a question:
How can ankles or heels have to do with the personality in general?
The answer can be found in the book of the famous doctor and psychoanalyst Samuel Dunkell “Sleeping Poses.Nocturnal body language. ” Over the course of a long psychiatric practice, the doctor came to the conclusion that a single detail in a night position can reflect the whole personality. So let’s start with the feet.
POSITION OF THE LEGS in a dream
will tell about the position and movement of a person in life: he weaves or dances, runs, walks or stands.
Putting your feet under the mattress or clinging to the edge of the bed speaks of the conservatism and constancy of a person who avoids any changes and surprises.
Dangling legs (leg) from the bed people are freedom-loving, loving change and adventure, they easily disregard public opinion and generally accepted norms. Dangling their leg, they seem to leave an additional path for themselves to escape at any moment to freedom.
Cross-legged people who are easily manipulated and obey the rules and opinions of society.
Semi-embryo
The most common posture, it has many variations due to the position of the legs.Let’s consider them.
Pose “prisoner”
Samuel Dunkell had an interesting case in his practice. At the request of the psychiatrist to take his favorite sleeping position, the patient lay down in a “semi-embryo” position, the most generally accepted of all. He seemed to be trying to tell the world: “Make sure I’m completely normal.”
However, his ankles gave him away. He slept in the “prisoner” position with the knees apart and the ankles crossed .
Usually, the ankles are crossed by “hobbled personalities”, fearful, lack of initiative, weak-willed and incapable of self-mobilization.
The position of the ankles clearly reflected the picture of the patient’s life problems, both personal and social:
- intensively coming into contact with women, he did not achieve the degree of intimacy he needed, the fear of a really developing situation interfered.
- An educated and highly skilled person, he has fallen short in many professional fields. He was hampered by his own anxiety, inability to mobilize and organize himself.
Sandwich or Sandwich Pose
One leg is exactly over the other, with the ankles, knees, and thighs touching.
Analysis: a person is comfortable in life, he seeks to adapt to the world around him in the best possible way, without “bending” it under himself and avoiding any conflicts.
Pose “hero”
Sleeping on their side with always extended and straight legs are dynamic, purposeful and assertive personalities, ready at any moment to step out of sleep back into the daytime “vertical” life.
They do not allow themselves to relax even for a minute, they are always in motion, on the way.
Flamingo Pose
– one leg is extended, and the other is bent at an acute angle at the knee, while the foot can slip under the shin or lie on top of the outstretched leg.
A different position of a person’s legs indicates the duality of his character:
independence is expressed by a straight leg, passivity and relaxation is indicated by a bent leg.
This position is preferred by passive-aggressive persons.
In their relations with the people around them, the leading role belongs to alternately passivity and aggressiveness, they can be collected or relaxed depending on their own mood and objective circumstances.
HAND POSITION in sleep
In wakefulness, we can express many feelings by speech and gestures. In a dream, coherent speech is not available to us, but the hands acquire even greater expressiveness: we use them, like the deaf and dumb, very clearly.
Certain positions of the hands are usually associated with the main poses:
- in the “half-embryo” the arms are located at the level of the chest in front of the body,
- in the “royal” position, the hands most often lie on the sides of the body, palms bent and demonstrate openness to the world and readiness to perceive it.
- In the “extended” position, the arms are usually extended above the head and bent at the elbows. This is the frog pose. Its main drawback is the obstructed circulation of blood in the hands.
Hands support the abdomen, firmly intertwined, or lie on top of the abdomen one on top of the other.
This pose is defensive. The belly is likely to symbolize food, or the relationship between a nursing mother and baby.
For example, one patient of Samuel Dunkell, who was often beaten as a child, took a “royal” pose in her sleep, but not because of openness to the world and a sense of security, but to be ready to repel an attack at any time.
Hands folded on her stomach say that she does not feel safe, otherwise they would lie on the sides of the body and be relaxed.
As the treatment proceeded, with the improvement of her mental state, the woman began to sleep on her side, abandoning the “royal” position, which was forced for her and was taken for physical protection.
