Hand Numbness – Causes and Treatment
Loss of sensation or numbness in either or both the hands might develop due to several reasons. Often hand numbness is accompanied by a sharp pain or a burning or tingling sensation. Numbness in the hand should not be overlooked, because in the worse case, loss of sensation in a hand could be the symptom of stroke. Causes of hand numbness
Your hands become numb when the blood supply to the nerves that carry the signals of sensation to the brain is disrupted. Permanent cessation in blood supply to the nerves could cause permanent damage to the hand. Nerve injury could be responsible for this condition.
Compression of the nerves in the hands is a major cause of numbness in the hands. One of the major causes of loss of sensation is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome usually develops when the nerves are compressed or pinched owing to activities that involve repetitive movement of the hand muscles. The numbness usually worsens in the night in people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.
Numbness in the hand could be a symptom of peripheral neuropathy. It usually occurs in diabetics. Hand numbness from peripheral neuropathy could even develop from trauma. Repeated use of hand muscles could even increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy. Certain diseases such as Lyme disease, HIV or AIDS, shingles, hepatitis C, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis could increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy. Hypothyroidism, liver and kidney diseases might reduce the sensation in your hands.
Vitamin deficiency is often blamed for numbness in the hands. Deficiency of vitamins such as vitamin B1, B6, B12 and E, which are essential for the proper functioning of the nerves, could lead to numbness in the hands. The risk of developing numbness in the hands from vitamin deficiency is greater among alcoholics.
Frostbite, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, pernicious anemia and exposure to toxins are some other causes of hand numbness. It could even be the side effect of chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients. As mentioned earlier, sudden numbness in the hand could be the sign of stroke.
Hand numbness treatment
Treating the underlying diseases or condition could help to get rid of the numbness in the hands. Intake of vitamin supplements and normalizing the blood sugar level could help to heal the condition. You might even need surgery to restore the normal functions of your hands.
