Tingling sensation in hands and fingers are not always a matter of concern, if you experience it occasionally. However if the symptoms of numbness in hands are persistent you need to consult your GP. It can be due to lack of blood flow to the nerves or any other serious condition. Too much of pressure exerted on the nerve can cause temporary numbness in the affected area. Numbness feeling can also be experienced in many forms like “pins and needles” or tingling sensation.
Numbness in arms and feet can be often temporary but for some people it can be episodic or persistent. Hand numbness can be with other symptoms like itching, burning pain and muscle weakness. Nerve damage is the main cause of numbness. Diagnosis can be made with blood tests, nerve conduction test and other imaging study. Treatment of numbness of hands depends on the cause and often the symptoms can be managed.
Symptoms :
Sudden numbness can be felt in hands and fingers. The affected person may not be able to lift/hold any object in his hand or he may lose the grip letting the objects fall. Some people may experience tingling sensation in fingers. Sleeping in the arms can cause numbness which may last for few minutes. However for some people numbness or tingling feeling can become a nuisance interrupting with daily life. The feeling of numbness after nerve injury is potentially serious. Severe nerve damage may have occurred in the affected hand or fingers.
Causes :
Pressure exerted on the nerve can cause temporary numbness which gets resolved once the pressure is relieved. Nerve compression in the arm can cause temporary numbness. Occasional numbness can be due to vitamin deficiency. Prolonged diabetes can affect the nerves on the extremes of the body causing nerve damage. This is known as peripheral neuropathy which causes loss of sensation in hands and feet. In many cases numbness can become permanent and irreversible if the nerve damage is severe. Millions of Americans with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy leading to decreased mobility in hands.