Arms extended above the head.
This position in various poses can mean the following:
- The elbows are spread apart, and the head rests at the same time between the palms – the person uses his intellect as protection from the outside world.
- The arms are bent at the elbows and are located a few centimeters from the ears, a person sleeping in a royal pose seems to be raising a barbell or pulling up on a bar in a dream.
This hand pose emphasizes the feelings of satisfaction associated with the royal pose.
- Hands extended fully up and almost straight, as if the sleeper capitulates.
In this case, inactivity and open arms demonstrate passivity, which contradicts the “royal” posture.But history knows many weak kings.
The hand grasps the opposite shoulder in a dream (or both hands clasp the shoulders) .
Outwardly, it looks the same as if a sleeping chill and needs someone’s warmth.
Analysis: This hunched posture is preferred by people who very rarely express their needs openly – their fingers are clenched tightly during a night hug, and not open, as is the case with a real hug.
Hands clench into fists in a dream, which clearly shows hostility and aggressiveness.
One day Dunkell’s patient, a divorced lady, learned that her ex-husband was going to marry her best friend. In the dream, her hands began to clench into fists, while her thumb was trapped inside the fist.
The imaginary fist demonstrated the duality of her attitude towards her own aggression: experiencing anger and resentment, the woman understood that she was unable to express these feelings, because she had no objective reasons for this.
Hands covering the face – a traditional gesture of mourning.
One patient had her right breast removed. Her posture changed in two respects:
- if she was comfortable sleeping on her right side before the operation, then after her she began to sleep on her left.
- Psychological trauma was expressed in covering the face with the hands during sleep.
While sleeping, they hold onto the back or the post of the bed people who need support and protection in life.
They can be clingy and very dependent, do not allow themselves to be liberated, to feel their individuality.
Do not forget that we have two hands and often the left hand does not know about the affairs of the right.
For example, one hand can firmly hold on to a bed post, while the other can lie freely or hang out of bed.
This hand position indicates an internal contradiction:
- free-lying or hanging hand – a person completely trusts life,
- clenched hand – an individual has a strong dependence, but does not want to submit to it completely.
Personal conflict consists in the need for a firm position in life and the need for relaxation.
This conflict, as a rule, continues in relations with other people: a person seeks to find someone to whom to cling to, but worries about his emotional independence, which he is afraid of losing.
As you can see,
positions of hands and feet in a dream can be deeply expressive.
With their help, each of us talks about our problems, experiences, habits, even about what in our daytime life he prefers to be silent.
Based on the book by Samuel Dunkell “Sleeping Poses. Nocturnal body language. ”
Elena Valve for the project Sleepy Cantata
This article is protected by the law on copyright and related rights. Any use of the material is possible only with an active link to the site
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In the following publications:
- On exotic poses that reflect our attitude to the people around us and to various life situations.
Dream interpretation fist. Why dream, what does a dream mean in which a fist dreamed
In real life, a fist means someone’s dissatisfaction with your behavior and warns you to stop, not to cross the line of what is permitted. As the dream book says, a fist in a dream is a symbol of an upcoming dispute, which may end in a squabble. However, the details of the dream can change its meaning.
Kulan in a dream, in most cases warns of danger. It may well be that you yourself are to blame for the denouement of a negative situation.Perhaps you should stop getting angry with someone yourself.
Where to start
Dreamed of tightly clenched fingers
Symbolism of the hand
The first step is to figure out what the hand means in night vision. In dream books, there is information that seeing a hand separately, without the person himself, is a dream that has a negative connotation.
Such a vision suggests that you have stopped in one place and do not develop further, do not want or cannot improve your situation.
The left hand, as a rule, is responsible for the feminine principle, and the right, respectively, for the masculine.
To dream of someone else’s clenched hands
You see someone else’s hands clenched into fists – you will have to face an unpleasant situation. You will meet rebuff, resistance, or you yourself will have to defend yourself.
