The vertebral axis is only one direction, and our bodies have two additional directions: front to back, and side to side. The terms for the front to back direction are: Anterior: Toward the front. The nose is on the anterior side of the head. Posterior: Toward the rear.
If you're experiencing numb fingers, especially in the left hand pinky and ring fingers, the most likely cause is ulnar nerve compression or entrapment. The ulnar nerve runs from the spine, past the shoulder blades, down the arm, across the outer bend of the elbow and down the arm to the pinky and ring fingers.
Pain in pinky finger. For over a year I have had a constant stiffness and pain in my left pinky finger. It gets better and worse at different times, it just depends. I have to consciously think about bending it in order for it to bend.