How to treat tingling hands and why it occurs?
All of us have had a temporary feeling of tingling and numbness in our hands at some point in our lives. If by any chance you fell asleep on your arm, it can cause nerve compression and lead to immediate numbness and impaired -circulation">circulation.
There are also medical conditions where burning and numbness are serious signs of a disorder in the body or nerve damage. How to treat tingling hands so that it does not lead to permanent numbness?
Stay with us and find out why this unpleasant phenomenon occurs, how it is treated, when it is necessary to see a doctor, and when a change in lifestyle solves the problem.
Tingling hands - causes
A tingling sensation in the hands is often a benign and temporary phenomenon, but it can also be a symptom of some more serious medical conditions.
Common causes of tingling in hands:
- Pinched nerve - If there is too much pressure from the surrounding tissues on a nerve in the hand, shoulder, elbow or neck, nerve compression occurs, which, as the main symptom, causes tingling in the hands.
- Poor circulation – Insufficient blood supply results in cold extremities, pain, weakness, burning and tingling due to constriction of blood vessels.
- Vitamin deficiency - Vitamins of the B group are of the greatest importance for the health of our nerves. Vitamin B12 is necessary for cells to produce energy, so its deficiency in the body can cause tingling in the hands. We find it in meat, dairy products, eggs. Vitamin B6 (meat, fish, legumes, nuts, cereals, potatoes) should be consumed every day because it cannot be stored in the body. Vitamin B1, known as thiamine, plays an important role in nerve impulses and neuron regeneration. Its deficiency causes tingling in the hands and feet. If you notice coordination difficulties and tingling in your hands and feet, it means you lack vitamin E and folate.
- Pregnancy - Hormonal changes, body swelling and fluid retention sometimes put pressure on nerves, especially joints, which can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Diabetes – Diabetic neuropathy occurs as a result of nerve damage. Diabetes damages the peripheral circulation, so it can cause tingling, pain and weakness in the extremities.
- Kidney failure – Electrolyte imbalance due to fluid retention causes body swelling and pressure on nerves.
- Degenerative changes in the neck - A herniated disc, arthritis, or other degenerative changes can cause pressure on the nerves in the neck, leading to tingling in the hands.
- Carpal Tunnel – Carpal tunnel is a common medical condition that occurs when your medial nerve is compressed as it travels through the joint. This can happen due to injury, repeated movements during exercise or work, but also due to inflammatory conditions.
- Autoimmune diseases - Autoimmune diseases are often the cause of inflammation and nerve damage. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus in many cases cause tingling in the hands and feet.
- Alcoholism - Alcohol causes peripheral neuropathy. Prolonged consumption results in burning and tingling.
- Injuries and traumas - Injuries to the neck, shoulders, joints can press on the nerve and lead to tingling in the hands.
- Certain medications – Various medications have common side effects that can cause nerve damage. Medicines used for chemotherapy and HIV cause burning and tingling in the hands. In addition to these, heart medications (amiodarone or hydralazine), anti-infectives (metronidazole, dapsone) and anticonvulsants (phenytoin) can cause tingling reactions in the hands and feet.
Other possible causes of tingling in hands
- Multiple sclerosis
- Celiac disease
- Infections
- Lyme disease
- Hepatitis B and C
- HIV
- Leprosy (Hansen's disease)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Exposure to toxins
- Fibromyalgia
- Ganglian cyst
- Cervical spondylosis
- Raynoov fenomen
Rare causes:
- Vasculitis Guillain-Barre syndrome /uzrocitrnjenjaruku.jpg" style="width: 1222px;" alt="Causes of hand numbness" title="Causes of hand numbness">
- Change of position - If you have put pressure on a nerve due to some wrong movement or bad position during sleep, changing the position will relieve your symptoms.
- Stretching - If you have compromised the nerve due to some overload or static position, try light stretching exercises. Start from the hands, over the shoulders and neck. This will reduce pressure and improve circulation. The movement increases blood flow and reduces the discomfort of tingling.
- Warm compresses - You can treat the affected area with warm compresses to relax the muscles and improve blood circulation. If you are inflamed due to nerve irritation, apply cold compresses.
- Rest – In order to reduce fatigue and tension in your body, especially in your hands, you must rest adequately. You will notice relief from tingling hands if you take short breaks during the day.
- Orthoses - Orthoses and bandages stabilize vulnerable joints of the arms and legs, especially if they are overloaded. Orthotics help reduce the symptoms of tingling and burning in the hands.
- Hydration and nutrition - A balanced, healthy diet and proper hydration not only improve the general condition of the body, but also help better circulation and reduce symptoms of tingling.
- Massage - In order to relax the muscles and improve blood flow through the body, indulge in occasional professional massages.
- Medicines - If you have unpleasant pains with symptoms of tingling in your hands, anti-inflammatory and pro
Tingling of the left hand
Tingling in the left hand is specific in that, in addition to common causes such as pressure on nerves, circulation problems or poor posture, it can potentially be related to heart problems.
That is why doctors carefully examine this symptom in relation to tingling in other parts of the body.
A heart attack or angina pectoris very often has tingling or pain in the left arm as a symptom. It is most often accompanied by chest pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness and sweating.
The pain or tingling usually starts from the chest area towards the left shoulder and arm. It is a sign of reduced blood flow to the heart.
Although tingling in the left arm can have a variety of causes, suspected heart problems make it specific, and such symptoms require immediate medical evaluation.
Tingling in the right hand
Unlike the left hand, tingling in the right is less often associated with heart problems, but it is important to monitor the duration and intensity of the symptoms in order to rule out more serious neurological or vascular causes.
Problems of pinched nerves, carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative changes in the neck or poor circulation are associated with tingling in the right hand.
These situations affect the pressure on the nerves that extend to the right hand. There is tingling, weakness and tingling. Repetitive movements such as typing on the phone or working with your hands can increase the tingling sensation, especially if the muscles and tendons in the joints are overloaded.
How to relieve tingling hands?
Once we discover the cause of tingling hands, we will know how to treat or alleviate this unpleasant problem. Medical diagnostics includes a manual examination by a doctor, laboratory blood tests, magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), electromyography (EMG).
Treatment of harmless causes is solved by supplementation, exercise and various treatments, while serious diseases require medication, physical, alternative therapy, and in rare cases, surgical intervention.
If the tingling of the hands is temporary, occasional and isolated, the reason is most likely some unpleasant nerve pressure. Then you should gently massage the affected area, fingers and wrists in order to alleviate the discomfort.
Vitamin preparations that you can get without a prescription at pharmacies will make up for the deficit in your body and help maintain the nervous system, muscles, and circulation. B group vitamins and magnesium will revitalize you best.