The interpreter of dreams says that the sleeping person will have to defend his point of view. Resistance will lead to a huge scandal, which is worth preparing for.
When the vision was dreamed
For interpretation, it is important to indicate at what time of year you saw such a symbol as a fist:
- in spring – making an important decision;
- in the summer – your restless disposition will lead to the fact that you get involved in a fight;
- in the fall – be careful, you will be threatened.
The face is dreaming of a threat
Pay attention to the actions
To make a correct prediction, it is important to indicate: you dreamed of your own fist, which you threatened someone, or the threat was in your direction from another person.
Seeing a fist right next to your nose means you should be extremely careful. Enemies are in an active position, you cannot relax.
Threat in your direction
Why dream of a fist that is shown to you? Oddly enough, such night vision is perceived positively by dream books. It is believed that soon the conflict in which you have been for a long time will exhaust itself, and you will be able to enjoy peace and quiet.
Threaten himself in a dream
The dreamer threatens
In a dream, did you threaten another person yourself, showing your fist? The foretellers say the following: you will become an unwitting witness to someone else’s quarrel and want to reconcile opponents.
This way you yourself get involved in a quarrel.
Convulsively clenching and unclenching a fist in a dream is a symbol of anger. You are angry at the current situation, while the culprit is the dreamer himself.
Fights without rules
Become a witness of a fist fight without rules – no matter how you postpone an open conflict with your opponent, it will still happen. You should carefully prepare for it, as your opponent is strong, and his chances of winning are much higher than yours.
To beat someone in a dream
Fight according to the Creative Dream Book
You dreamed of a Fight for what it is. 1. If we fight in a dream, it usually means that we are fighting for our independence. Or we need to express our anger, frustration, subconscious Desire to harm any part of ourselves. Or we want to harm someone else, which is impossible in the waking state. 2.
Giving change is a natural defense mechanism. Therefore, if in everyday life we feel some kind of threat, we will dream of such a situation, we will fight for our rights.3. Literally, a fight is a spiritual conflict. The dreamer should try to understand where and why there is a conflict, and try to deal with it at an easier level than when “all weapons are naked.”
Opinion of psychologists and numerologists
Psychologist Freud associated his dreaming fist with a phallic symbol. Based on this statement, you can build a prediction.
The main thing is to remember what the fist looked like in a dream, to whom it belonged.
Miller said: if you happen to beat someone with his fist in a dream, then the dreamer will expect mutual reproaches with another person.
The numerological interpreter believes: when you clenched your fists in night vision, you should be extremely careful in real life. Danger will lie in wait for you in a completely unexpected place.
A dream like this may show you that you have not taken your opponent seriously enough, and he will turn out to be stronger than you thought. Also, you should not abuse alcohol, otherwise you may lose control of yourself and get involved in a fight.
The dream interpretation believes that the enemy will beat you, and not in a deserted place, but in front of a large audience.
Fight according to the Eastern Dream Book
If you manage to get involved in a fight, you are in danger of unpleasant meetings with competitors. Lawsuits are not excluded. Try not to take decisive action, otherwise you risk getting yourself into trouble.
Seeing yourself defeated in a fight means that you risk losing your property.
If at the same time you received a bleeding wound – be careful: you may be betrayed by those whom you considered friends.
Watching a fight is a dissolute waste of money.
Separating the fighting is evidence that you are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs and strive to achieve more.
If a young woman sees her lover fighting – this is a sign, he is not worthy of her love.
Esoteric dream book. Dream symbolism “Fist”
A fist seen in a dream means that you are ready to make the right decision, which you will not have to regret later.If someone’s fist is approaching you, this is a sign that someone’s will will restrict your freedom of action and cause you to resent.
Clenching your fist yourself is a vain anger at someone, since the blame for what happened lies entirely with you – most likely, you have forgotten about your duties. A dream in which someone else clenches his fists warns of aggression towards you. To wave a fist – to disperse all possible rivals.
Where did you go wrong?
