Numbness in your hands can mean many things. You need to think about how often and when it happens, how long it lasts and what other symptoms you might have. Your healthcare provider can help you find out what could be causing your hand numbness and then help you find the best way to treat it.
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Overview
What is numbness in hands?
Numbness in your hands is an irregular feeling that can be a symptom of many different conditions. Another name for this is paresthesia. You can also have tingling along with numbness in your hands, something you might call “pins and needles.”
Possible Causes
What are the most common causes of numbness in hands?
Numbness in your hands can be a symptom of many causes, which run from mild and temporary to serious medical conditions. The most common cause is damage or compression of the nerves in your hand. Maybe you slept too long in one position, or leaned on your elbows for too long. Maybe you have a lump or bump that’s putting pressure on your nerves.
Other causes of numbness in your hands from nerve issues include:
- Nerve damage in your hands, arms or neck.
- A herniated disc that puts pressure on your spinal nerves.
- Nerve pressure caused by tumors, infection or enlarged blood vessels.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, a common condition that affects the nerves in your wrist. This often happens when people use their hands and wrists for repetitive motions at work.
- Ulnar nerve compression from bending or leaning on your elbows for too long.
Your hands can go numb from other diseases, including:
- Shingles.
- Herpes infection.
- Poor circulation from diabetes.
- Stroke.
- Migraine headaches.
- Underactive thyroid.
- Raynaud’s syndrome.
- Vasculitis.
- Lyme disease.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS).
Other causes may include:
- Animal or insect bites.
- Certain medications.
- Lack of vitamin B12.
- Abnormal levels of calcium, potassium or sodium.
- Excessive alcohol use.
What tests will your healthcare provider do to determine the cause of your hand numbness?
Your healthcare provider will begin your examination by taking a medical history to find out how long your hands have been numb and other possible symptoms.
They may perform several tests to determine the cause, including:
- Blood count.
- Thyroid function tests.
- Tests for vitamin levels.
- Toxicology reports (tests that measure the substances in your system).
- Tests of your electrolyte levels.
Your provider conducts tests to rule out serious causes like tumors and strokes. These include:
- CT scans (computed tomography scans) of your head and spine.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of your head and spine.
- Ultrasound of neck vessels.
- X-rays.
- Angiogram to see inside your blood vessels for congestion.
- Lumbar puncture to check for nervous system disorders.
- Electromyography (EMG) to check the function and health of your nerves.
Once your healthcare provider determines the cause of your hand numbness, they’ll speak with you about the best way to treat the underlying condition of this symptom.
