Numbness in Hands

Loss of sensation or pins and needles in the hands

While you may experience a loss of sensation, often described as pins and needles, anywhere on the body, some experience numbness confined specifically to the hands or fingers. When you experience a loss of sensation in your hands it is likely to affect your ability to move them meaning you may find it more difficult to perform certain tasks. Numbness in your hands isn’t usually considered a sign of a serious illness. It could be a direct result of a recent injury causing damage to the nerves in the arm or wrist, or because of exposure to very low temperatures that, in most cases will only cause a temporary loss of sensation or low levels of vitamin B-12. Even repetitive strain injuries like carpel tunnel syndrome can result in numbness. However, while less common, there are several different conditions and diseases that could explain numbness in the hands and would prove to be more serious.

See also: Numbness

What causes Numbness in Hands?

Numbness can be symptom of a disease that affects the bodies nerves, like diabetes, a condition characterised by high blood sugar levels, that if not monitored or managed correctly can result in nerve damage. Other chronic conditions that could be responsible are alcohol dependence, amyloidosis or multiple sclerosis. If you are experiencing numbness confined to the extremities, such as the hands, feet, nipples, or facial features if could be Raynaud’s disease, a phenomenon that affects the blood circulation to the extremities. It causes severe pain, numbness, pins, and needles due to the reduce blood flow to the affected area, which will appear discoloured often very pale and white, but sometimes turning the tips of fingers red or bright blue. It is not normally a sign of serious problem and usually happens when exposed to the cold. Even infectious diseases such as syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease that could present asymptomatically, could be to blame. Your doctor will likely take a detailed history, discuss the circumstances surrounding the onset of your symptoms, examine your hands and if necessary, order tests to confirm a specific diagnosis.

What can you do at home?

Identifying the cause of numbness in your hands will be crucial to determining a course of treatment to alleviate your condition but there are things you could try at home that may help.

Always wear thick, good quality gloves in cold weather to help keep your hands warm
Maintain a healthy and balanced diet, making sure you are consuming enough foods rich in vitamin B-12, including meat, fish, fortified breakfast cereals and eggs
If you are vegetarian or vegan it may be necessary to take vitamin tablets to boost your natural vitamin B-12 levels
Attend regular sexual health screenings to detect asymptomatic STI’s

You should also seek further medical attention if you experience any of the following:

It can be worrying to experience a loss of sensation in your body if there is not an obvious cause for the numbness to occur, particularly if the symptoms are long lasting or severe. If numbness in your hands is affecting your ability to do things and therefore hinders your quality of life contact a doctor for a professional opinion. However, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, you could be suffering a medical emergency, please seek immediate medical assistance.

If you experience numbness accompanied by weakness or paralysis
If you have a loss of sensation and feel dizzy, confused, and have trouble communicating, or a bad headache

Are you worried about your Numbness in Hands?

Here at VIDA we have expert clinicians on hand to help diagnose and treat your condition. To find out more about these services, we recommend visiting the following pages:

Book Today

Or Call Us On

0333 300 2979

Possible Causes and Related Conditions

Alcohol use
Amyloidosis
Brachial plexus injury
Brain and nervous system conditions
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Cervical spondylosis
Chronic conditions
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Diabetes
Frostbite
Ganglion cyst
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Infectious diseases
Lyme disease
Multiple sclerosis
Paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system
Peripheral neuropathy
Raynaud's disease
Side effects of chemotherapy or HIV drugs
Sjogren's syndrome
Spinal cord injury
Stroke
Syphilis
Trauma or overuse injuries
Treatment side effects
Vasculitis
Vitamin B-12 deficiency