Did you get hit on the head by another character in the night? The dream interpretation is sure that this is an eloquent warning – you made a gross mistake.
If you had to get a punch from an acquaintance, this does not mean that you will quarrel with him in real life. Most likely, trouble is coming in the area to which he is directly related.
If you dreamed that you were protecting someone, but you yourself had to get a good hit in the face, then you urgently need support or protection.
Dream Interpretation Blow, why dream of Blow in a dream to see
From this article you can find out why you dream of Blow from dream books of different authors.What does what what he saw will tell the analysis of the dream on the Lenormand cards. And even more accurately understand the dream will help the lunar calendar.
Impact to what is dreaming about in the fall?
Impact – You will suffer from the indifference of others.
Blow to what do you dream about in the summer?
Blow – You can be betrayed, as they say, with giblets, this is the interpretation of what you dream at night.
To have a dream about Strike – A dream in which you hit someone portends unexpected news to you. If in a dream you hit someone with a fist or a club, quarrels and mutual reproaches with people close to you are possible.Getting hit in a dream is a disease. If you managed to protect yourself from the blows pouring down on you, in reality you will achieve a lot in business and in relationships with people.
Maly Velesov dream book
Impact – If you fall – guests with bad intentions; to hit someone to the blood – a relative will arrive; without blood – a stranger, unfamiliar; with a stick – profit, in the next interpreter you can read another interpretation of what you dream about.
What is the dream and how to interpret the Blow on the dream book?
Blow – To feel a blow in a dream – to an unpleasant event that you have to courageously endure.
Why is the Impact dreaming?
Interpretation of a dream: Blow – In a dream you were hit hard, you did not expect such a turn of events and therefore could not protect yourself – this dream means that in reality you need time to comprehend what is happening. A dream in which you hit someone portends unexpected news for you. If in a dream you managed to dodge a blow, in real life you can always extricate yourself from any situation.
Dream Interpretation of Medium Hasse
Dreaming of Blow, why?
Blow (beatings) – Receive – loss; expect – you will bring someone to a loss.
Dream Interpretation of the Apostle Simon the Canaanite
Why Dream of Striking the Dream Book?
Blow to what is dreaming of in the spring?
Blow (hit) – Into acquaintance.
Punching (club) – To dream that you are hitting someone with a fist (or club) portends quarrels and mutual reproaches in the near future. If in a dream you yourself receive a blow from someone, this is a prediction of an illness. Having managed to protect yourself in a dream from the blows falling on you, you will in reality achieve a lot in business and in relationships with people.
Whether the night vision will come true depends not only on its content, but also on what day of the week and at what time of day the dream was dreamed.
- If you dream of Blow in a dream from Sunday to Monday
- Why dream of Blow on a dream book from Monday to Tuesday
- If you dream of Blow from Tuesday to Wednesday
- If you dream of Blow on a dream book from Wednesday to Thursday
- Why dream Strike from Thursday to Friday
- If you dream Strike in a dream from Friday to Saturday
- Why dream of Strike in a dream from Saturday to Sunday
Be careful!
If in night dreams you walked on broken glass and the smallest grains dug into your feet, then the dream book warns of great danger.
Did you dream that a piece of glass was stuck in your leg? You have to pay a visit to a person who is very unpleasant to you, or he himself will come to visit.
In addition, a glass splinter in the leg marks an old resentment, which after a while will certainly remind of itself.
Did you accidentally get hurt in your dreams? In reality, you will become an object for slander and slander.
Numerological dream book. Dream “Fist” – what is it for?
A dream in which you clench your fingers, forming a fist, warns of unexpected danger.Most likely, you underestimated someone’s hostility or rushed to publicize your plans and capabilities, and you may get hit in the presence of those you know well.
After such a dream, it is recommended to refrain from alcohol for a month. Particular care should be taken in the numbers 5 and 23. A dream in which someone shows you a fist portends a strong influence of higher powers on you. It will last from 5 to 14 (next month), which you will not be able to resist.Show patience, you will have the opportunity to calmly figure everything out.
