Numbness in hands and fingers- do you frequently experience this sensation? If you do, then you should definitely pay attention to the symptom and find out the underlying cause of the problem. In this article, we present some of the possible causes why some people feel numbness in their hands or fingers.
The numbness, tingling, burning, or loss of sensation is a clear sign that the nerves that supply blood to that particular area, such as the hand, have been damaged. For example, the nerves may be blocked or cut off which prevents it from supplying blood to the hand. Sometimes, a prickling pain or in some cases, intolerable pain may also be present along with the numbness.
There are many different causes why the nerves may be damaged. One possible reason is injury or accident. People who might have been through an accident where the hand is badly hit may suffer from nerve damages in that area. As a result, numbness in hands may occur immediately after the accident or even months or years after the accident has happened.
A neck injury which involves the Ulnar Nerve- the nerve the runs from the neck to the inner side of the arms down to the hand and the fourth and fifth finger, brings about the same effect. This condition is known as Ulnar Neuropathy.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is another possible cause of nerve damage. If your daily activity involves repetitive movement of the hands such as typing on the computer keyboard, playing the piano, playing tennis, packing items, or operating machines, then you are prone to acquiring Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The common symptoms of this condition include numbness in hands, pain on the wrists, and difficulty in moving the hand.
Nerve damage can also be a result of Alcoholic Neuropathy and Diabetic Neuropathy. In the first case, excessive alcohol consumption damages the nerves which bring about numbness in hands, arms, feet, legs and other parts of the body. Meanwhile, the latter condition is a complication brought about by a chronic disease, which is Diabetes Mellitus.
Clearly, it is very important to pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. Numbness in hands is an example of a symptom which could possibly be associated with an injury or another medical condition. Hence, the sooner a proper diagnosis is made, the sooner the proper treatment can be administered as well.