A dreamed fist is a sign of either a threat or a readiness to defend, depending on what is happening in the dreamer’s real life. If you clench your fists in a dream, this is a sign of the mobilization of all your capabilities, and whether you will be the attacker or the defending side depends on life circumstances and the details of the dream.
Decoding by type
A more accurate interpretation of the dream will be given by the quality and state of the fragments in the dream.
- Dirty – conflict with outsiders.
- Clean – a sober assessment of the situation.
- Matte – false illusions.
- Brilliant – luck in love.
- Colored – variety.
- Mirror – the collapse of hopes.
The meaning of a dream about Fig (Numerological dream book)
Fist – If you had a dream in which you clench your fingers into a fist, then in reality you are in danger from an unexpected direction. Perhaps you underestimated your opponent or revealed your cards ahead of time.Be that as it may, try not to abuse alcohol in the next month, especially on the 5th and 23rd, since the blow will not be dealt to you face to face, but in the company of familiar people. If you see someone else showing you a fist, then from the 5th of this month to the 14th of the next you will experience a powerful influence of higher powers, but you will not be able to change or understand anything yet. Be patient, your turn will come and you will figure everything out.
Concentrate on your actions
If you watch a person hitting the trunk of a tree, it means that in reality you will face the unscrupulousness and selfishness of those around you.The blow provoked a push, then the events will affect you personally. And if you fell on your own, the dream book recommends you be more careful.
Was there a wound or abrasion after a blow in a dream? In reality, you will be unfairly charged. If the incident was limited to a bump, you will have to apologize for your mistakes.
What is the dream of the Fist, taking into account the date of birth (according to the dream book of Birthday People)
If you were born in the spring, why dream of clenching a fist – to heavy thinking.
If you were born in the summer, why you dreamed of clenching your fist in a dream – to a fight, this is an interpretation of what this dream is about.
If you were born in the fall, why dreamed of a fist that you are shown in a dream – to threats.
If you were born in winter, what fists dream about, it means that you will have a quarrel or a showdown with your worst enemy or competitor.
Whether the night vision will come true depends not only on its content, but also on what day of the week and at what time of day the dream was dreamed.
If you dream of a Fist and you want to know what the Fist is dreaming of, then first of all you need to refer to the meaning of the word Fist:
1 hand with clenched fingers Heavy to.(strong). You shake your fist. It came down to the kulaks (to a fight; colloquial). Beat with fists (fists, hand-to-hand).
1 concentrated shock grouping of troops Gather a division in the Armored town
1 pushing link in some mechanisms (special)
2 rich peasant-owner, exploiting farm laborers, poor peasants
2 avaricious and greedy people
– interpretation of sleep
Fist is dreaming – changes in your personal life await you.In a dream, the Fist means that soon a person will appear in your life, a connection with whom will bring you many happy minutes and fill your life with new meaning.
For a woman, a dream in which the Fist is present means that she will be given unambiguous signs of attention. For a man, this means that he will soon meet a girl who will be a good housewife, capable of creating comfort in the house.
If people are present in the dream where the Fist is dreaming, then perhaps soon you will participate in a wedding celebration or a magnificent birthday party.If the Fist is dreaming with animals, then you are promised a meeting with an old friend or girlfriend.
Dear visitors of our dream book website, for everyone, we provide free online interpretation of dreams on an individual basis. To do this, you need to describe your dream in as much detail as possible in the form below. Do not forget to indicate the smallest details of the dream – the deployment and accuracy of the interpretation of what the Fist dreams of depends on them. It is imperative to indicate your name and e-mail address, to which we will interpret (your e-mail is not used anywhere and is not displayed on the site).We will be happy to help you!
Create a request for a free interpretation of sleep!
The main meaning of the word “fist” is a clenched hand. As a rule, this is done in order to strike, sometimes the hands clench and spontaneously, at the moment of excitement or strong tension. The fist can have several figurative meanings, which speak of the mobilization of all forces, readiness for attack or defense, which is reflected in dreams where this image appears. The interpretation of such a dream depends on whether the dreamer or someone else clenched his fists, with what it was connected, and what was the result of the dreamed actions.
Family matters
Got into an accident – a dream book portends discord in life and quarrels in the family, there is a high probability of divorce.
Seeing your car wrecked predicts the onset of a turning point in fate. To bang your fist on the table in a dream is to defend your views.
For a woman to observe how a friend raised his hand to a girl, it means a desire for intimacy of the person who appeared in the dream. If it turned out to be a stranger, then there is a high probability of making peace with the enemy.
Esoteric dream book. Dream symbolism “Fist”
A fist seen in a dream means that you are ready to make the right decision, which you will not have to regret later. If someone’s fist is approaching you, this is a sign that someone’s will will restrict your freedom of action and cause you to resent.
Clenching your fist yourself is a vain anger at someone, since the blame for what happened lies entirely with you – most likely, you have forgotten about your duties. A dream in which someone else clenches his fists warns of aggression towards you.To wave a fist – to disperse all possible rivals.
Numerological dream book. Dream “Fist” – what is it for?
A dream in which you clench your fingers, forming a fist, warns of unexpected danger. Most likely, you underestimated someone’s hostility or rushed to publicize your plans and capabilities, and you may get hit in the presence of those you know well.
After such a dream, it is recommended to refrain from alcohol for a month. Special care should be taken with the numbers 5 and 23.A dream in which someone shows you a fist portends a strong influence of higher powers on you. It will last from 5 to 14 (next month), which you will not be able to resist. Show patience, you will have the opportunity to calmly figure everything out.
Dream interpretation from A to Z. Fist dreamed – what to expect now?
Dreams of fists foreshadow conflicts and disagreements. If you see a fist fight, get ready for a quarrel or confrontation with your most serious opponents and competitors.
A dreaming fist is a sign of either a threat or a readiness to defend, depending on what is happening in the dreamer’s real life. If you clench your fists in a dream, this is a sign of the mobilization of all your capabilities, and whether you will be the attacker or the defending side depends on life circumstances and the details of the dream. The appearance of a fist in front of your face is an unexpected conflict, anger, an attempt to interfere with your actions – physically, mentally, or in some other way. But if you managed to fight back the attacker, such a dream portends good luck and overcoming all difficulties.
Sunday to Monday
Monday proved to be a difficult day due to the strong influence of the Moon on this day. Sleep on Monday is a reflection of your emotional state, as a rule, all emotions accumulated over the weekend are reflected in a dream as a kind of “result”. When the dream on Monday is short, there are few actions and individual moments in it, or you do not remember it at all, then the dream promises a minimum amount of fuss and hassle, or maybe even their complete absence.Dreams from Sunday to Monday, as a rule, are always associated with relatives, household life, troubles, children, family in general. On this day, prophetic dreams are not dreamed. They do not even find a reflection in real life, but on the contrary, they carry a rethinking of the events of the past days.
Freud’s Dream Interpretation Fist
The fist is a phallic symbol. See Hand.
Modern dream book Fist
To dream of a fist clenched in front of your face is a bad omen – a certain enemy is preparing an unpleasant surprise for you.If you swung your fist at someone in a dream, in reality you will try to take a leading position among friends or work colleagues. Fists are a sign of an upcoming dispute that threatens to turn into a quarrel.
Esoteric dream book Fist
Seeing is the right decision. Squeeze yourself – you are in vain angry with someone. Turn to yourself, you are to blame for everything.
Views of the interpretation of sleep Fist: 1489
Don’t even try!
Happened to collect glass shards? The interpretation of sleep is literal.In reality, you will try to restore what you yourself destroyed earlier.
Collecting broken glass – to the desire to change the current situation. Alas, the dream book believes that all attempts will be useless.
Did you have to collect and discard glass pieces in a dream? Probably, you got rid of what weighed down on you, all that remains is to give up memories and negative experiences.
Why nails dream: interpretation in different dream books
A dream in which nails are dreaming means the appearance of various circumstances.Dreamed unkempt marigolds promise excitement and difficulties. The beautiful, on the other hand, prophesy a reward. Each interpreter of dreams interprets visions in his own way. We propose to determine the interpretation of visions in the following dream books.
Interpretation according to Vanga’s dream book
- Unkempt, dirty nail plates dream of illness and trouble.
- Polished, beautiful – well-deserved reward.
- Sawing a little, shaping the plates – a hint of ambition.
- Cutting your fingernails is good news, but your toenails are troublesome.
- Broken and unclean – prophesy grief.
- To trim the plates on the legs – agree to a low-paying job.
- Painting with varnish is a waste of time.
- Cutting off a deceased person – deeds that are not approved by loved ones.
According to Hasse’s dream book
- Dirty nails – to bad news.
- Cutting someone else’s plates – for a gradual career growth at work.
- Cutting your child’s fingernails is a good sign. There will be unexpected meetings and acquaintances.
- Cutting the plates to the root means losing support.
- Pulling out the shape of a marigold promises starvation and poverty.
- To file the nails on the legs – for a forced trip.
- Breaking the nail plates – to vain, useless efforts.
According to the Ladies’ Dream Book
- Unclean nail plates indicate that it is time to concentrate on your hobbies.
- Alignment of marigolds promises a forced defense of their own rights before the authorities.
According to the Big Dream Book
- Grooming the plates on the hands is a good omen, and bad news on the legs.
- Break down – to illness of relatives and financial problems.
- To do a manicure in a dream means money troubles. Doing a pedicure is doing things that will not bring satisfaction.
- Unhealthy marigolds – a collision with need.
- The nail plates covered with bright red varnish are a symbol of reconciliation with loved ones after a spat.
According to Miller’s dream book
- Putting broken marigolds in order means the implementation of your plans.
- Cutting your child’s hair is a waste of time on unnecessary things.
- Cutting on your hands means a promotion at work, to material reward.
- Cutting toenails will lead to difficulties in business, small income.
According to the Muslim dream book
- To paint short marigolds – you will have to take responsibility for your actions.
- Gnawing – disappointment and baseless accusations.
- Broken plates portend the loss of a loved one or separation.
According to the dream book of Catherine II
- To see your nail plates is the appearance of work for which they will give a penny.
- Dirty – you should reconsider your decisions.
- Caring for marigolds portends the performance of a noble work.
According to the Esoteric Dream Book
- Any nails are harbingers of trials.
- Curved and dirty plates – to a streak of unpleasant incidents.
- Broken – to failure. A man dreams – to fight.
- A hole under the nail signals the need to reconsider your decisions and preferences.
- Cut on legs – get ready for an unpleasant trip, trip.
- If a girl has cut her nails off a stranger, she will become a homeless woman.
- White plates – for new clothes.
Breaking glass in a car
Cars are both a means of transportation and an object of human luxury. Broken car glass promises about failures and problems related to work and business, there may be some difficulties in implementing the plan.
My dream is similar to the description on the website, but still a little different – how to decipher How many people – so many dreams.How many dreams – so many opportunities, sometimes missed ones. The meaning of a dream is difficult to understand without considering all its aspects, a person’s personality and context. In order to find out what sleep really means – write to the expert of the site, it’s free!
To cut on your hands yourself
- Interpretation of Miller’s dreams. Even the most humble work will be rewarded for your efforts.
- Book of the White Magician. To trim the nails on the right hand – to the loss of her husband, to cut off on the left – to separation from her lover.
- Dream interpreter Grishina. Equal alignment on the left hand will lead to financial rewards and recognition. If the vision fails to do a manicure, then there may be business problems. Cutting for a girl predicts an imminent marriage and relocation.
- Interpretation of Vanga’s dreams. Cutting on your hands is considered a good sign. A vision in which you cut your marigolds short predicts loss and disappointment.
- Lunar dream book. Misunderstandings will arise with the beloved.
If you dream of long nails
Why dream of long nails, the dream books will tell you:
- According to Hasse’s book, seeing long plates is for the arrival of guests. The longer the nails, the more important the guest will be.
- Wanga believes: the longer the nails, the brighter the future. Extending beautifully shaped nails will make money.
- According to the Big Dream Book, too long plates predict a collision with big trouble. The longer, the more problems will arise, and you will have to make every effort to solve them.
- In the Esoteric Interpreter of Dreams, nails mean a black stripe.
- According to Longo’s book, too long nail plates are a disaster.
Thus, with the help of the above dream books, you can find out the interpretation of any vision where nails were dreamed of. Do not be upset and afraid if a dream promises trouble. Better to be alerted and prepare to fix the problem.
Trifle or real trouble?
If you felt a strong blow to the head in a dream, then someone very persistent dreams of meeting you.
A slap in the face from a woman can dream of petty quarrels and empty chatter, from a man – to trouble. Moreover, most likely, they will not be associated with certain people. In this case, the interpretation of the dream is strictly symbolic.
To judge their grandeur, the dream book suggests by the strength of the poke. If he was weak, then it would be a trifling problem, if he was especially strong, then expect a big trouble.
What does the sleeping posture say about your baby?
I have two little ones, so similar to each other and at the same time so different.From birth, they manifest themselves in completely different ways. And even in identical beds, they sleep in completely different positions. It turns out that even this can tell a lot to a good parent. Want to know more? Let’s figure it out together.
The pose in which your baby sleeps is a subconscious visualization of the child’s inner state, and therefore watching even a sleeping child can tell a lot about what he lives and breathes. But first of all, I will note: if all smart forums and articles on the Internet make sense, then only in relation to children over 3 years old! Until this age, sleep postures are due to pure physiology.Remember: babies have bent arms and legs, at 18 months, the baby sleeps on the diagonal of the bed, two-year-olds – on the tummy. All this is normal, of course, and therefore it is impossible to look for hidden meaning in poses at this time.
Another thing is a slightly more conscious age at which abstract thinking begins to form. It is from here that you can begin an exciting practice of observing your beloved sleeping child.
Let’s start with the baby pose. If a child sleeps in the center of the bed on his back, arms and legs outstretched and his head slightly thrown back , we can confidently say that he is living well.An open posture speaks of inner comfort, confidence in the family and family hearth. This position tells the parent that he is doing everything right.
A variation of this pose – on the side. The child sleeps with his knees bent slightly, maybe with his fist under his cheek. If the arms and legs are symmetrically located, then this is another evidence of physiological comfort. If a child sleeps like this, it means that he is good in this world.
It is not in vain that the belly is identified with the soul in almost all world cultures. If a child sleeps on his stomach, arms and legs outstretched , this may indicate his psychological vulnerability. Such a child does not like the surprises that life presents. A child sleeping on his stomach subconsciously tries to close his inner world from the outside. If the child sleeps on his stomach on the diagonal of the bed, it is no longer a question of closing, but of protection. Try to find out what worries the baby the most – with this sleeping position, there will always be a reason.
The following position is often observed by parents of toddlers or adolescents during puberty.In India, it is known as a kind of balasana, popularly – as the “pose of the sphinx”, but the essence is the same: the child sleeps on his stomach with tucked legs . This is evidence of powerful internal protest. And if the baby most often resists sleep, then the reasons for the adolescent’s protest should be looked for in more subtle ways.
The well-known to all “posture of the embryo” or, in Russian, a ball is a sign of increased anxiety in a child. If he sleeps on his side, hiding his arms under the blanket and pressing his legs to his stomach, he is definitely worried about something.It is believed that the more the baby’s posture is compressed, the more he wants to hide from certain circumstances. Which ones? Parents to find out. If, of course, they want to reduce the level of emotional stress of their child.
In addition, there are a number of so-called special cases that can be observed in any position.